Internet Domain Registration - Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions on Domain Name Registration

Here are the top ten most frequently asked questions regarding on Internet domain name registration:

Q1. Which characters are allowed in Internet domain names?

A: For normal ASCII domain names, the letters a-z, the numbers 0-9, and one special character, the hyphen or dash "-". Note that domains cannot start or end with a hyphen. For the new tested IDNs (Internationalized Domain Names), the full range of Unicode characters are available. This allows nearly all of the languages on the planet to be represented within domain names, including Thai, Arabic, Lao, Hebrew, French, German etc.

Q2. How many characters can a Internet domain name have?

A: Generic domains (gTLDs) can have 63 characters in the second level, plus the top level domain, .com, .net etc.

Q3. How long can I register a Internet domain name for?

A: In most cases, you are allowed to register a Internet domain name for period of one to ten years. Longer periods are not currently allowed by the registry.

Q4. How long do Internet domain registrations take to make & process?

A: Typically ten minutes or so. Once you have chosen the name and paid the fee, most registration systems will register your name in near real-time.

Q5. Do I "own" a domain name I register?

A: Not really, it is more like a rental agreement. But importantly, you have the exclusive right to renew the agreement with the registry at the end of the initial registration period, so effectively you can keep the name as long as you want.

Q6. Why does my Internet domain name still show as unregistered in a WHOIS tool?

A: WHOIS tools are meant to show the nameserver / contact information for domain names held by a particular ICANN registrar. They are typical not updated in real-time and thus are not good indicators of current domain registration status.

Q7. How will I know if a Internet domain registration attempt has been successful?

A: WHOIS tool takes anything up to 48 hrs to be updated so can't be relied on. A better indicator is whether you receive a confirmation e-mail from the domain registrar. You could also try registering the name again. By doing so, the registrar will do a "live" availability check on the name, which will indicate to you whether the name has been registered or not. This is not the same as a WHOIS look-up.

Q8. How long do domain names take to be active after registration?

A: Approximately 24 - 48 hrs, though because nameservers work as a distributed network, it can take up to 72 hrs or more before your domain name is accessible to all Internet users worldwide.

Q9. Can I register a Internet domain for later use?

A: There is no problem in registering domain names first, and using them later on. In fact, it is estimated that among 80% to 90% of all domain names are "idle".

Q10. Can I get a refund if I make a mistake & register the wrong name?

A: Nearly all domain registrars operate a strict no refund policy. This is because they are charged a non-refundable fee by the registry to perform the registration.

John Leong is the webmaster at Internet Domain Registration Guide where you will find the latest news and information on domain name registration.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Domain Names Information:

Related Articles

Public Domain - Internet Gold Mine
With the advent of the internet and the ease of which information can readily be downloaded and compiled you would think that more people would realize that the public domain is a source of wonderful wealth that can be tapped into for huge profits.I have spent the last 4 years "discovering" little known secrets of this information that is readily available to those who know where to look.
Virtual Airport
Aero Registrar Secura GmbH proposes to the IT departments of airports to sell aero-domains to companies at the airport. Airports can build a portal of the airport and forming by this a kind of virtual airport.
How To Really Profit from Domain Names
Have you heard about domain names that sold for over a million dollars? Inspired by this, you imagine registering a great domain name, hanging onto it for a while, and then selling it off to become the next multi-millionaire. It could happen, but don`t count on it!First of all, many of the truly great domain names are already taken.
Free eBook: Business Domain Names
Since every website needs a name, Dr. Steve Baba has written a free ebook that will help you obtain a brandable, memorable domain name at a reasonable cost, which will contribute to your brand equity and profits.
Before You Register a Domain Name for Your New Online Business...
Recently I made a mistake that may cost a great deal of traffic to my new web site.Let me explain.
Selecting Your Domain Name - Things to consider
Selecting your domain nameSelecting a domain name can be a very frustrating process as a lot of domains have been sold already. With 30.
.info Freedom Frenzy
Whether you're someone that registers domain names on a regular basis, or you're a person looking to register one domain name for your website or business, then it's likely that you've encountered the free .info registrations taking place at several registrars.
Your Domain Name, Your Business Address
Would you purchase anything from someone with a "@yahoo.com" or "@hotmail.
Got a Small Business? Choose the Right Domain Name
Choosing a domain name can be daunting. Research the subject (after all, you're the type of marketer who researches, right?) and you'll be hit with a landslide of opinions, most contradictory.
What is a Domain Name and Why Would I Want One?
In this article we will cover the basics of what a domain name is, how they work and why you need to have at least one. I am going to try and avoid complicated computer terms and stick to explanations that should be easily understood by someone without a computer science degree.
Is Your Company Name Killing Your Online Business?
Ahhh..
Domain Name: Why Do You Need One Anyway?
I come across sites all the time that are obviously hosted for free. Why obviously? Because they have no domain.
Good Domain Names Make Your Dreams Memorable
"What was the name of that website? It was good. It has something to do with.
How to Conduct a Domain Name Search and Why Your Domain Name Matters for Long Term Branding
Creating a website is not just about designing your pages and including all the important information, it is also about creating a domain name that relates to your products and services and that is also easy to remember and spell for your customers. A domain name that is easy to remember will have more return customers and more word of mouth advertising than domain names which are hard to spell, remember, or both.
Domain Name Registration Explained
Registering a domain name is a pretty straight forward process. In fact the hardest part of registering a domain name is coming up with a name that has not already been registered.
Secrets of Expired Domain Name Traffic
One of the biggest challenges to a webmaster is how to generate traffic. More traffic to your website equates to more sales.
ICANN or I CANNot that is the Question
Well, it seems we should all be very busy registering new domain name extensions as soon as we can, irregardless of whether we feel this is necessary or not. With ICANN bringing on an additional bevy of new domain name extensions, there are more possibilities to celebrate and party.
Whats In A (TLD) Name?
They're pushing for a top level domain (TLD) exclusively for porn sites. I'm quoting from this article at http://www.
A Little Secret About Public Domain Treasures
I bet this little secret is going to get YOU excited..
Dot Com or Dot Net, Which is the Best Domain Name to Settle for?
When seeking domain names most people get confused over whether to settle for a dot com address or a dot net one. More so in recent times when dot net addresses have risen in popularity and usage on the net.