How do you get one of those e-mail addresses and a Web site that's myownname.com or mybusinessname.com? Owning your own domain - that's what it's called - and having a Web site and ane-mail address that's personal looks more professional than a Yahoo address or a Web site at Blogger, and it's not that difficult to do if you can navigate ecommerce Web sites and follow instructions.
Domains are administered by businesses called domain registrars, and since the process was opened up to competition in the 1990s there are now hundreds of registrars on the Web. Registrars make working with the DNS process easy; DNS stands for Domain Name Service, and it's the giant phonebook for the Internet. There are more than 100 million listings in the DNS phonebook right now, and it's growing by the thousands every day. The DNS system also interprets the numerical IP (Internet Protocol) address of a Web site to something easier for humans to read. The IP for my Web site is 66.160.155.215, and that's how all the computers find each other on the Internet, but it's better known to everyone else as songdogtech.net.
You might also want to pay an additional $10 or so a year for what's called a private registration, as in the DNS system, your registration information - name, e-mail, phone number, etc. - is publicly available, and a private registration hides your information from spammers.
The first step to get your own domain is to go to a registrar on the Web. One of the most popular domain registrars is GoDaddy.com, which you might have seen on TV sponsoring cars in IndyCar races. It is a one-stop shop for domains, e-mail and Web site hosting. If you have DSL or broadband, sometimes the local company you use for Internet access will also offer domain registrations, though they might not offer easy Web mail and Web site building tools.
The first thing to find out when registering a domain is to determine if someone has already grabbed the one you want. You'll type in your desired domain name and pick one or more of the different suffixes, such as .com, .net, .us, .name or .biz. Then the registrar instantly checks the DNS to see if your domain is available. You'll quickly find out the difference between DNS and the telephone book; the phone book can list 20 different people with the same name. On the Internet, there can only be one joesmith.com. That's why you might want to proactively register your name or business; if you don't, and someone else grabs it, it can be expensive to buy them out, or you'll have to settle for a variation on your name or business.
Has someone already grabbed the domain you want? Try a simple variation on the spelling, try initials or try a number. (Take a breath and check the name you want for unintended meanings and double ententes!) Some registrars, like GoDaddy, offer the option of putting a backorder on a registered domain. If someone has already grabbed montanacowboy.com, it's possible to get in line for it, and if it comes open, they will grab it for you. Some businesses "cybersquat" on domains, registering them for a few weeks to a few months, hoping to make money selling them or from the clickable advertisements on the site, and sometimes you can wait them out and get the domain yourself.
Registering a domain at GoDaddy can take up to an hour if you consider all the options, but behind the scenes, it takes around 24 hours for the whole process to complete and for your domain to show up in the virtual world of the Internet. After everything goes through the DNS system there will be a GoDaddy "placeholder" Web site at your domain that says your domain is "parked."
Now, the second step: once you own your domain, it's time to do something with it. Owning a domain doesn't automatically make it work as an e-mail address or a Web site. Your domain must be "hosted" somewhere. Some registrars offer both domain registration and Web and e-mail hosting, like GoDaddy, and they can be more convenient if you're new to all this. If in doubt, get your local teenager to help; chances are they've done all this before.
If you don't want to deal with a Web site, you can host your domain just for e-mail. E-mail only hosting is cheap, or in some cases free. Follow the directions; most registrars try to make it as easy as possible. Once you have hosted a domain for e-mail, you'll need to wait another 24 hours or so for it to filter through the DNS system. Then, you'll need to follow the directions to change the settings in whatever e-mail program you use on your PC or laptop. Some hosting services will set you up with Web-based e-mail, so you don't need to change anything. You can go to a Web site at the registrar and work with your e-mail there.
It's mostly the same process with a Web site. Some registrars offer easy Web site hosting and building for a few dollars a month, or free with their advertisements. Building a Web site can be as simple as point and click: choosing a template, entering your information and photos, and seeing how you like it. You can build a Web site in an evening, and the next day it will be "live," and your name will be up in lights on the Internet.
Next week: How do you recycle an old computer and printer (called e- waste these days) the correct way?
Mark Ratledge is a Missoula computer consultant. Contact him through his Web site at http://songdogtech.net
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