Domain registration

This page explains the idea and gives you the questions to ask, since the company has not published a price list or a process. That includes asking us. The questions apply to any registrar.

What is a domain name?

It is the name people type to reach your website or send you email, such as yourname.com. You do not buy it forever; you register it for a period, usually a year, and renew it. The registrar is the company that files the registration. See the glossary entries for domain name and domain registrar, and the guide what is a domain name.

What does High Desert say about it?

Only that it offers it. Domain registration appears among its services, with no price, process or limits published. We would sooner tell you that than make something up. Call 775-575-9593 or email info@hdiss.net, say what name you want, and ask the questions below.

What should I ask any registrar?

• Whose name goes on the registration? It should be yours or your business's, not the company's or a developer's.
• What is the yearly price now, and what is the renewal price?
• Does it renew by itself, and when are you told?
• Can you move the domain to another registrar, and how?
• Where do the name servers point, and who controls the DNS records?
• What happens to your website and email if you leave?

How do I pick a good name?

Short, easy to say and spell, and not likely to be confused with another business. Avoid hyphens and numbers if you can. The guide on choosing a domain name has more. If you already have a domain, find out who the registrar is before anything changes; a lookup tool will show it.

How does a domain connect to a website and email?

Through DNS records, which tell the internet where your site and your mail live. An MX record points email at a mail server, and an A record points the name at a web server. Change one carelessly and email or the site can stop. Read DNS records for your domain and the glossary entries for DNS record, nameserver and MX record. Site hosting is covered on the web hosting page.

How long does a registration last?

A set number of years, commonly one to ten, and many people choose one year at a time. When a registration runs out, registrars usually allow a short grace period, set by each registrar, before the name can be released to others. Ask yours how long it is, and put the renewal date on your calendar.

What details does registering need?

A name, a postal address, a phone number and an email address for the registrant. Keep the email current, because reminders and notices go there. Ask whether the registrar offers to hide your contact details in the public lookup, and whether that costs extra.

Should I register more than one name?

Sometimes. A business might hold the .com and a common misspelling, or the .net version, and point them all at one site. It is optional, and each name is another yearly renewal, so decide whether the protection is worth it.

What about fake renewal notices?

Letters and emails that look like an invoice for your domain are a common scam. They come from companies you never used and ask you to pay to renew, or to transfer. Check the name of your registrar, and look at your own account before paying anything. The guide on fake domain renewal notices shows what they look like.

What if I already own a domain?

Then you may not need to register anything. You may only need to point it at a new host or mail server. Find your registrar, log in and check the renewal date and the name server settings before you plan a move. If you have lost track of the login, ask the registrar's support to help you recover it, since the registrant is the one who can prove ownership.

Is this a service I can order here?

No. Nothing on this site is ordered online. Ask the office and a person will tell you what is available today. If you would rather register elsewhere, the questions above work just as well.