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What is a domain name?
A domain name is a unique address on the Internet, which holds information and services. Like Networking2000! Networking2000.biz is our domain name. It can be thought of as your address on the Internet.
What will a domain name provide me?
A domain name will provide you or your business with many facilities. It can give you personalised email addresses, a personal Web site (allowing you to take advantage of all the Web has to offer, including e-commerce, advertising, global sales etc), and lots more.
How can I buy a domain name?
You cannot buy a domain, you can only register a domain name. A few authorised companies around the world have taken the job of delegating domains names for use. The process of acquiring the use of a domain name is called ‘registering’ a domain. Networking2000 uses a number of these authorised companies (known as ‘registrars’) to register domain names. Sadly registrars require us to pay them a fee for this service. You will see these fees included in our pricing structure, referred to as ‘NIC fees’. Networking2000 allows you to register domain names for your own use.
Can I approach a domain registrar direct?
Yes, you could, but this is not a cheap way of buying domain names. Registrars charge annual membership fees, which make buying anything but large amounts of domains uneconomical. Buying from a Networking2000 gives you the cheapest option, and the least hassle.
Who is the ‘registrant’ (owner) of the domain names I register?
Domain names are by default registered in your name, but you can also specify another name if you wish. You have the power to move the domain away from Networking2000, at no extra cost.
Once I have registered a domain name, what do I need to do?
When you have registered a domain name, you will probably want to find someone to ‘host’ the domain for you. A ‘host’ is someone who will provide the servers to give your domain a Web site (www.domainname.co.uk), Email addresses (you@domainname.co.uk), and other services. It is not essential however to find a host for a domain, but without one your domain cannot be used.
Networking2000 offers free domain hosting services when you register your domains through us. For a list of the current free services, please see our home page. Networking2000 also gives you the ability to 'transfer’ your domain to another hosting company, at no extra cost.
How long will it take to register a domain name, and how much will it cost?
Networking2000 gives you the ability to register both UK and US domain names. This is done via a simple online form, which takes just a few seconds to fill in. After completing this process, domain names take around 24 hours to register (with the exception of .ltd.uk, and .plc.uk domain names, which can take up to 7 days). Networking2000 can offer domain names at the lowest possible prices. This is achieved by having a highly automated registration system, which also gives you complete control over your domains.
What are UK and US domain names?
UK domain names: any name ending with .co.uk, .org.uk, .plc.uk and .ltd.uk (e.g. www.domainname.co.uk).
US domain names: any name ending with .com, .org and .net (e.g. www.domainname.com).
UK and US domain names have the same standing. US domain names used to be perceived as the ‘standard’, but UK domain names are now held with the same regard.
How do I choose my domain name?
First of all you will need to decide what you need the domain name for, and then choose a relevant name. (e.g. companyname.com). Networking2000 recommend that you register both the UK and US version of your domain name, if available. This will prevent visitors of your domain name confusing you with another company, who may later purchase a similar version of your domain name.
You may also want to consider registering other variants of your domain name, including hyphens, abbreviations etc. (e.g. company-name.co.uk). This will help in promoting your Internet presence.
Once you have decided upon a domain name, you should perform a ‘lookup’ on the name. A ‘lookup’ tells you whether the domain name is free for registration. If the domain is already registered, then you will not be able to use Networking2000 to register it.
Where can I perform a ‘lookup’?
For UK domain names you should go to the Nominet's Whois Search. From here you should type in your chosen UK domain name (e.g. companyname.org.uk). If you get a result of ‘No Match’, then you are free to register this name. If however you get a result which includes lots of other information, then the domain has already been taken.
For US domain names you should go to the OpenSRS's Whois Search. From here you should type in your chosen US domain name (e.g. companyname.org). If you get a result of ‘No Match’, then you are free to register this name. If however you get a result which includes lots of other information, then the domain has already been taken.
Great, how do I go ahead and register a domain name?
If you are now ready to register a domain name, then you will need to contact us for the Networking2000 system
What are domain credits?
At Networking2000 we do not ask you to purchase all of your domains at the same time in order to receive a discount. If you commit to purchasing a number of domains over a given period then you will receive the relevant discount. You do this by purchasing domain credits. This gives you the flexibility to order your domains when it suites you and still benefit from volume discounts. Click here to purchase domain credits.
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