What is a domain name?
A domain name is a unique alpha-numeric name used to identify a particular computer (i.e. web server or mail server) on the Internet.

Domain names allow Internet users to type in a name, such as myname.com, to identify a numeric address such as 207.228.225.56. The purpose of domain names is to allow ordinary users connected to the Internet to find web sites and send email to addresses with familiar names such as "myname.com" without having to memorize the numerical addresses that actually locate the computers or servers on the Internet.

Why were Domain Names or web addresses developed?

Domain Names correspond to a series of numbers called Internet protocol numbers that serve as routing addresses on the Internet. IP addresses are hard to remember therefore web addresses were developed to permit the use of easily remembered words.

Why do I need to register a Domain Name?

You should register a Domain Name for a number of reasons:
They are scarce. Good Internet Domain Names are a rapidly diminishing commodity.
They are allotted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
They are important. The Internet Domain Name has become a vital part of corporate identity.
In the 21st Century, your Domain Name will be as important as your trademark and is your online identity in the local and global marketplace.
They are versatile. For example, any email addressed to you at CEO@yourcompany.com can be forwarded to your current email address.

What does a Domain Name consist of?

A Domain Name will consist of two or more words separated by a period. For example: mydomain.com, The first part 'my domain' is called a second-level domain. The second part '.com' is called a top-level domain.

What is a second-level domain name?

A second-level domain name is the first level at which a domain name may be registered. The TLD (.com, .net, .org, etc) is the first level of a domain name but these cannot be registered to anyone.
Located immediately to the left of the dot (" . "), the second-level domain is the "readable" part of the domain name. The second-level domain is entirely defined by the registrant. For example: In cnn.com, "cnn" is a second-level domain name.
Second-level domains can be divided into further domain levels. For example: sportsillustrated.cnn.com. These third-level domains sometimes represent different computer servers within departments.

What is a third-level domain name?

Third-level domain names are often confused with sub domains. Confusion occurs because some hosting companies and registrars classify everything under "sub domains". A third-level domain name is the portion of the domain name to the left of the TLD and the second-level name.
In sportsillustrated.cnn.com, "sports illustrated" is the third-level domain name.
Third-level domain names do not require a separate registration. The owner of the second-level domain name "owns" the third-level names, fourth-level names and so forth.
There is no limit to the "levels" of domain names.

Third, fourth and so on level names are generally used by large corporations and universities to further divide their domains into manageable levels. Management of hundreds or thousands of computers at the second level would be cumbersome so additional levels are created with management delegated further down the line.
To an average web site owner a second or third-level domain name is generally sufficient. Most often third-level names are used to achieve higher search engine placements. For example, if you sell widgets, you may want the domain widgets.yourdomain.com. This is because most search engines will rank a site higher when the search term appears in the domain name.

What is the domain name system?

The domain name system (DNS) enables each machine connected on the Internet to be recognized by a domain name. Every computer on the Internet has a unique IP (Internet protocol) address which consists of a string of numbers. Since the IP addresses can be difficult to remember, the DNS allows a familiar string of letters (the "domain name") to be used instead of the IP address. So instead of typing the IP address' arcane string of numbers you can type, for example, "www.espn.com."

What is a name server?

In the simplest form a name server is a computer that contains a list of domain names and the associated IP addresses. When a domain name is typed in a Web browser's address bar, the name server associates that with the IP address, and the correct Web site — barring any unforeseen difficulties — opens in the Web browser window.

How do I get my own domain name?

All you need to do is decide on the domain name you want, and check its availability. We give you the option of choosing you different available TLD. Select the domain name you want out of available list and follow the instruction.
Once you sign up with us, our order entry system automatically checks your domain name, determines if it is available for registration, then notifies you of the exact procedure to take on every stage.

Registry, Registrar, Registrant. What do these words mean?

What is a Registry?
A registry is a company or organization that maintains a centralized registry database for the Top-Level Domains. Currently there is only one Registry for every Top-Level domain, .com, .net and .org. NSI Registry maintains this Registry.

What is a Registrar?
A registrar is an ICANN accredited company or organization that is authorized to provide registration services for the top-level domains such as .com, .org and .net. Registrars have contractual agreements with their customers. A Registrar submits all newly registered domains into the Registry.

What is a Registrant?
The Registrant is the owner of a Domain Name. The owner may be an individual or an organization to whom a specific Domain Name is registered.
When a Registrant registers a Domain Name and enters a contractual agreement with the Registrar, they are the legal owner of a domain name for a specific period of time. The Registrant is bound by the terms of the service agreement.
For example, Divyesh Patel (Registrant) registers the name 'divyeshpatel.com' through the Registrar who in turn writes the name to the central database (NSI Registry).

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What is a TLD/What does TLD mean?

