What is a URL?
What is a Web Address (domain name registration)?
Why should I register a Web Address?
How can I determine if the Web Address I want is available?
What do .COM, .NET and .ORG signify in a Web Address?
I've noticed a lot of business Web Addresses end in .COM. Should I secure my Web Addresses in .COM too?
What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can it be?
A note about long domain names.
Is the "http://www" part of the Web Address?
Do I need to register .com, .net and .org?
Are .com, .net and .org my only choices when registering a domain name?
How long does a registration last? Can it be renewed?
What if my desired name is the same as a trademarked name?
What does "hosting" my Web Address mean?
Do you host Web sites?
I don't have a Web site, can I still register a domain name?
How do I choose a good domain name?
How do I change my domain name?
Registry? Registrar? Registrant? What do these words mean?
What is a name server?
What are the rules for registering a domain name?
What is the process for submitting the required registration information?
Will my name and contact information be publicly available?
What if the domain name I want isn't available?
Who owns the domain name?
Why does my newly registered domain name show up as "available" on another registrars' WhoIs search?
How much does a domain-name registration cost and when/how do I pay?
How can I register a domain name?
What is DNS and should I use IPPNorth.com webHosting Services domain names DNS or enter my own?
Someone else has registered my company's name as a .com domain name. What is the process for resolving my complaint?
Are .Com, .Net, and .Org domain names available for registration on a global basis?
I already have a domain name registered. How do I transfer the hosting to IPPnorth.com to use your services?
Does this mean that I have to transfer ownership of the domain to IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
How much does it cost to transfer my domain name hosting to IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
What do I have to do to transfer my domain name hosting to IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
Are there any other fees if I transfer my domain name hosting to IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
How long does it normally take to transfer the hosting of a domain name?
I have an e-mail which says that my domain hosting has been transferred, but my Web browser still goes to my old host. Why?
What is a URL?
A URL, which stands for Uniform Resource Locator, is your complete Internet address. It is the string of information, such as
HTTP://www.IPPnorth.com, that directs people to specific locations on the Internet. In the same way that an address written on an envelope directs the post-office to deliver a letter straight to your door, a URL typed into an Internet browser leads directly to the location of a specific resource on the Internet.
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What is a Web Address (domain name registration)?
Practically speaking, your Web Address (domain name registration) is the core of your Internet identity, your online brand. Your customers will remember this name and use it to find out about your products and services. And since no two parties can ever hold the same Web Address simultaneously, your Internet identity is totally unique.
Technically, a Web Address is an addressing construct used for identifying and locating computers on the Internet. While computers use Internet Protocol (IP) numbers to locate each other on the Internet, people find them hard to remember. Therefore, Web Addresses were developed to permit the use of easily remembered words and phrases to identify Internet addresses.
For example, the Web Address
IPPnorth.com represents the company IPPNorth.com webHosting Services
When you type IPPnorth.com in a web browser or send e-mail to someone at IPPnorth.com, the Domain Name System (DNS) translates
IPPnorth.com into the IP numbers used by the Internet and connects you to Network Solutions.
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Why should I register a Web Address?
A Web Address is more than your Internet address, it's your Internet identity, your online brand. It puts you on the map of today's business world, opening your business to literally millions of users worldwide. When you register a Web Address, you'll join over 3.5 million others who are reaping the rewards of being online.
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How can I determine if the Web Address I want is available?
It's easy to find out if the name you want is available. Simply enter your desired Web Address in the Look Up Domain Name box on our register home page at
http://www.IPPnorth.com. We'll tell you if the name you want is available, and we'll give you some computer-generated alternatives based on your first choice.
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What do .COM, .NET and .ORG signify in a Web Address?
.COM, .NET, and .ORG are top-level domains in the hierarchical Domain Name System. These top-level domains are just underneath the "root", which is the start of the hierarchy.
Anyone may register Web Addresses in .COM, .NET, and .ORG. In fact, the best way to protect the uniqueness of your online identity and brands is to register or reserve Web Addresses in all of the top-level domains.
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I've noticed a lot of business Web Addresses end in .COM. Should I secure my Web Addresses in .COM too?
Absolutely. .COM is the Web Address associated with business. From Fortune 500 companies and large corporations to home-based and small operations, over 3 million users worldwide are currently enjoying the benefits of a .COM address.
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What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can it be?
The only valid characters for a domain name are letters, numbers and a hyphen "-". Other special characters like the underscore "_" or an exclamation mark "!" are NOT permitted.
Example: your name.com (not correct, No spaces allowed)
Example:
your-name.com (is correct)
A domain name can be up to 67 characters long -- including the 4 characters used to identify the Top Level Domain (.NET, .COM, or .ORG). Do not type the www. before your domain name when registering.
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A note about long domain names.
