What is a domain name registrar?
A domain name registrar is a company authorised to register domain names for websites, ensuring that an individual or a company can secure a unique website address. A generic top-level domain registry or a country code top-level domain registry must accredit registrars.
What is a registrar, registry and registrant?
In the context of domain name registration processes, a registrar, registry, and registrant play distinct roles.
An organisation best known as a domain name registrar manages the reservation of internet domain names. A generic top-level domain (gTLD) registry or a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) registry must accredit registrars that wish to operate. They work following the guidelines of the designated domain name registries. Registrars sell domain names to the public and is responsible for reserving domain names and assigning unique IP addresses to these.
Operating at the top of the DNS network structure, the domain name registry is an organisation that manages top-level domain names. They decide on domain name extensions, set the rules to buy a new domain name and work with registrars to sell to the public customer. The registry maintains a database of the domain names registered under each top-level domain (TLD) and the associated registrant information.
Next comes the users of domains, whether an individual customer or a business. A domain name registrant is an individual or entity who wants to register a domain name. Upon domain name registration, a registrant trying to buy a domain enters into a contract with a registrar. The registrant is the domain name's owner for the duration of its registration period. They can manage their domain name's settings through their registrar.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) oversees the entire domain name system, ensuring that IP addresses and domains are unique to avoid duplicates and accrediting registrars so they can offer domains to register.
Understanding the Role of Registrars
All websites on the internet have unique IP addresses and domain names. For example, a website's domain name could be "example.com", and its IP address could be a series of numbers. You can use either to visit the site, but clearly, using the name is a way to make it easy. This situation is where the role of a domain name registrar comes in. They provide domain name registrations and map domain names to IP addresses, making it easier for businesses or individuals to access websites.
When a person or business seeks hosting to establish their online presence, they best start by selecting and registering a domain name via a domain registrar; it is a paid process, not a free process. The registrar assists internet users in finding a unique domain name for their online presence and facilitates the registration of domain names on behalf of their customers.
The domain name registrar handles updating the registry when a customer registers a new domain name for hosting. As part of that, they keep track of the domains they have sold, manage the renewal process, contact information changes and support additional services such as domain transfers, DNS hosting, and features like automatic renewal or email reminders.
When a customer wants to buy a domain name from a registrar, the registrar must notify the concerned registry and pay them their share of the fees. This system allows registries to focus on core activities like general administration, setting rules, security and stability, and settling disputes between entities about ownership of specific domain names.
Domain name registrars also play a significant role in DNS security by offering various services and features to protect the domain names they manage. Domain hijacking is a substantial concern in DNS network security, and registrars have measures to prevent such incidents in website hosting.
What does it mean to have 'my own domain'?
Having your own domain means having a unique name (or address) on the internet that represents your online presence; this could be a website, a blog, an online store, or a personal portfolio. The domain name is what people type into their web browser to access your site. For example, if your domain name is "website.com", people can visit your site by typing "www.website.com" into their web browser.
When you have your own website hosting and domain, you have complete control over its content and functionality. You can design your website, add content, and implement features as you see fit; this is your corner of the web, and you can shape it to reflect your personal brand, business, or ideas.
Having your own domain also allows you to create custom email addresses associated with your domain name. For instance, if your domain name is "mywebsite.com", you could have an email address like "contact@mywebsite.com"; this can give a more professional appearance to your online communications, which many individuals and businesses want.
Moreover, owning a domain can support your visibility on the internet. Search engines like Google use various factors to rank websites in search results, and having your own domain can contribute positively to your site's search engine optimisation (SEO).
What is the difference between a DNS service and a registrar?
The difference between a DNS service and a registrar lies in their roles in the domain name system (DNS) and domain name registration process.
A DNS service is responsible for translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the internet. A DNS server is part of a distributed database system that allows users to reach websites using domain names instead of numerical IP addresses. An authoritative DNS network service has the final authority over a domain's DNS records and responds to queries by providing the corresponding IP address.
A registrar, on the other hand, is an entity that manages the registration of internet domain names. A domain registrar provides solutions allowing individuals and organisations to register a domain name; the address visitors use to access a website. Registrars work with domain registries, maintaining the master database of all domain names registered in each top-level domain (TLD). The registrar ensures the domain name is unique and processes the registration with the appropriate registry.
How do domain name companies create and sell domain names?
Registration office, also known as domain registrars, facilitate creating and selling domain names through several steps:
Domain name generation
Domain name companies support tools to help a business generate unique and creative domain names. These tools use keywords, prefixes, suffixes, and other elements to create a list of potential domain names.
