| This article shows how to setup your domain and | | | | Your webhost will usually have their own |
| explains DNS, Nameservers, IP Address, Forwarding, | | | | nameservers. In their documentation they may say |
| domain registration and trouble shooting. | | | | you need to use something like and - If you use |
| Introduction and scopeAlmost Everyone who knows | | | | these, you need not bother about the webserver ip |
| about the internet knows what a domain name is. It | | | | address or any other settings, just configure your |
| is what identifies a unique website or email server. | | | | domain to use these and you are all set. |
| When you send an email to , the forms the domain | | | | - 2> nameserver provided by the registrar that |
| name. When you type in in the address bar of your | | | | you register your domain with |
| browser, the is the domain name of the website you | | | | If you use this option, you will need to know the ip |
| are going to see. | | | | address of your webserver (provided by your |
| But how does the computer know which page to | | | | webhost). As you will be using the nameserver |
| show when there are almost infinite number of | | | | provided by your registrar, you will need to set it up |
| domain names possible ? How does it know where | | | | to point to the correct ip address for your website |
| to fetch the webpage from ? This article answers | | | | by creating a DNS entry. The ip address for your |
| these question and explains what you need to do to | | | | webserver is called as the A record and the ip |
| register and setup your domain and tell all the | | | | address for your mail server is called as the MX |
| computers in the world that should show your web | | | | record, CNAME records are used if one domain |
| page. | | | | needs to be similar to another domain, but you do |
| How to choose a domain name ? | | | | not need to understand these options for a basic |
| There are many top level domains (TLDs) the most | | | | setup. Many top notch domain registrars in the |
| popular are the .com, .net and .org — Countries | | | | industry provide advanced DNS management like |
| have their own like .us, .in, .ca, .au etc and then there | | | | forwarding your domain to another site, subdomains, |
| is the new breed of domains like .tv, .info, .ws and so | | | | email id management, wildcard dns etc |
| on but the most powerful king of all is the .com | | | | - 3> third party nameservers |
| Why ? Because it came first ? In the domain market, | | | | This is an option that very advanced domain |
| single word domains sell for thousands of dollars and | | | | managers prefer when they wish to have more |
| .com costs around 10 times more than the others | | | | features and greater control over their DNS records |
| and is as difficult to get a new name. There is a | | | | which may not be provided by the registrar or the |
| myth that domains with hypnens (dashes) are better | | | | webhost. |
| for search engine rankings, I think there may be | | | | Now a days, the line between the web hosts and |
| some truth in that myth, but domains without dashes | | | | the domain registrars is fading as most domain |
| always seem to cost more than the ones with | | | | registrars are providing web hosting and most web |
| dashes. The best way to register a domain is to | | | | hosts are providing domain registration. If you |
| determine the keywords you are going to target by | | | | purchase your domain registration and web hosting |
| using the free trial of keyword popularity and | | | | from the same company, chances are that you may |
| competition analysis from and get a domain with | | | | never need to do any setup at all. |
| those keywords in it. Another school of thought | | | | What to look for in a registrar |
| abandons this approach and advocates brand name | | | | It is always a good idea to register your domain with |
| domains like instead of instead of and instead of - | | | | a domain registration site rather than with your |
| you get the picture. | | | | webhost so you can be able to shift your webhost in |
| Name Servers ExplainedEvery computer connected | | | | case you need to without loosing your domain. |
| to the internet has an ip address that looks like | | | | A good domain registrar should provide you the |
| 123.234.123.234 | | | | following features |
| An ip address consists of 4 numbers separated by | | | | - No Cost Domain Forwarding - To Point your domain |
| dots, each number ranging from 1 to 255. What this | | | | to anywhere you choose, you can even use a long |
| numbers mean is not important for us, all we need to | | | | free web host url and forward your domain to it. |
| understand is that each computer on the | | | | - No Cost for Change of Registrant - Makes sure you |
| internet has a unique ip address and if the | | | | can change registrars (transfer out to another |
| GoldenRobot wants to talk to R2D2 on the | | | | registrar) for your domain without paying a heavy |
| internet, it has to know the IP address of R2D2 | | | | fee. |
| (name borrowed from the movie Star Wars). | | | | - No Cost Domain Parking - You get one page |
| But Wait a minute, does that mean that there are | | | | saying your site is under construction or something |
| only 256*256*256*256 number of computers | | | | like that. |
| that can connect to the internet, technically yes. But | | | | - Domain Name Locking - makes sure that no |
| that number is large enough for now until they start | | | | one can initiate a transfer request until you |
| connecting ever microwave and freezer to the | | | | unlock your domain |
| internet (imagine your freezer automatically placing an | | | | - DNS Server Changes - You should be able to login |
| order for 2 liters of milk to the grocery store when it | | | | to your own control panel and make any changes |
| detects that your milk stock is diminishing!) | | | | yourself |
| OK, now you must be thinking all the ip address stuff | | | | I use for all my domain needs, they provide 1 year |
| is fine, but how does it relate to domain names ? | | | | registration for $8.75 and $7.75 for a domain transfer |
| Remember that I said "if the GoldenRobot wants to | | | | including one year extension. They also have |
| talk to R2D2, it has to know the IP address of R2D2 | | | | special prizing for bulk registrations. |
| " - but all you give to your computer is the Domain | | | | Trouble Shooting Domain Name Problems |
| Name of the website you want to visit, so how can | | | | What can you do if you have trouble setting up your |