Domain names can now be up to 67 characters long (including the .com, .net or .org). While this opens up a whole new world for domain names, it can also lead to some confusion if you are not careful. Extremely long domain names can be difficult to read. Take a look at these two domain names:
thislongdomainnameishardtoread.com
this-long-name-is-much-easier-to-read.com
Putting hyphens between each word can make the domain name easier for your visitors to read and remember.
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Is the "http://www" part of the Web Address?
No, "www." and "http://www" are not considered to be part of your Web Address. It is part of another type of Internet address used on the World Wide Web called a Universal Resource Locator (URL). A URL is used to describe the exact location of a specific resource on the Internet such as a specific Web page, computer, or database.
Therefore, "example.com" is a valid Web Address containing 11 characters, but www.example.com or http://www.example.com are not.
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Do I need to register .com, .net and .org?
The expense of registering and supporting a domain name is minor compared to the expense of marketing your domain name and your business. The last thing you want is for someone else (usually your competitors) to benefit from your efforts to establish your identity. You will see competitors registering names close to yours, trying to benefit from typos your visitors may make. For example, someone registered internik.net to try and benefit from typos by visitors to reputable
internic.net. IPPnorth.com is a good example, too. In order to protect IPPnorth.com, we have also registered:
IPPnorth.com
IPPNorth.net
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Are .com, .net and .org my only choices when registering a domain name?
Although there are other extensions available,
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services currently only registers domain names ending in .com, .net or .org. As other extensions become more widely used on the Internet, we will offer those to our customers as well. We'll keep you posted through updates on our home page.
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How long does a registration last? Can it be renewed?
Currently, the initial registration period at
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services is one year. Registrations can be renewed one to ten years at a time. The Registrar will contact you when it is time for renewal.
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What if my desired name is the same as a trademarked name?
Generally, if you've registered the name in good faith, it's not a name belonging to an internationally known company, and you can show that you have a legitimate reason to use that name then you are likely to be able to keep that name. That may not be the case if it can be shown that you purchased the name for the express purpose of re-selling it to a company with a legitimate claim to the name. Please see the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy for details.
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What does "hosting" my Web Address mean?
Every Web Address must reside on a host computer. At
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services we refer to this computer as a Domain Name Host. Domain Name Hosts are connected to the Internet and use special software to translate Web Addresses into the numerical addresses (Internet Protocol numbers) used by the Internet. When Internet users enter your Web Address into their browser bar, the Domain Name Host directs them to your Web site. Without it, your Web Address is invisible on the Internet.
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Do you host Web sites?
When you reserve a Web Address with
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services , we allow you to use our host computers to complete the reservation process, but we do not host Web sites directly.
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I don't have a Web site, can I still register a domain name?
Yes. You can register a domain name at any time and start your online identity.
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How do I choose a good domain name?
Choose a name that reflects the intent and purpose of your web site or business. Try to keep it short and snappy, and say it out loud, as if you were telling someone at a party to visit your web page. Some domain names look good on paper, but are confusing when you try to send someone to them over the phone. Keep in mind the image that it conjures... your domain name will be one of the ways people recognize or evaluate their sites for their interests when they are searching via Yahoo or the other search engines. When facing a large number of choices, the snappiest domain sometimes grabs the most attention.
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How do I change my domain name?
Once a domain name is registered, it is unchangeable.
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Registry? Registrar? Registrant? What do these words mean?
There is one Registry for every Top-Level Domain. The Registry for .com, .net and .org domains is maintained by the Network Solutions Registry division of Network Solutions, Inc.
A Registrar is a company that can enter new domains into the Registry. The Registrar for domains registered through
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services is
OpenSRS.
The Registrant is the individual or organization that registered a particular domain name.
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What is a name server?
Computers read Internet addresses through a series of numbers called Internet Protocol (IP) numbers. Because these numbers would be difficult for people to remember, user-friendly Internet addresses were developed using combinations of words and numbers. A name server is a computer that has the capability to translate, or resolve, the domain names we see and use in our browser windows into IP numbers. Example:
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services is how people commonly remember and reach our Web site, but a name server translates these letters into an IP number such as 123.12.12.123 any time a computer is directed to our site.
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What are the rules for registering a domain name?
Only a few rules must be followed when registering your domain name:
Your domain name must always begin and end with either a letter or number. Your domain name may not exceed 63 characters. This does not include the .com, .net or .org extension at the end. Hyphens are the only acceptable non-letter/number character to include in your domain name. Other characters, such as exclamation points and underscores, are not permitted.
Don't worry about upper and lower case letters—domain names are not case
sensitive.
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What is the process for submitting the required registration information?
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services
offers web-based registration services. Use the Look Up Domain Name box to find an available domain name which you wish to register, then follow the easy process on-line to register.
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Will my name and contact information be publicly available?
Yes. Information about who is responsible for domain names is publicly available to allow rapid resolution of technical problems and to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark, and other laws. This information available to the public on any WHOIS database from any Registrar.
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What if the domain name I want isn't available?
