What is Domain Registration?
Consider this lens a domain registration for dummies explanation. Domain names are what we humans can recognize with letters as opposed to numbers and are easy to remember such as squidoo.com. But first, why are they important? Let me explain by going backwards.
What is the Internet?
The internet is essentially a huge number of computers linked together. Think of the Internet as a huge river and every computer is at the end of a stream that attaches to the river, assuming water flows both ways you can get from one computer to the other. So data is flowing between computers in a boat. Wow, that is a terrible analogy - but gets the point across.
How to Get From One Computer to Another
Now if you are in a boat and leave your computer with a message and want to go to your friends computer you flow into the river and see hundreds of millions of streams. Great, what stream do you take? Enter IP Address, you have probably heard the term. IP stands for Internet Protocol. An example of an IP address is 192.168.1.1, they all take the same form and no need to explain the numbering now. However if each computer had a different IP address then you could get to your friends computer. Then the reason to have domain names is just to make addresses memorable. But that is not the case, you can have one computer with an IP address and actually have hundreds of websites on that one IP address. Therefore finding your friend by an IP may not be possible.
Enter the Domain Name
Now while IP addresses are not unique to one website, meaning many websites can have the same IP address - domains are unique. There can only be one website with the domain name Squidoo.com. Therefore domain names become essential to link a website with a unique domain name and make them readable. A domain name is essentially linked to a website (done with DNS servers and other things on servers in the background). So if you have control of a domain name you can point it to a website.
Conclusion
Every domain name is unique to one site.
What is the Internet?
The internet is essentially a huge number of computers linked together. Think of the Internet as a huge river and every computer is at the end of a stream that attaches to the river, assuming water flows both ways you can get from one computer to the other. So data is flowing between computers in a boat. Wow, that is a terrible analogy - but gets the point across.
How to Get From One Computer to Another
Now if you are in a boat and leave your computer with a message and want to go to your friends computer you flow into the river and see hundreds of millions of streams. Great, what stream do you take? Enter IP Address, you have probably heard the term. IP stands for Internet Protocol. An example of an IP address is 192.168.1.1, they all take the same form and no need to explain the numbering now. However if each computer had a different IP address then you could get to your friends computer. Then the reason to have domain names is just to make addresses memorable. But that is not the case, you can have one computer with an IP address and actually have hundreds of websites on that one IP address. Therefore finding your friend by an IP may not be possible.
Enter the Domain Name
Now while IP addresses are not unique to one website, meaning many websites can have the same IP address - domains are unique. There can only be one website with the domain name Squidoo.com. Therefore domain names become essential to link a website with a unique domain name and make them readable. A domain name is essentially linked to a website (done with DNS servers and other things on servers in the background). So if you have control of a domain name you can point it to a website.
Conclusion
Every domain name is unique to one site.
Who Controls Domains?
ICANN Controls Domain Registration
An organization named ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) governs what is called domain registration by governing what is known as a registrar of domains. ICANN puts rules in place and charges a fee to the registrars for domain registration. ICANN assures that there is only one owner of every domain name. They allow other companies, after being approved, to sell domains online. A portion of each domain goes to ICANN as a fee to run them. Therefore the domain registration companies charge more than the ICANN fee and that is their profit for registration. However to obtain a domain you need to visit a registrar. ICANN ultimately controls the domains. Also to note are what is known as top-level domains. A top level is the portion at the end of the last period after the http:// and before the first /. As an example .COM such as http://www.squidoo.com, and others are .NET, .ORG, .GOV, .EDU and many others. How to Get a Domain?
Domain Registrars
To obtain a domain name you have to get it from a domain registrar. For example the most well known one is GoDaddy. Every registrar gives you the ability to point the domain where you want, in other words to whatever website you want. There are many other features and functionality that differs from one to the other but you always get at least that one thing.If One Registrar Does Not Have the Domain I Want, Will Another?
Each registrar has access to the same domain names. The main database is kept at ICANN. If one registrar shows the domain as already taken then another will show it as taken as well. This is because each domain can have only one owner.
Why Do You Have to Pay a Registration Fee Every Year?
You pay a fee every year because you do not own the domain. You never really "own" a domain you merely rent it. Think of it as rent on a home, if you do not pay the rent you must give up the home. If you do not pay your yearly registration fee then you lose the domain and someone else can register it.
Who Are the Biggest Domain Registrars?
You can find out who is the largest domain registrar at Registrar Stats as they track the largest domain registrars. This is an image of the top one as of June 2010.
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traceglass
Between kids and all the chores I actually relax by creating my lenses and updating my sites.
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