Webmaster forum - How does it (domain names and hosting) work?

Author

How does it (domain names and hosting) work?

Shayliraz@gmail.com

2007-03-28, 4:18 am

Hey all,
It's the first time I try using this tool (Google groups) so hopefully
I'm doing things right.
I'm planning on building a website to a friend of mine, and just
recently after looking for a domain name I discovered that you must
have a hosting server as well.
The only websites I've built so far were built on free-hosting servers
(Geocities and the like) that offered both domain name and hosting
server.

So- if any of you can give me some explanation about the way it works
or just show me where it is all written, it would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks a lot,
Shay

Matt Probert

2007-03-28, 4:18 am

On 28 Mar 2007 00:45:05 -0700, Shayliraz@XXXXXXXXXX wrote:

>Hey all,
>It's the first time I try using this tool (Google groups) so hopefully
>I'm doing things right.

Not quite. You have stumbled upon "Usenet", a network of forums as old
as time itself which Google interfaces into. Old Usenet hands get
quite upset when these forums get refered to as "Google groups".

>I'm planning on building a website to a friend of mine, and just
>recently after looking for a domain name I discovered that you must
>have a hosting server as well.

Indeed

>The only websites I've built so far were built on free-hosting servers
>(Geocities and the like) that offered both domain name and hosting
>server.
>
>So- if any of you can give me some explanation about the way it works
>or just show me where it is all written, it would be greatly
>appreciated.

A tall order!

Do you understand anything about client-server computing?

In *simple* terms, a web site is a collection of files which sit on a
computer, which is itself connected to a large network of other
computers generally known as "the internet".

People can view the files if they can log in to the remote computer.
This logging in is all handled behind the scenes by your internet
connection and web browser - Google is a web site, for example.

Lots of companies rent computers and space on computers for hosting
web sites, other companies provide a registration service for
acquiring a domain name, like "www.example.com".

Each computer connected on a network, and the internet us no
different, must have a unique identifier or name, and just like
telephones on a telephone newtork in the case of the internet this
identifier is a number called "an IP address". Since IP addresses are
long, and difficult to remember, domain names provide an alternative
for the benefit of people. Behind the scenes, when you enter a domain
name into a web browser your computer gets the IP address of the
remote computer you want to log into, contacts that number, and the
remote computer sends the files from the web site.

In short. You need to rent a computer or space, known as "web
hosting", rent a domain name, and have the domain name set to the IP
address of the rented web hosting computer.

Matt

--
Documenting the banal to the bizarre
http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com

Andy Dingley

2007-03-28, 7:19 pm

On 28 Mar, 08:45, Shayli...@XXXXXXXXXX wrote:

> I'm planning on building a website to a friend of mine, and just
> recently after looking for a domain name I discovered that you must
> have a hosting server as well.

Actually you need three things (at least).

You need to register a domain name. This is the most crucial part of
the whole process! You can always move hosting away from a bad host,
but a dodgy name registrar that won't part with your name is a
nightmare to get past. Although it's simplest to register names
through your hosting company, I really wouldn't recommend this unless
you trust them. A flexible and separate registrar leaves you with a
lot more control (if paying a bit more).

You then need to buy services for DNS (making the name lookup work)
and web hosting services. It's usual to buy these from the same place
because it's awkward to configure them otherwise between two different
companies. Typically web hosting would also include email forwarding
for that domain name and might even include a mailserver (otherwise
you just forward it on to another mailserver).

Obviously you need a "wires only" ISP too, so you have connection to
the internet. It's rarely a good idea to buy your web hosting from
these people. It might be a few bucks cheaper, but it's inflexible.
You certainly don't want to start publishing a <myname>@aol.com email
address that breaks if you change your wires-ISP from AOL to Virgin.

I use gradwell.com (UK) for my hosting (DNS, web, email). They're not
the best web host in the world performance-wise, but they're pretty
trustworthy. I even use them for name registration, which I'd only do
if I really did trust them. They also have some good FAQ documents on
their site which you might find it worthwhile to read.

The little lost angel

2007-03-28, 7:19 pm

On 28 Mar 2007 00:45:05 -0700, Shayliraz@XXXXXXXXXX wrote:

>Hey all,
>It's the first time I try using this tool (Google groups) so hopefully
>I'm doing things right.