If you search for the availability of a name on
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services and it is not available, it means that someone else has already registered that domain name.
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services can only register domain names that are available.
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Who owns the domain name?
The owner of the domain name is the registrant information entered into our database at the time of the original registration.
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Why does my newly registered domain name show up as "available" on another registrars' WhoIs search?
Once your name is registered with
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services , it will take up to 48 hours before your information will be posted on the 'WHOIS' search
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How much does a domain-name registration cost and when/how do I pay?
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services
offers two years of domain name registration from only $49.98. There are no other fees to register a domain name using
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services . There are no additional InterNIC fees.
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How can I register a domain name?
a) Use Look Up Domain Name Domain Search to see if domain names you desire are available.
b) Provide various Contact information which will make up the registration record when you are prompted. The "Registrant" is the owner/lease holder of a domain name and is the party which ultimately has power over a domain name. The "Registrar" will then keep records of the contact information and submit the technical information to a central database known as the "Registry." This Registry provides other computers on the Internet the information necessary to find your web site. You will also be required to enter into a registration contract with the Registrar, which sets forth the terms under which your registration is accepted and will be maintained.
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What is DNS and should I use
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services domain names DNS or enter my own?
DNS (Domain Name System) is a process by which computers translate a domain name such as
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services into a group of Internet Protocol (IP) numbers. Like a postal address allows letters to "find" your home - DNS allows surfers to "find" your web site. You have the choice to use
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services 's DNS (FREE of charge) or input your own DNS. To determine this:
a) If you have a web host which you are currently using or know that you are going to use then you can input the DNS information they provide you with (you will have to request it from them).
b) If you do not know where you would like to web host your site yet then use
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services 's DNS and contact us when you are ready to change it to the Web Hosts DNS - this is a FREE service.
Your Web Host will provide you with DNS information when you set up an account if you tell them you have already registered your own domain name. An example of what the information the web host will give you should look like the following:
Primary Nameserver:
dns1.IPPnorth.com
123.123.123.123
Secondary Nameserver:
dns2.IPPnorth.com
123.123.123.123
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Someone else has registered my company's name as a .com domain name. What is the process for resolving my complaint?
All ICANN-accredited Registrars follow a uniform dispute resolution policy. Under that policy, disputes over entitlement to a domain-name registration are ordinarily resolved by court litigation between the parties claiming rights to the registration. Once the court rules who is entitled to the registration, the Registrar will implement that ruling. In disputes arising from registrations allegedly made abusively (such as "cybersquatting" and cyberpiracy"), the uniform policy provides an expedited administrative procedure to allow the dispute to be resolved without the cost and delays often encountered in court litigation. In these cases, you can invoke the administrative procedure by filing a complaint with one of the dispute-resolution service providers listed at
http://www.icann.org/udrp/udrp.htm
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Are .Com, .Net, and .Org domain names available for registration on a global basis?
Yes. The .Com, .Net, and .Org domains are available for registration by Internet users across the globe.
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I already have a domain name registered. How do I transfer the hosting to
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services to use your services?
From the IPPNorth.com webHosting Services
home page ( www.IPPnorth.com ), click on the "Register" link. This will take you to the Domain Relocation Wizard, which will take you through the process of transferring your domain hosting to
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services . Please make sure that you fill out the information on the forms exactly the same way that it appears in the WHOIS database.
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Does this mean that I have to transfer ownership of the domain to
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
Absolutely not! When you transfer your domain to
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services , the only changes to your domain are the DNS settings and the Technical Contact information. The DNS change is required to use our services, while the Technical Contact is required so we can ensure your domain functions properly at all times. You are still the owner of your domain, and retain full administrative control at all times.
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How much does it cost to transfer my domain name hosting to
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
From $49.98USD for two years. All
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services fees are non-refundable and non-transferable once your domain hosting has been transferred to our service.
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What do I have to do to transfer my domain name hosting to
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
Transferring the hosting of a domain name is as simple as registering a new one. You must complete the transfer request. The forms to do this are available online, under the "Relocate Your Domain" section of the Website.
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Are there any other fees if I transfer my domain name hosting to
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services ?
The registry fee charged by the company you registered your domain with (e.g., Network Solutions, Register.com) is not included in the
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services fees. You are still responsible for any registry fees for your domain.
How long does it normally take to transfer the hosting of a domain name?
It normally takes 3-5 business days to successfully transfer your domain hosting onto our servers. There are more administrative steps in transferring an existing domain than registering a new domain.
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I have an e-mail which says that my domain hosting has been transferred, but my Web browser still goes to my old host. Why?
When you receive the e-mail confirming the transfer of your domain hosting, there are many more steps still to be done behind the scenes. The transfer of your domain hosting will be entered into the global WHOIS database, and the new information must travel to all the ISPs in the world. It will be 48-72 hours after you receive the confirmation e-mail before your Web browser will go to your domain through
IPPNorth.com webHosting Services .