| it get the ip address ? Enter the NameServer. | | | | domain? First of all, remember that it may take up to |
| The job of a nameserver is to resolve a domain | | | | 48 hours for your domain changes to propagate |
| name to an ip address. Simple. | | | | across the internet. If you wish to verify the settings |
| A nameserver is similar to a telephone directory | | | | on any domain, you can use our recommended |
| except that instead of mapping person names to | | | | whois tool |
| phone numbers, it maps domain names to ip | | | | The whois report on any domain will tell you |
| addresses. | | | | about the current nameservers attached to that |
| Imagine having just one telephone directory for | | | | domain in addition to the contact addresses, the |
| all the people in the world ! In the same way, if they | | | | registration date, expiry date and the date when the |
| had just one nameserver for all domains, it | | | | last modifications were made to that domain record. |
| would be unmanageably huge and all the computers | | | | If the nameservers are not correct then you know |
| would have to contact that one nameserver to | | | | you have to change them by logging into your |
| get the domains resolved to ip addresses ! Even a | | | | domain name control panel or by contacting your |
| super-duper-mega-monster-computer would not be | | | | registrar support. If the name servers that are |
| able to handle such a load ! | | | | shown are correct, then you can use the nslookup |
| So we have many nameservers. When you register | | | | tool (Advanced DNS Lookup) from the same page to |
| a domain, you specify which name server to use. | | | | determine the ip address being returned for your |
| Now lets take our example | | | | domain by any nameserver. Here you should enter |
| GoldenRobot wants to talk to R2D2 | | | | one of the nameserver that you find in the |
| It will have to follow these steps | | | | whois output and see what ip address it returns for |
| 1> Look at the registrar entry for R2D2 to | | | | your domain name. |
| determine which nameserver to use | | | | If it does not return an ip address then the |
| 2> Connect to that nameserver and ask it for the | | | | nameserver has to be configured to point your |
| ip address of R2D2 | | | | domain to the correct ip address, or you may be |
| 3> Connect to R2D2 using this IP address | | | | using the wrong nameserver. |
| In reality it is a bit more complicated due nameserver | | | | If it returns an ip address, You can try typing the ip |
| cacheing, and chained recursive lookups leading to | | | | address directly into the address bar of your web |
| authoritative and non authoritative responses but our | | | | browser, if it gives a 404 page not found error, then |
| example illustrates the basic concept and is sufficient | | | | either the ip address is wrong or the webserver is |
| knowledge to setup your domain. | | | | down. If it returns some generic page but not your |
| One misconception that I would like to clarify, some | | | | webpage, that is all right, this is to be expected |
| people think that each domain name maps to a | | | | unless you are using a dedicated ip address. Make |
| unique ip address, not true. Just as many people in a | | | | sure that the IP address returned is the correct |
| house can share a single telephone number, many | | | | one that your web host is providing to you. If |
| domain names can share a single ip address. The | | | | you are sure that the ip address is correct and still |
| NameServer will return the same ip address for all of | | | | your website does not show when you type in your |
| these domains and when the browser connects to | | | | domain name in the address bar of your browser, |
| that ip address, it says I am trying to reach domain, | | | | then it may be that other people are able to access |
| the webserver then returns the correct page for the | | | | your site and only you are not able to access it |
| domain requested. Obtaining a unique ip address | | | | because your local nameserver does not resolve |
| (known as dedicated ip) for your website is usually | | | | your domain or resolves it wrongly. In that case, if |
| more expensive than sharing the ip address. | | | | you can find out the nameserver your local machine |
| How to setup your domain nameForm the discussion | | | | is using, you can enter that nameserver in the |
| we just had, you would be able to appreciate that in | | | | nslookup tool at and see what ip address it is |
| order for you to get your domain to point to your | | | | returning. If your local nameserver is returning the |
| webpage, you need to do the following in theory | | | | wrong ip address all you need to do is wait till the |
| 1> Obtain the ip address for the web host where | | | | dns changes propagate to your local nameserver, If |
| your WebPages reside - this is the webserver ip | | | | your local nameserver is returning the right ip |
| 2> Make an entry (Called as DNS Entry) in a | | | | address, then you must contact your web host to |
| Nameserver to resolve your domain name to this ip | | | | inform them that their webserver is not configured |
| address. | | | | to handle your domain. |
| 3> Configure your domain to use this nameserver | | | | ConclusionWe have covered a lot of ground here, |
| Most of the time, step 2 will be transparent to you | | | | from registering a domain to setting and trouble |
| as most webservers provide nameservers in which | | | | shooting it. Even if you never need to configure a |
| they make the DNS entry for you when you | | | | domain, understanding the concepts behind what |
| purchase webspace from them. Also, many good | | | | goes on behind the scenes when you type a |
| domain registrars provide their own nameservers that | | | | domain name in your browser should make you feel |
| you can use. | | | | good about yourself. And if you are one of |
| While registering a domain or after registering a | | | | those people who eat domains for breakfast, this |
| domain, you will need to set it up to use two or | | | | article should give you a head start into the advanced |
| more nameservers. It is common to use multiple | | | | configuration options available and with a little |
| nameservers so that if one of them is down | | | | practice, you will be well on your way to become a |
| the others may be used. | | | | Jedi Knight of domain management. May the force be |
| You have three options to set the nameservers | | | | with you, always. |
| - 1> nameserver provided by your web host | | | | By Mufad. |