Web Site Hosting: From Domain Registration to get online - Part 2

Once you have chosen your domain name, but I recorded, what is your next step?

Your web host will give you the details you need to get your site up and running. This includes passwords to access your account on the site, the directory paths where you need to upload your information and, above all server addresses of your domain name.

The DNS servers are the link between the domain name (mydomain.com) and IP address (an address such as 123.456.78.9 numbered. Each web server on the Internet has a unique IP address.

If your site is hosted on a dedicated server, your IP address is unique to your website. Your website will respond if someone types the domain name or IP address in your browser.

Most websites are hosted on shared servers, however. This means that a single server hosts several web sites, and each shares the same IP address. If you enter the IP address of a shared server in your browser, you will not see your site.

DNS is the level of "translation" between domain names and IP addresses, which allows multiple sites on one server.

Configuring DNS on your website

When you register the domain name will be pointing to the DNS server for your chosen registrar. Until you have an account set up with a hosting service, domain, usually point to an error page or a page "under construction".

Keep in mind that there is no time limit between the domain registration and choosing a web host. Some people register domains and never really get a website hosted on them.

If you purchased your domain with the intention of using it, you must register for an account with a web host and upload files to your web site to their servers.

The first step to make your website up is to change the DNS servers on file with your domain registrar to those that are given to you by your web host.

The DNS server information will look like this:

Primary Server Name: NS1.SOMEDOMAIN.COM (123.456.78.9)
Secondary Name Server: NS2.SOMEDOMAIN.COM (123.456.7.89)

You can obtain this information from your hosting company when you sign up for a hosting account. If you can not find this information, you should contact your web host to do it. Otherwise your site will not be accessible from the Internet.

Once you have this information from your host, you must change the settings on file with your registrar to the new addresses. If your domain name has been included with the purchase of your hosting, web host usually update this information automatically for you.

Once the DNS servers are registered may take up to 48 hours for your site is accessible through the Internet. This is due to the way in which the DNS system works.

Domain names and IP addresses are stored in a database that is distributed across thousands of computers around the world. Each computer keeps a small part of the database cache and when it receives a request for an unknown domain, must submit this request to another computer until the information is found.

This database is updated continuously on each of these computers, but may take some time for the information of your new website to spread around the world ....