What is a
domain name?
A domain name is a Web address, such as coolexamples.co.za, that
is linked to an IP address (which represents a physical point on the
Internet). The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is
the governing body that coordinates links between IP addresses and domain
names across the Internet, so you can find websites by entering domain names
instead of IP addresses into your Web browser. For example, think of an IP address as an address for a house or
business, such as DesignMagic. The
address, 61 Neethling Street, is comparable to an IP address, and the name
you know it as, DesignMagic, is comparable to a domain name. A domain name consists of a top-level and a second-level domain.
A top-level domain (TLD), or domain extension, is the part of the domain name
located to the right of the dot (coolexample.co.za). The most common domain extensions
are .CO.ZA, COM, .NET, and .ORG. Some other popular domain extensions are
.BIZ, .INFO, .NAME, and .WS. These common extensions have certain guidelines,
but are usually available to any registrant, anywhere in the world. There are also restricted top-level domains (rTLDs),
like .AERO, .BIZ, .EDU, .MIL, .MUSEUM, .NAME, and .PRO that require
registrants to represent a certain type of entity or to belong to a certain
community. For example, the .NAME domain extension is reserved for
individuals, while .EDU is reserved for educational entities. Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) are for
websites and registrants of a particular geographic location, such as .BZ
(Belize), .CA (Canada), .DK (Denmark), .EC (Ecuador), .IE (Republic of
Ireland), .UK (United Kingdom), .US (United States), and .ZW (Zimbabwe). The part of the domain name located to the left of the dot (coolexample.co.za) is called the second-level
domain (SLD) name. The second-level domain name is the "readable"
part of the address and refers to the organization or entity behind the
Internet address. Second-level domain names must be unique on the Internet
and registered with an ICANN-accredited registrar. As an ICANN-accredited
registrar, you can register domain names through us.
What is a
second-level domain (SLD)?
The second-level domain is the readable part of the domain name
that is located immediately to the left of the dot. For example, the
second-level domain in coolexample.co.za is "coolexample." You
define the second-level domain when you register most domains. However, there
are some registries that restrict the second-level domain, such as .UK
domains. Domains with this extension must include .CO. For example,
coolexample.co.uk. Second-level domains can be divided into further domain levels
(for example, www.one.coolexample.com). These subdomains
sometimes represent different computer servers within departments, but they
can be created for any purpose. More than one second-level domain name can be
used for the same IP address
How do
domain names work?
Registering a domain doesn't automatically make your website
appear when visitors enter your domain into a Web browser. You have to upload
your website to a computer that hosts the site and assigns a numeric address,
called an IP address, to your domain. Your domain and associated IP address
are stored in a database with every other domain and associated IP address.
When visitors enter your domain into a Web browser, your domain works like an
address forwarding service by forwarding visitors to the IP address where your
website is stored. We use domain names instead of IP addresses because most
people find it easier to remember a name rather than a series of numbers. When you register a domain, you do not have to create and upload
a website. You can also: Sell it. Domains can be a great investment. If you have registered a
domain that you are not using, maybe someone else can. Log in to your Account
Manager and set up a For Sale parked page for your domain. Don't forget to
include your contact information. Protect your brand online. The more domains you register, the better. Prevent others from
registering a similar domain to yours—just to steal away your customers. What
to do with all these names? Forward them to your main domain. Hold on to it. Maybe you haven’t decided what to do with your new domain. Don’t
worry – there’s no rush. You can leave it parked with us for the length of
your registration. For new .COM and .NET domains and updates, it may take up to
eight hours for changes to become effective. It may take up to 48 hours for
changes made to all other domain extensions to become effective. This is
because of the number of networks and agencies involved. Delays apply to all
domains and registrars. Please allow for this delay when planning websites or
configuring a domain to work with your email.
What is a
nameserver?
Nameservers are the Internet's equivalent to phone books. A
nameserver maintains a directory of domain names that match certain IP
addresses (computers). The information from all the nameservers
across the Internet is gathered in a central registry. This makes it possible for visitors to access your website using
a familiar domain name, instead of having to remember a series of numbers. Nameservers on other networks can access information at the
central registry up to 8 hours after registering.CO.ZA, .COM and .NET domains
and up to 48 hours for all other domain extensions. This period is referred
to as the propagation period. The nameservers you use depends on
when you set up your hosting account
Can
a domain registered elsewhere use your system to register new nameservers? No, your domain must be registered through us if you want to use
our system to register nameservers for it. For
domains registered elsewhere, register nameservers
through your current registrar. For more information, contact your current
registrar. However, if you registered nameservers
through our system, you can assign them to domains that you registered
elsewhere.
Who is
listed as a domain's registrant?
Any public domain registration that you register through us has
your name as the registrant, just as if you registered it through any other
ICANN-certified registrar. You can change all four contact fields for the
domain whenever you want. If you want to restrict your personal information from
displaying, you can purchase privacy service.
What
is the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy?
ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)
defines how to resolve trademark-based disputes over domain names (.CO.ZA, .BIZ,
.COM, .INFO, .NAME, .NET, .ORG). In accordance with the UDRP, you can dispute
a claim to a domain name by following the dispute process. NOTE: The UDRP does
not apply to country-code top-level domains, except in a few cases where the
local administrator has decided to adopt it.
What if I
misspelled my domain when I registered it?
Unfortunately, we are unable to change or edit the spelling of a
domain after it has been registered. We try to register the domain exactly as
you enter it. Should the registration succeed, you are charged, even if the
domain you entered was not what you actually intended to type. You do have the option of cancelling the domain so that it is no
longer registered to you, but cancelling does not entitle you to a refund of
any part of your registration fee. Cancelling a domain is a permanent action.
When can I
register an expired domain?
Most registrars allow a grace period for registrants to renew
expired domains. That grace period can be as short as one to two weeks or as
long as one year in some cases. If the current registrant does not renew it
within the allotted time frame, then that domain may become available after
any grace and redemption periods during which the registrar and registry may
hold the domain. The actual grace period is different for each individual
registrar. Once the domain becomes available, you can register it through us. In many cases, soon-to-be-expired domains are auctioned. If the
current registrant fails to renew the registration within the allotted grace
and subsequent redemption periods, you can attempt to acquire the domain by
placing a bid for it.
Can I
register domains if I don't have a hosting provider?
Yes, you can register domains before
you find a hosting provider. We offer hosting solutions as well. We automatically park domains you register
with us should you not have hosting. A temporary parked page displays when
visitors go to your website. The parked page indicates you are reserving the
site until you find a hosting provider and upload your site
What do I
do if I have a trademark dispute?
Unfortunately, we cannot make any changes to the registrant
fields without a legal change of ownership, a court order, or an order by the
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). If you feel that you are the rightful owner of the domain,
please contact the domain registrant. If you are unable to find a
satisfactory solution with the current registrant, you need to settle the
issue with a court order. We do not get involved in domain disputes. Discrepancies with trademark or rightful ownership are handled
by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Their email address
is domain.disputes@wipo.int. If a domain name is under a dispute, we lock the
domain name once the WIPO notifies us. It cannot be modified or transferred
to another registrar. Once we receive a court or WIPO ruling, we update the
domain accordingly.
Setting
Nameservers for Your Domains
When registering your domain with us,
we park your domain on our parked nameservers so a
temporary page displays when visitors go to your website. After determining
which hosting provider to use, you can change your domain's nameservers to remove the parked page and activate your
domain name. You can purchase a hosting account with us to use our nameservers, regardless of where you registered your
domain. Update your nameservers according to one of
the following:
After updating your nameservers, it takes about 4 to 8 hours for other
networks to access information for .COM and .NET domains and about 24 to 48
hours for other networks to access information for all other domain
extensions.
What does
it mean to park a domain name?
When you park a domain name, a
temporary Web page displays when visitors go to your domain. You may want to
park your domain to indicate you are reserving it until you create your
website, find a hosting provider, or sell the domain to a third party.
Which
domain extensions or top-level domains can I register?
We currently offer these top-level domains (TLDs): .co.za .com .biz .ag NOTE: You may have
to meet certain requirements to use some of these TLDs. For example, the
top-level domain .EDU is reserved for educational entities
Registering Domains
If your domain is available, you can register it for a period of
time that you specify during the checkout process. You can use your domain to
build your business and assist you in creating a dynamic online identity. You
may also want to consider registering multiple domain names to:
To get started, you need to check if the domain name you want is
available. To
Check a Domain's Availability
1.
Go to our Home
Page. 2.
In the Domain Name Search field, enter the domain you
want to register, and then select the domain extension from the list. 3.
Click
Search. If the domain you requested is taken, we present you with
available alternatives. For example, you may be able to select a .INFO or .WS
domain extension, rather than a .COM. For example, you could register
www.coolexample.info, instead of www.coolexample.com. If the domain is available, follow the instructions to complete
the checkout process. As you complete your registration, include valid
contact information for each contact. ICANN, the governing body for domain
names, requires valid information for your contact information (Registrant,
Technical, Billing, and Administrative). If you enter false information, your
domain is cancelled. Your contact information is public and accessible through the Whois databases of most registrars. However, you can
protect your privacy by registering your domain with us using our private
domain name registration services. When you purchase our private domain registration services, the Whois directory lists Domains By Proxy’s name, postal
address, and phone number instead of yours. Although Domains By Proxy is the
registrant of your domain name registration, you still retain the full benefits of domain registration. You can:
What is a Whois listing?
A Whois listing contains information
associated with a domain name, such as its creation and expiration dates, the
registrar of record, and various contacts (administrative, technical, etc.). Whois data is collected when a domain name is registered
and is public information. The Whois information
appears whenever a person conducts a Whois search
on a particular domain name. All information entered in the Whois must be valid. |