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Domain Registration
Do you already own a domain name? A domain name is basically the www.yourdomainname.com. Most of web hosts will provide domain name registration in their packages. If you already own your own, you will have to transfer it to their name servers. Make sure this is possible! Ask them if they will do it for you, or ask for directions on how to do it yourself. If you don’t own a name already, though, how many will you need? Will the one be enough? Do you need redirects; do you want extra names attached to sub-domains?
And then you need the actual name! If you’re completely stumped, have no ideas, there are some really good places online which will create a list for you.
http://www.1ststar.com/cgi-bin/fswiz/wizard.pl?show_wizard=1 &
http://www.ecxmall.com/domains/
Make sure your name is relevant to what’s on your site – people tend to get annoyed if your website is called “cool- cars.com” and it ends up being about cushion embroidery.
Email Accounts
There are quite a variety of options in this area. You have mail servers, mailing lists, redirects, catch all. If you’re going to be getting a substantial amount of mail through your website, you might want a mail server – an actual site online where you have your own personal mail box. It would usually be mail.yoursitename.com. Mailing lists are sometimes offered and sometimes not – if you’re going to be sending out a newsletter, promotional info, etc to a lot of people you might want to go with this option. A mail catch all basically does what its name suggests – catches emails with typos, wrong names etc, but have your domain written properly in the address, (i.e. typo@yourdomain.com). And finally, mail redirects, which give you an email address, but redirects emails sent to it to another mailbox – for example, if you have johnny@johnnyssite.com, it could redirect to your hotmail account.
There are many other added options as well, which you need to think about. If you want to have multimedia on your page(s), Front Page support, Access/database support, cgi-bin, custom 404 error pages, search engine submission. Sit down and make a list of what you need.
But before you do anything, send the support team of the web host an email. Ask them if they provide all of your specific requirements; describe what you are looking for. Be friendly and concise, and see how they react. If they are prompt and friendly or slow and unpleasant. You are always going to end up needing some sort of support during your hosting, and this will be a good indication of what kind of assistance you will get further down the line.
Basically what I’m telling you here is to think before you spend. So many people have tales of woe and disappointment; don’t end up being one of them. There are no guarantees here, but make it as close to it as possible.
This article is contributed by George Edwards of M6.NET (http://www.m6.net).
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