The Domain Names I Buy Have Nameservers, Whois and More - What is This Stuff?

Nameservers are the Internet's equivalent to phonewant to use their system to register nameservers.
books. A nameserver maintains a directory of domainWHOIS is a central database which tracks domains
names that match certain IP addresses (computers).and IP registrations and lists the owner contact email,
A Domain is the part of the URL that locates a groupphone number and address.
or entity on the Internet.A Whois listing contains information associated with a
A Name Server is a host or computer server thatdomain name, such as its creation and expiration
has the software and the data (zone files) necessarydates, the registrar of record, and various contacts
to resolve domain names to Internet Protocol (IP)(administrative, technical, etc.). Whois data is collected
numbers. Domain names require a minimum of twowhen a domain name is registered and is public
name servers hosted on separate networks.information.
The information from all the nameservers across theThe Whois information appears whenever a person
Internet is gathered in a central registry. A Registry isconducts a Whois search on a particular domain
a database associating DNS information with anname. Unless you use a proxy service.
individual, a legal entity or operational entity.The second-level domain is the readable part of the
This makes it possible for visitors to access yourdomain name that is located immediately to the left
Web site using a familiar domain name, instead ofof the dot. For example, the second-level domain in is
having to remember a series of numbers."coolexample." You define the second-level domain
Nameservers on other networks can accesswhen you register most domains.
information at the central registry up to 8 hours afterHowever, there are some registries that restrict the
registering .COM and .NET domains and up to 48second-level domain, such as .UK domains. Domains
hours for all other domain extensions. This period iswith this extension must include .CO. For example,
referred to as the propagation period. Propagation iscoolexample.co.uk.
the time frame a process undergoes while theSecond-level domains can be divided into further
request or modification is being completed.domain levels (for example, [ These subdomains
The nameserver you use depends on where you setsometimes represent different computer servers
up your hosting account. Hosting is the storage spacewithin departments, but they can be created for any
or capacity for a Web site on the Internet. Anpurpose. More than one second-level domain name
example of nameservers are andcan be used for the same IP address. An IP Address
Some registrar's (a registrar has access to a domainis a set of numbers divided by periods that specifies
registry and the ability to provide domain names toa location for the TCP/IP Protocol.
individuals and companies) require that domain namesHopefully this information helps when you're choosing
you buy must be registered through them if youdomain names to buy.