What is involved in a getting a .com website as i am unsure?
Do i pay a company to get the .com domain and then pay a montly charge to that same company to cover the cost of them providing me with a file manager to edit my site? I would like a basic file manager like the one i have with geocities where i am just adding HTML code.
How much is the monthly charge and how much for the domain ( i just want a small capacity website for the moment).
Whats everyone using?
1. How do you get a .com name?
2. How can you build a website at that name with a file manager or some other simple method of maintaining the site?
To answer 1.
You can register a domain yourself at a number of different registrars - just search for something like 'register a domain' in Gooogle and take your pick.
But look at a good few sites first - the pricing varies very widely for the same thing, and the most expensive is assuredly NOT always the best.
Once you have picked a register, search for the name you want and follow the procedure for registering. At this point BE STRONG and ignore all the additional offers they will throw at you and just get the name registered. Don't let yourself be tempted to add other products.
You DO NOT then have to use this company for anything else, although you may later decide to.
I started this intending to get on to question 2, but I have to run - I will be back later if someone else doesn't take up the story in the meantime. But suffice to say for now, this does NOT have to be the company you register your domain with, and in most cases probably should not be.
You will need to register a domain name and find a domain host.
A quick seach with your favourite Search engine will list a number of sites queueing up to sell you a domain name and host your site.
I would suggest a combined package registering your selected name and hosting your site.
I pay about $175 for 2 years - I'm sure you can finder cheaper or more expensive.
Good luck
Again, shop around; look for 'newbie friendly' hosts, and read up up on what 'control panel' they have.
Many offer a system which looks similar to the 'free' hosts systems, but there are differences - there will be a learning curve, as you learbn to think in Whole Pages.
But for 'starter' pages, that do what you need to get going, it'll be fine, just don't let the setail overwhelm you; go for what YOU need, leave the rest for later.
And shop around on price, too - but the very cheapest will not have good support, which you may need for a little while as you learn
Domain.com will cost you no more than $20.00 plus a few dollars per year.
Hosting will cost no more than about $5.00 per month - often cheaper to pay annually. Look for a flexible package that allows to to grow.
Don't rush it; Best to get it right.
Google "cheap domain names" or "cheap domains". Lots of offers. Ever changing. READ the fine print before "signing". (If they let you.) Be careful of deals that combine sub-$6.00 domains with hosting. Often there's a "gotcha", such as you cannot transfer the domain away for a year or the renewal charge will be greater than openmarket prices.
Hosting? Lots and lots of offers. Everyone has their favorite hosting company. Some people who are members here OWN the hosting companies. That's why we don't allow posts to recommend hosting companies. They just become spam fests.
Sign up for "cheap hosting" on a month-to-month basis to get a taste for the service. You usually can lock-in a lower long term rate but, since you're just getting started, you might want to move around for awhile.
[edited by: Webwork at 4:48 am (utc) on Oct. 12, 2006]
