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Martin Dady
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Domain names
Your domain name identifies you on the internet. A well chosen domain name can make your web address more noteworthy and also increase your sites ranking in search engines. When choosing a domain name it is important to choose one that is both memorable and reflects the exact nature of your organisation.
To search for a domain name, use the boxes below:
What is a “Domain Name”?
The Domain Name System (DNS) helps users to find their way around the internet. Every computer on the internet has a unique address—just like a telephone number—which is a rather complicated string of numbers. This number is called an IP address (IP stands for “Internet Protocol”). IP Addresses are hard to remember. The DNS makes using the internet easier by allowing a familiar string of letters (the “domain name”) to be used instead of a confusing IP address.
What does it mean to “register” a Domain Name?
When you register a domain name, you are inserting an entry into a directory of all the domain names and their corresponding computers on the internet.
- What are the types of domain names available?
- .mobi is designated for websites for mobiles
- .co.uk is generally used by UK commercial companies.
- .com is generally used by global commercial companies.
- .net is generally used by a global network provider. These have traditionally been used by organisations involved in internet infrastructure activities.
- .org is generally used for global organisations (e.g. a church, parish or charity).
- .org.uk is generally used for UK organisations (e.g. a church, parish or charity).
- .ltd.uk is only available for UK limited companies.
- .plc.uk is only available for UK public limited companies.
Why do some domain names end with .com and others .co.uk?
Domains are organised into different types - most types are geographic with the last section (the Top-level Domain - TLD) representing the country (.uk for the UK, .it for italy etc); there are some which are an exception to this, .mobi, .com, .net and .org, for example (see above).
What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can a domain name be?
A domain name can be up to 67 characters long (letters, numbers or combination) including the characters used to identify the domain extension (.com, .net, .org, .co.uk). The only symbol character domain names can include is a hyphen (-). Common symbols such as asterisks (*), underscores (_) and exclamation marks (!) are not allowed.
Who owns a Domain Name?
Once a domain name has been registered it is owned by the registrant. A registrant can be a person, company or organisation. The exception to this is .ltd.uk or .plc.uk domain name which needs to be in the name of a registered company.
Will I get a certificate proving my domain has been registered?
With .uk domain names you will receive a certificate from Nominet, although this can take up to 6 months. There are no certificates for global domain names.
If you require proof of ownership, simply use the form above to perform a search on your domain. This will give the ownership details of your domain.
For more information regarding uk names visit Nominet. For all others visit InterNIC.