Webmentor's How To Guides

Webmentor's How To Guides are written in plain english so that ordinary business folk can understand important stuff about their websites.

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Registering a Domain Name, Part 4. Let's do it!

Now that everything is sorted, you should be ready to register and pay for your chosen domain name. 

Registering your .IE domain name

If you're registering a domain name AND getting webhosting:
  1. Decide on a good Irish webhost and pick one that is also listed as an official IE Reseller. 
  2. Get out the credit card and have your email address ready
  3. Decide on the hosting package you want
  4. Fill in their form and pay online. If this proves too much for you, then RING THEM and do it over the phone. All the good Irish webhosts  listed on this website have phone numbers with real people who will be happy to assist you.
If you're registering a .ie domain name ONLY for right now:

Sometimes you want to register a domain name and you're just not ready for the website bit. Follow all the points above, but omit the webhosting. What you'll have in the end is a parked domain. If down the road you decide on webhosting and you don't want it with the web host where your domain is parked, then ring the (new) irish webhost you intend to get web hosting from, and ask them to transfer your domain name (from old webhost) to them. They do this all the time. You will incur a fee (difference between cost of .ie between new/old web host PLUS 1 years domain fees in advance usually. The advance domain fees are credited to you - you won't pay twice. Also there should be no transfer fee as such). Be sure to discuss the details with them beforehand. 

Registering any other domain name (.com, .net, .co.uk etc)

The right way to do it - register and pay for the domain with an ICANN approved top level registrar. That way you own and control the domain name and can switch between webhosts without being controlled by webhosts or resellers.

Once you've done this, you'll have an account with the domain registrar where you can add even more domain names. You can leave the domains parked there for free. When you're ready for webhosting  you just add your chosen webhost's nameserver information and your domain will then be connected to your webhosting account. Don't worry, we'll do it step by step.

Registering a .com with godaddy.com

A few things to bear in mind watching this video:

  • Don't buy any extras - you'll get all that for a fraction of the price when you get irish web hosting (like email, website, templates, ssl certificates, shopping carts etc)
  • Don't buy extra domains either - not unless you have good reason to
  • Don't sign up for their newsletters - you'll get emails every day if you do - only worth it if you're planning on hundreds of domains
  • There is no need to add private registration. Let people look you up on WHOIS and see you are a valid business with a real address
  • The first time you register you'll create an account. Keep your username/password safe. You'll also be asked to create a PIN number - that's for if you ever have to call them, you probably never will
  • You will end up with a parked domain - meaning it lives on godaddy doing nothing at all. When you're ready to add webhosting, read the next section below. You'll be getting your webhosting elsewhere.

Video 1. Register a domain name (non .ie!!) without webhosting ("a parked domain")

How to add webhosting to a parked domain (by changing your nameservers)

First of all, go buy some decent irish web hosting. When you sign up:

  1. Tell them you already have a domain, and you will change the nameserver info
  2. Pay only for webhosting, enter your domain name and tell them you will change the nameserver information (you don't have that info yet, but you will)
  3. Once you've paid, you'll get a welcome email from your webhost. Inside that email, they will list their nameservers - you should see a minimum of 2
  4. Go to your godaddy account and log in. Follow the directions in the video to change your nameservers. Most have 2, some have 3. Put 'em all in (follow the steps in the video below - ignore the part about private registration)
  5. Give it 12-24h, and try typing your domain name into your browser. You should see some logo that your webhost puts up for domains that don't yet have website files added. That's it - your domain is no longer parked - it is now pointing to your webhost's server. You're ready to upload your website's files!

Video 2. Point a parked domain to your webhosting account