You got it wrong on the first step already ;) This is a newsgroup
named "alt.www.webmaster" on Usenet. Usenet exists long before Google
did. Google Groups is simply Google's way of tapping into the Usenet
network yet make people like you think it's another google service.

It's sort of like putting up a branded lighted archway near a public
park entrance and letting people think you're the owner :P

>I'm planning on building a website to a friend of mine, and just
>recently after looking for a domain name I discovered that you must
>have a hosting server as well.
>The only websites I've built so far were built on free-hosting servers
>(Geocities and the like) that offered both domain name and hosting
>server.
>
>So- if any of you can give me some explanation about the way it works
>or just show me where it is all written, it would be greatly
>appreciated.

The easiest and fastest way to do this is get a recommendation for a
good webhost here, and they will walk you through it. After all,
you're their customer. It would also make more sense when you go
through the actual process than reading paragraphs after paragraphs.

Of course if the webhost refuses to explain and elaborate what each
step is for (saying just leave it all to us is not acceptable, you can
ask why do I need this or do this) look elsewhere :p

For a brief one paragraph summary however:

Websites are hosted on servers connected all the time to the Internet
and you try to reach a domain like xyz.com, your computer finds out
which server xyz.com is on by consulting a domain name server. It then
ask that server which is maintained by a webhosting company for the
website. Domain names are maintained by domain name registrars and
webhosting companies often provide (or facilitate) the domain
registration as well. People/companies can host their own webserver
inhouse but for practical & economic considerations, it is usually
only done by companies.

--
A Lost Angel, fallen from heaven
Lost in dreams, Lost in aspirations,
Lost to the world, Lost to myself

Blinky the Shark

2007-03-28, 7:19 pm

The little lost angel wrote:
> On 28 Mar 2007 00:45:05 -0700, Shayliraz@XXXXXXXXXX wrote:

>
> You got it wrong on the first step already ;) This is a newsgroup
> named "alt.www.webmaster" on Usenet. Usenet exists long before Google
> did. Google Groups is simply Google's way of tapping into the Usenet
> network yet make people like you think it's another google service.
>
> It's sort of like putting up a branded lighted archway near a public
> park entrance and letting people think you're the owner :P

Great analogy.

--
Blinky RLU 297263
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html

Shayliraz@gmail.com

2007-03-28, 7:19 pm

Wow, thank you very much for the fast (and convenient) reply.
and I'm truely sorry for mixing usenet up with google groups (curse
the monopoly maniacs!).

Matt Probert

2007-03-28, 7:19 pm

On 28 Mar 2007 07:06:21 -0700, Shayliraz@XXXXXXXXXX wrote:

>Wow, thank you very much for the fast (and convenient) reply.
>and I'm truely sorry for mixing usenet up with google groups (curse
>the monopoly maniacs!).
>

I did warn you <g>

Matt

--
Documenting the banal to the bizarre
http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com

Dan

2007-03-28, 7:19 pm

On Mar 28, 4:09 am, comme...@probertencyclopaedia.com (Matt Probert)
wrote:
> Not quite. You have stumbled upon "Usenet", a network of forums as old
> as time itself which Google interfaces into. Old Usenet hands get
> quite upset when these forums get refered to as "Google groups".

I believe Usenet began in 1979; is that already "as old as time
itself" in Internet time? I remember reading once that under British
law, "since time immemorial" is actually defined as a specific date, I
think AD 1189, which was the year some particular king had his
coronation. When is the "time immemorial" year for the Internet /
Usenet?

> Lots of companies rent computers and space on computers for hosting
> web sites, other companies provide a registration service for
> acquiring a domain name, like "www.example.com".

Technically, the "www" part is a hostname or subdomain; the actual
domain somebody had to register in order to get that address is
"example.com". They then could create "www.example.com" as well as
other hosts/subdomains like "subsite.example.com",
"othersite.example.com", "www.subsite.example.com",
"very.long.address.subsite.example.com", and so on.

More info on domain name structure: http://domains.dan.info/

(And domain names don't have to end in .com either; there are lots of
top level domains, of which .info is one.)

--
Dan