TLD means Top Level Domain. All domains have a TLD and it is the .net, .com, .org, .biz, .info, etc., portion of a domain name. The term TLD refers to any (or all) of the top-level domain names. You may also see references to Country Specific TLD's. Country specific domains are controlled by the country (or company authorized by the country) in which they refer. I.E. .us TLD for United States, .mx TLD for Mexico, .uk TLD for United Kingdom, .in for India.
All domains in all TLD's can be accessed, in the same fashion, using a browser. One of the initial ideas behind differing TLD's was to distinguish between different organization types to make retrieval of information faster. Though some TLD's like .edu (for educational organization) require validation for using the TLD, others like .com (for commercial) can and are used for nearly any purpose.

Who is ICAAN?

Formed in October 1998, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is a non-profit, private sector corporation with a volunteer board of directors. ICANN was formed with the chief responsibility for coordinating four key functions for the Internet: the management of the Domain Name system, the allocation of IP address space, the assignment of protocol parameters, and the management of the root server system.
For a company or organization to operate as a Registrar, they must first obtain ICANN accreditation.

What can I do if the requested domain is unavailable?

If the domain name you want is unavailable you have the following options:
Choose a different TLD. There are several different TLD's to choose from.
Choose a different domain name. Adding or removing just one letter makes your domain name different, and may be available for registration.
You can contact the current registrant to determine if they are willing to sell you the domain name.
If you feel that the domain name should be legally yours because of a trademark violation, etc. see the domain name Dispute Resolution Policy .

How do I check on the availability of a domain name?

You can check on the availability of domain names by going to left bar of our site. Our Who Is server will query the proper TLD WHOIS server to report to you whether the domain name is available for registration or not.

How much does a domain name cost?

Domain names in all TLD's currently registered by us are $15 per year. If you currently use another registrar for domain names you can transfer the domain name to our registration service. The cost for transfer is $15 and includes one additional year of registration.

What top-level domain names can I register?

We currently accept domain name registrations in the following TLD's; .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, . and .us

What are the limitations for domain names?

Domain names must be 67 characters or less including the top level domain suffix, such as ".com", at the end. A domain name must start and end with a letter or a number and may be composed of letters, numbers, or the dash, "-", character. Underscores are not allowed.
A top level suffix must be an acceptable TLD (Top Level Domain) such as .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz or other acceptable TLD. Some TLD's will require additional proof for compliance to use the TLD. Domains in the .edu TLD fall under this classification.

What do I enter as contact information for my domain name?

Enter your name, address, phone number, email address, company affiliation, etc. Be sure to include accurate and updated information. We rely on this contact information if it needs to reach you with issues concerning your domain name.
You must complete the Registrant part of the contact information form. If you wish to, you can elect to apply the registrant information to the technical, administrative and billing contacts as well.

How do I renew my domain-name registration?

You can renew domain name registrations from the My Account Control Panel. Log in, click on "My Domain Names", then "Display. and select from the list the domain name you wish to renew. Domains names can be renewed for from 1 to 10 years.

How I can book India specific ccTLD Domain Name ( Like .co.in, .net.in etc.)?

We are not offering this services right now, But you can visit and follow the instruction of the following site http://domain.ncst.ernet.in/ . National Centre for Software Technology (Division of Goverment of India) look after this activity in India. From this site you can book .co.in, .firm.in, . ac.in, .gov.in, .org.in, .net.in, .ind.in, .gen.in, .in, .mil.in etc.

How do I change my name servers ?

Access customer arae using a username/password combination. In customer area you can change easily your name server entry. This will take nearly 72 Hores to take the effect.

Will my existing web site go down during a domain transfer?

A step-by-step process is given in the Getting Started Section for transferring your domain to us. In a nutshell, it won't if you follow this procedure:
Sign up with us, Submit a transfer request with your Registrar Upload your pages to our server.
Wait 3-5 days. Once you see your transfer is complete:
Cancel with your previous host During the 3-5 day propagation period you will have two web sites live on the Internet. During this period your visitors will go to one site or the other.

How do I make changes to my domain name record?

Each domain name registrar varies. Contact your registrar or check their web site for details of their procedure. If we are your registrar, changes can be made through your online My Account Control Panel. Login, click on "My Domain Names", in the list of domain names click on the name you want to modify.

Who does a registered domain name actually belong to?

Domain names are not truly owned -- they're leased out on a first-come, first-served basis, and remain with the initial lessee until either a) the lessee does not renew the name, or b) a business with a trademark of the same name demonstrates a greater claim to the name than the lessee can demonstrate. The question is better phrased as 'who can control the domain name'. The answer is the domain's Administrative Contact. This is usually specified by the registrant during the registration process; however, as each registrar may have slightly different policies in this matter, please consult individual registrars web sites for full details.