Availability check
The registrar verifies its availability after choosing a domain name. If someone has already registered the domain name, the business must select a different one. Some registrars recommend alternative names or extensions when the desired domain name is unavailable.
Registration
If the domain name is available, the business can register it for website hosting through the domain registrar, usually for one year. The registration process involves providing contact information and agreeing to the terms of service. The registrar then registers the domain name with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which maintains a database of all registered domain names.
Renewal
Registrants typically register domain names for a specific period and must renew them after this period ends, which incurs a cost. If a registrant does not renew the domain name after its expiration, it becomes available for others to register.
It's important to note that while domain registration offices facilitate the registration of domain names, they do not "create" domain names in the sense of inventing new top-level domains (TLDs). TLDs, such as .com, .org, .net and more, are established by ICANN.
How to check a domain registrar
To check if a domain name is available for business registration, you can use a domain registrar website, WHOIS lookup solution, or your partner for website hosting. When you have a specific domain name in mind, you simply visit a domain registrar's website.
These platforms typically have a search bar prominently displayed on their homepage where you can type in your desired domain name. As you enter the domain, the search tool will quickly check the domain registry to see if the name is free or available for you to register.
If the domain name is available, the registrar will often provide you with the best option to register it for a period, usually one year to several years.
You will also be presented with various top-level web domain (TLDs) options, such as .com, .net, or .org, if you want to consider alternatives to your initial choice. If your preferred domain name is taken, the registrar might suggest similar domain names for free or help you use their WHOIS lookup tool to learn more about the current registrant.
Tips for selecting a domain registrar:
A primary consideration should be the level of domain security offered by the registrar, just as one would with website hosting. In today's cyber security landscape, the safety of the website builder’s domain is paramount, and choosing a registrar that supports robust protection against unauthorised access and cyber threats is crucial.
Another important aspect is the registrar's ability to register domain names from the secondary market. This feature significantly broadens your options, allowing you to choose from a more comprehensive array of domain names, including those previously owned by others. This can be particularly beneficial if you're looking for a specific domain name that's already taken or if you're interested in acquiring a domain with established traffic and SEO value.
Lastly, it's essential to pay close attention to the renewal fees set by the registrar, which are not free. Often, registry attract customers to the web with low initial registration fees, but the cost of renewing your domain for a year can be significantly higher.
These renewal fees can substantially impact your long-term budget, especially if you plan to maintain your domain over several years. Therefore, evaluating the total ownership cost, including registration and renewal fees, is crucial.
What is domain privacy?
Domain privacy, often WHOIS privacy, is a support service many domain name registrars provide. When an individual or a company register a domain name, the registrar request the owner to provide accurate contact information. This requirement is mandatory to respect the ICANN policy and the information needed vary from the extension chosen.
This information, could be your name, address, phone number, and email address, is then listed in the WHOIS directory, a public web database that anyone can access. Domain privacy ensures the confidentiality of your data so that your data can’t be used for commercial or unlawful purposes. Your personal information are hidden and your identity remains anonymous. This solution helps to keep your personal contact information private and prevents it from being unnecessarily shared or made available for public consumption.
OVHcloud and Domain Registrar
OVHcloud offers a range of best-value pricing DNS services to help a business register a domain name, including a simple free search bar system where you can enter the desired domain name to check its availability. If the domain name is available, you can directly purchase it. OVHcloud supports a wide selection of over 800 domain extensions, allowing you to choose one that best fits your brand and pricing budget.
If the domain you want is already owned by someone else, it may be listed for sale on the web on the secondary market. OVHcloud is best placed to facilitate the purchase and transfer of the domain from the current owner to you, acting as a trusted third party.
With domain name registration, OVHcloud offers protection against DNS network attacks with a free DNSSEC service by default and guards against fraudulent transfer requests - free of charge. When you register a domain with OVHcloud, you can also manage free sub-domains from the OVHcloud Control Panel.
Finally, if you want to register a domain to create your own website, you can get a free domain for the 1st year with a webhosting offer.*
- Your secure domain: DNSSEC
- Easy Redirect: Access to social networks from your domain name
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Get a free domain name* for one year when you subscribe to an OVHcloud Web Hosting plan !
*The following extensions are included for a period of one year with any purchase of an OVHcloud web hosting plan, then renewal is charged at the annual price for the extension selected from the following list: .co.uk, .com, .shop, .store, .tech, .me .live, .space, .xyz, .online, .site, .pro, .cloud, .blog, .name, .ovh, .net, .org, .info, .eu, .fr, .re, .be, .boutique .it, .de, .pl. Not valid for extensions that include free transfer.