OK brace yourselves. Another dim question about t'internet.

I need to get couple of sites on line. They are built and I've put up stuff before on the 'free' space you get with your ISP package. This time though I actually want to spend some money

So I go to a domain name seller like GoDaddy and buy my domain names. Then I go to a hosting service and get the sites up.

My question is what exactly is the procedure. When I buy the domain names what exactly do I get? And how do I show the hosting service that these domain names are mine?

As I type this it strikes me that, even for me, this looks like a really stupid question but having gone almost all the way to buying the domain names I cannot see anything that makes the process clear.

Thanks in advance for your, as ever, helpful advice.

Mike

Id you have the sites uploaded already to your ISPs hosting, then you just need a domain (I use fasthosts) you can then direct that domain URL to where the site is hosted on your ISP. Use a masked url so the site looks like its at www.yourwebsite.com instead of www.virginmedia.com/yourwebsite

Thank you for that loggyboy. I don't want to put these sites up on my free space as I need a bit more space than I've got, plus I need the other features like mails etc.

I know for someone that has already done this it seems very simple but what exactly do you get when you buy your domain names?

And then how does that tie up with the hosting service. How to I show them that the domain names are mine?

Thanks for your perseverance,

Mike

I use justhost.com, they will sell you the domain name and host the site and provide email all in one package.

You can upload you site to their servers inside your control panel do email forwarding etc

Thanks bigV2,

In an ideal world that's what I would be doing but one of the domains I need is a .fr. Believe it or not, but in this country you cannot buy a .fr without a french company registration number which means that all the webhosting companies outside France cannot offer .frs.

Those over here charge a bleeding fortune so I want to go direct to GoDaddy and then to a host of my choice in the UK.

Thank God for the roads, the wine and the weather because the administration over here is an utter nightmare.

Cheers,

Mike

If you buy your domain and webhosting from the same place at the same time, you dont have to do anything.

If, however, you are going to buy them from different companies, then once you have your hosting, you need to point your domain name to the server that webhosting sits on. You do this by specifying the nameservers of your webhosting account (usually stated in email confirming your webhosting account) in the settings of your domain name.

On your webhosting account, you may need to specify that the domain now pointing to the server belongs to your account. You usually do this in the control panel and usually something like parked domain.


As big-vee-twin said, for simplicity sake it may be worth going with the same company for both domain and hosting. I always recommend Orchard Hosting


Edit - just seen why the different companies. You'd replied while i was typing mine.

[Edited on 17/12/11 by mads]

Be VERY sure that when you buy the Domain Name YOU own it and not the registering company CHECK BEFORE pressing any buttons to accept and make payment.
A lot of these companies register the name in THEIR name and not yours. ie they own it but let you use it.

Then when you get pissed off by their service they wont let you move it, as they own and more importantly have control of the name.
ie the Tag is in their name and their control.

I strongly suggest you use some one like Easily.co.uk who do not do this.
I use them and was reccomended them by the chap who looks after some 25,000 domain names for a Major multi national corporation.
He / the company also register Domain names for their clients. He lives and breathes DNS and has done so for over 15 years.
He told me this some 12 years ago, and it was good advice for me.

YOU MUST OWN the domain name, ie its registered in YOUR name and not anyone elses, or you will be heading for trouble in the long run.
If you own the name, then you can have it hosted where you want. If they own it they usually want the hosting as well, and the associated revenue.


I have had 2 domain names for over 10 years now with Easily, and never had any problems.
Furthermore they support framed and direct hosting.
They also give you mail translation / forwarding so you can have ANYNAME@Yourdomainname redirected to say your hotmail address or wherever.
A very useful facility, which I use a lot.


I do not have a fixed IP address at home, so I use Dynamic DNS (from http://dyn.com) to point my actual .co.uk domain name to my Webserver which is located here right beside me in my room. As Its on a ADSL line, I dont (cant / dont / wont) pay for a fixed IP address.

So I fudge it a bit and it gives me as big a website as the hard drive in my Website PC (1Tb) and it works fine.
Basically I have an Atom based micro PC running a single 1TB disc. The whole PC runs 26Watts power comsumption which is negligible.
As its not hugely used its not a problem running it off ADSL. The speed would be affected by heavy use!
Namely not the sort of thing for a commercial companies website, but just fine for my personal one with minimal traffic.

At the end of the day I get a BIG website, and the only cost is the electricity and the space in my Computer rack. Yes... My PC's are Rack Mounted - I only have 4 in there at the moment


So, make sure you get the right domain name for your company.
Use a good quality company to register it thru. I use Easily.co.uk, you can use others, but I get on fine with these people. Also they have a real person on the other end of a Land Line if you really need them. Believe me this can make a real difference if you have any difficulties.


I have two .co.uk domains as they are cheap. It depends on what you want / need, but Easily are not overly expensive.
Register for longer term, and a small discount, plus you dont have to rember to renew every year. Anyway Easily Email me well in time for the renewals!

I would suggest these as a domain name registry company.
There are other good ones about, but I have always used Easily without any propblems.
Also my mate (with 15 years of Domain name management) who originaly advised me uses them as well.

Hope that is of some help.

Thank you guys,

That's exactly the sort of advice I was looking for. I'll get on with it now and let you know how I get on.

Or come crying for help again when it all turns poo shaped.

All the best,

Mike

http://www.godaddy.com/hosting/web-hosting.aspx?ci=9009

The £4.50 / month option will probably do everything you want for all your domains in one package - just add domains!

[Edited on 17/12/11 by stevebubs]

I second Orchard Hosting

Thanks again,

This is not so easy though. Being an internet plank is probably not helping.

Easily.co.uk cannot sell me a .fr nor can Orchard.

If I buy from Go Daddy (who can do a .fr) can I then get the site(s) hosted by Orchard???

Beware come renewal time some hosting companies leave it till the very last minute and beyond before renewing your domain.
I have used LCN for a while without any hassles.

Thanks for that BT. Unfortunately LCN don't do .fr names either....

Anyone?

For hosting, Ive been using www.000webhost.com for the last few months. Its free for a basic site and hasnt given me problems so far.

Any more? I know the .fr thing is complicating the affair but there must be someone who knows how this works?

Cheers,


Mike

Mike, there is nothing complicated about the .fr domain. Get it with GoDaddy and then get your hosting with OrchardHosting. I have used them for almost a decade and never had a problem. They do not send reminders about renewal at the last minute or any other problems you may face with other hosting providers. I have at times needed some extra webspace or bandwidth for a month or so, sent an email asking how much it cost, they send one back saying I've been given the extra at no charge and to simply let them know once i've finished. That's the kind of customer service and support you want and it is what you will get.

btw, i have no affiliation with them other than hosting multiple sites with them myself and referring many a friend and colleague to them, as well as clients of mine.

if you are worried about sorting out the nameserver pointing once you bought your hosting and domain, then drop me a PM and i can do it for you.

quote:

---

Originally posted by MikeCapon

If I buy from Go Daddy (who can do a .fr) can I then get the site(s) hosted by Orchard???

---