How much control do domain owners have over their domain?

Domain owners, in general, have full control over their domain names. This means that the domain owner has the power to a) Change admin, technical and billing contacts for the domain. b) Change ownership of the domain. c) Change the name servers that are authoritative for the domain. d) Create sub-users and enable them to change some/all of the options in a, b and c above. e) Change the password that enables a, b, c, and d above. Again, the actual registrar determines the amount of control given to its users.

What's the difference between .com, .net, .org domain names?

Originally, the three letter extension after the dot (or Top Level Domain/TLD) was meant to denote whether the domain name was being used for business (.com) charity/nonprofit (.org) or for a technology based company (.net). However, with the explosion of the Internet (and specifically, the world wide web) as a new business medium, the lines were blurred, companies and individuals alike started cross-registering domains (i.e.. me.com, me.net, me.org) just to protect their interests. Now, .com, .net, and .org names (the generic Top Level Domains) can be used for any purpose.

What is a registrar transfer?

Registrar transfers involve the transfer of an existing domain name from one registrar to another. In the same way you can choose different hosting companies to host your web site, you can choose different registrars.
Many people choose or transfer between registrars for better support, service, pricing or just to maintain all their Internet services through one company.

Can I transfer my domain name registration to RnD info?

Yes. RnD info supports the transfer of .com, .net, .org, .info, and .biz domain names provided the status of the domain permits (see below on reasons that a registrar can decline transfer requests). .name domain names will be supported as the registry permits. The .tv registry does not currently support the transfer of domain names.

Who is the InterNIC?

Prior to September 1999 any references to Inter NIC always referred to an independent organization responsible for maintaining the domain name registry, namely Network Solutions. Since then, the term has taken on a more loosely defined meaning. Generally the term will always refer to the domain name registry process.

What is the difference between a Registry and a Registrar?

A registry provides direct services to registrars only, not Internet end-users. The Registry database contains only Domain Name service (DNS) information (Domain Name, name server names and name server Internet Protocol [IP] numbers) along with the name of the Registrar that registered the name and basic transaction data. It does not contain any Domain Name Registrant or contact information.
A Registrar provides direct services to Domain Name registrants. The Registrar database contains customer information in addition to the DNS information contained in the registry database. Registrars process name registrations for Internet end-users and then send the necessary DNS information to a Registry for entry into the centralized Registry database and ultimate propagation over the Internet.

Can I register more than one Domain Name at a time?

Yes you can. By clicking on the multi search you can register multiple Domain Names (no limit) at once. When you register multiple domains you are eligible for volume discounts.

What Top-Level Domains (TLD's) are offered for Registration?

The Domain Name Registration system allows you to register second-level domains under the following top-level domains:
.com: Recommended for commercial entities. Anyone can register a .com domain.

.net: Originally recommended for companies involved in Internet infrastructure. However today, anyone can register a .net domain.

.org: Originally designed for miscellaneous organizations, including non-profit groups. However today,
anyone can register a .org domain.

How do I know if the Domain Name I wish to register is available?

To find out whether a Domain Name is available just enter the name in the Domain Name Search. We will tell you if the domain name is available.

What are the rules for creating a Domain Name?

The Basic Rules for creating a Domain Name:
They must be between 1 and 63 characters long not including the four characters used to identify the TLD such as .com
They can be made up of letters or numbers. Domain Names are not case sensitive.
The dash symbol (-) is permitted but not at the beginning or end of your Domain Name.
Spaces and special characters are not permitted.

What is the Domain Name Registration Process?

There are five (6) steps to follow to register a Domain Name:
1. Search for a Domain Name using the Search Box.
2. Select the registration term, and provide your contact details.
3. Provide DNS details.
4. Review the information for correctness.
5. Agree to the Service Agreement.
6. Provide payment information and submit your request.

How long does the Domain Name Registration Process take?

The process only takes few minutes as it is all done on-line in real time.

What do I need in order to register a Domain Name?

In order to register a Domain Name you will need to provide the following information:
1. Provide the following personal information for the Domain Name owner, and Administrative, Technical and
Billing contacts. You may choose to simply enter your own details in all contact fields.
In practice if you wish to enter your own details as all 4 contacts above, you only need to enter details
once for owner contact and leave the other boxes ticked to use the same contact details.

a. First Name
b. Last Name
c. Email Address
d. Postal Address
e. Phone Number

2. Create the following to secure your Domain Name account:

a. Username and Password
b. Prompt Question and Answer

3. Provide your Domain Name Server (DNS) information which can be obtained from your Web site Hosting
provider, or choose Free Parking, which will automatically place the correct Name Servers on your domain
record if you also choose us to Host your domain now or in the future