When you sign up for a Web site, one of the first things you’ll have to do is determine a domain name for your site. Then, you register your domain name with a domain name registrar.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS OF REGISTERING A DOMAIN NAME

Generally, the process works like this:

1. You visit one of the accredited domain name registrars’ websites.
2. You use the registrar’s site to check and see if the domain name you wish to use is unclaimed. For example, if you wanted to start a Web site using the name www.ebay.com , you’d find that someone is already using that domain name. Most registrar site maintain an easy-to-use search interface that allows you to check if the domain you want is in use, and helps you find alternative name if it is.
3. After you have successfully chosen a name, you submit it to the ICANN through the registrar’s site.
4. The registrar then usually “park” your site by assigning you an IP address (199.34.57.50) on one of its servers for a small fee. You can also provide an IP address, which your hosting company should have given you when you signed up with them.
5. Have your credit card handy, because next you’ll be asked to pay for the service provided by the registrar.
6. The registrar then maps the domain name to either the IP address you provided or the IP address on its server that it used to park your domain name. The mapping is then forwarded to ICANN and it goes into massive database containing all the world’s IP address and corresponding domain names.

TIP:
Some Web hosting companies actually take care of this process for you, so you may be able to skip these steps.
Some registrars also act as hosting services, and will try to sell you a hosting plan. Keep in mind that you are not under no obligation to host your site using the services of the registrar you use to register your site.

Definition of Terms
• The Domain Name System (DNS) is used to map a name to static IP address. Computers use these to communicate with themselves using a name (such as www.abisoft.com). When a computer requests a URL, the DNS translates that name into the corresponding IP address.
• Domain Name is a unique hostname given to every computer that connects to the Internet.
• Every computer that connects to the Internet is given a unique identifier called an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
• Domain name registrars register your domain name and hook you up to the Internet by making sure your domain name is added to a huge database of domain names that are mapped to specific IP addresses.
• The organization that governs this process is called The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).