Domain Name

Domain Name Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to "register" a Domain Name?

A Domain Name is the label used to identify your web site, for example Siteserver.com. It usually describes some aspect of your site and is easier for your visitors to remember than your web address. Your web address which is a rather complicated string of numbers called an "IP address" will look similar to this 207.151.159.3.

In order for visitors to access your site on the Internet with a "friendly" Domain Name, you must select a unique name and register it with an accredited Domain Name Registrar like Siteserver. Once your Domain Name is registered and pointed to the corresponding Web Hosting account, your "friendly" Domain Name will be live to the public.

How do I register my Domain Name?

Once you have decided on a Domain Name and have checked that it is available, Siteserver can register your new Domain Name for you. Of course, you can always take care of the registration process yourself by working directly with an another Domain Name registrar and then transferring the Domain Name to Siteserver.

How long does it take to register my Domain Name?

Once you have a confirmation that your Domain Name has been registered (or transferred, if applicable), it usually takes no longer than 72-hours before it is active. All internet providers must update their records (DNS tables) to reflect new site locations. This is called propagation.

I've already registered Domain Name. Can I transfer it to Siteserver?

Yes, be sure to specify that you are requesting a transfer and NOT a new domain. You should keep the service at your present provider while waiting for Siteserver to complete the transfer. This propagation period should last no longer then 72 hours.

Do I receive a Domain Name when signing up for Web Hosting?

Although Siteserver has the ability to combine your services into one convenient bill, Domain Name Registrations and Web Hosting accounts are separate services. You must attach your Domain Name to a hosting account via our sign up process.

Can I change my Domain Name?

Yes, you may. Changing a Domain Name consists of two parts:

1. You must registering or transfer the new Domain Name. Standard fees will apply to new Domain Names, if you are only transferring, there will no fee.
2. Notify us of your request to replace the original Domain Name pointing to your site with the new one. You not have to change any settings or re-upload files to your existing hosting account. There is no setup fee that is required.

What kind of Domain Name extensions can I use?

You can use common domain extensions such as .com, .net, .info, .biz and .org as well as international domain extensions such as .tr, .ch, .us and .au. Siteserver can provide hosting for any of these domain types.

Can I have more than one Domain Name? Can they both point to the same Web site?

You can have as many Domain Names as you like. You can have each Domain Name point to a different site, or you can have multiple Domain Names point to the same Web site (but not to different pages within the same Web site). Many companies register several Domain Names and have them all point to the same central Web site. This is known as a domain alias

Registering multiple Domain Names for the same site not only brings the largest draw to your site but it also can prevent competitors from poaching your potential customers. When picking multiple Domain Names or aliases for the same site, consider variations of your name such as common misspellings as well as both singular and plural versions of the name.

I want to reserve my name, but I'm not ready to post my site yet. What are my options?

You have a number of different options. If you think you may want to get your site up and running in the near future, you can go ahead and register your name and sign up for a hosting plan now. In your control panel, you'll be able to start and stop your site from public view until you are ready to publish your site

If you think it may be a while before you are ready to publish your site, or if you want to reserve your name "just in case," you can select a plan that offers only Domain Name registration. With this plan, your domain is registered so that no one else can use it, you do not have to pay for a complete Web hosting plan. This is sometimes referred to as "parking" your domain. You can also select a Domain Name registration plan that provides you with several email accounts. If you decide you want to go ahead and publish a Web site later, you can quickly upgrade your plan.