Internet Business Tutorial, Registering a Domain Name

by Robert H. Fraass on Friday, March 11, 2005
Registering a Domain Name
To get a website on the Internet, you must register a second-level domain name combined with a first-level domain name.
Say, for example, you have a business called Acme Whazzits and are looking to sell your products by creating an e-commerce website. You'd probably want to register "AcmeWhazzits.com" as the name of your website.
The second-level domain must not already be taken by someone else, although a second-level domain name can be combined with different first-level domain names. In our example, "AcmeWhazzits.com" and "AcmeWhazzits.biz" and "AcmeWhazzits.net" can be three entirely different websites.
The domain registration process, which has changed over the years, is a fairly quick and painless process. Dozens of websites offer domain registration services for a fee. You just need to pick the best one for you. A comprehensive list can be found on the InterNIC website at http://www.internic.net/regist.html.
Each domain registration website has similar requirements. You enter the domain name you want to use to see if it's available. If it is, you provide the necessary contact and technical information and pay the fee.
Be sure to only use domain registrars that are accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Only ICANN-accredited registrars are authorized to register the first-level domains of AERO, BIZ, COM, COOP, INFO, MUSEUM, NAME, NET, ORG and PRO.
According to the ICANN website (http://www.icann.org), ICANN is "an internationally organized, non-profit corporation" that governs various Internet technical specifications, including assigning domain-name registrations.
After a domain name is registered, you now have the Internet "location" ready to build a website