"." or dot

Indicates a new section and type of information in the domain name hierarchy. To think of the "." in layman's terms, consider a street address. As each address has more than one set of information, personal or corporate name, street number, and city / state / zip, so too does a domain name. As the line breaks indicate the introduction of new sets of information that further specify the location of an address, the dots in a domain name indicate the introduction of new sets of information on the location of the domain name on the Internet. For instance, the dot in domainsite.com separates the top level domain, .com, from the second level of the domain, domainsite, and indicates that the .com is a more fundamental level of the hierarchy, with a different set of information, than the second level of the domain, domainsite.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:19:39

128-bit encryption

A 128-bit encryption means there are 2128 possible keys that could fit into the lock that holds your account information with us, but only one that works for each session. This level of encryption is so powerful that the U.S. government lists this encryption as a federal munitions - meaning browsers that offer it can only be used and downloaded by citizens and permanent resident of the United States and Canada. We use 128-bit encryption to insure the safety of your credit card transactions on our website.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:51:15

Account Credit

You can add funds to your Name.com account to pay for all of your Name.com purchases. Many of our customers keep a constant balance of funds in their account to conveniently cover their transactions. You can add funds to your account by clicking on “View your accounts credit information” on your account Welcome page.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:26:14

Administrative Contact

The main contact person for a domain name registered with Name.com; if the Administrative Contact differs from the Registrant, we will assume that the Administrative Contact assumes the management responsibilities for the domain. Name.com will contact the Administrative Contact if any domain issues arise. Administrative Contacts can renew domain names, change name servers, and edit contact information.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:05:29

Billing Contact

The contact person responsible for all domain billing information. We will contact the Billing Contact with any issues or discrepancies about the credit card used to register the domain.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:05:56

Clone Account

Cloning an account creates a new account identical to the one you cloned, except for the username. The cloned account will have the same default contact, name server, password, security settings, and pricing information as its parent. Similar to a folder system, a cloned account can be helpful in the organization of your domain names.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 14:22:44

Deletion

The removal of a domain name and its record from Name.com's database. A deleted domain name is not functional and will become available, after a thirty-day redemption period, for any party to register on a first-come, first-served basis. A domain name may be deleted for various reasons-including for certain violations related to payment or expiration of its registration period. After a domain has been deleted and enters the redemption period, the domain can be removed from the redemption period and reinstated to active status by the original registrant for a central-registry-levied fee of $120.00.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:06:34

Dispute Policy

The set of rules agreed upon by the registrant, as a part of our Registration Agreement, and used in connection with a dispute between you and any party other than us (the registrar) over the registration and use of an Internet domain name registered by you. Click on this link, Dispute Policy, for more information.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:07:35

Domain Lock

A condition in which a domain cannot be transferred and DNS changes cannot be made. A customer may choose to lock a domain in order to insure that no unauthorized changes may be made to the domain.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:13:21

Domain Name

A domain name is a way to identify and locate computers and resources, such as Websites, connected to the Internet. Each domain name corresponds to a numeric IP (Internet Protocol) address. An IP address takes the form of 4 groups of numbers, each one between 0 and 255, separated by periods. Domain names allow Internet users to type in a name, such as domainsite.com, to identify a numeric address such as 209.61.183.125. The purpose of a domain name is to allow a person who is not a super-geek to connect to the Internet, find Web sites and send email to addresses with familiar names such as "domainsite.com." This is accomplished without having to memorize the long string of numerical addresses that computers use to locate each other on the Internet.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:13:42

Domain Name System (DNS)

Domain Name System (DNS) The distributed database of alphabetic and numeric information used by computers and users to find each other on the Internet. In sum, the DNS is a network of computers, data files, software, and people.

The DNS structure is organized by a hierarchy of names. The highest level, known as a root, of the system is unnamed. Top Level Domains (TLDs), such as .com, .net, and .org, are divided into classes based on an evolved set of rules. Most TLDs have been delegated to individual country managers, whose codes are assigned and maintained by a sub-agency of the United Nations. These are called country-code Top Level Domains, or ccTLDs. In addition, a limited number of generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) do not have a geographic or country designation. A list of current TLD assignments and names of the delegated managers can be accessed at http://www.iana.org/cctld/cctld.htm.

Responsibility for the adoption of procedures and policies for the assignment of Second Level Domain Names (SLDs), and lower level hierarchies of names, has been assigned to TLD managers, such as VeriSign, Inc., who are subject to policy guidelines determined by ICANN. See http://www.icann.org/icp/icp-1.htm for more information.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:23:10

Domain Registration

The act of securing a unique domain name for a specific period of time.
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Email Forwarding

A service that allows you to create an email address with your domain name that forwards all email sent to the newly created address to a pre-existing email account. For instance, if your domain name is mycooldomain.com, you can create an email address entitled dude@mycooldomain.com that forwards to your personal email account, say, John@Doe.com. You can also use dude@mycooldomain.com rather than John@Doe.com as your return email address. This whole process can establish a unique and memorable identity for you and for your Internet contacts.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:19:59

Encryption

A secure method of sending sensitive information on the Internet. For example, when you register with Name.com, your credit card information is protected using 128-bit encryption in order to protect your information from unauthorized access.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:20:15

Expiration

The condition in which a domain name registration lapses. At the Expiration Date, the domain record is still available, and the web site and email attached to a domain are still functioning for a short period of time. If (approximately) 15-30 days after the Expiration Date an expired domain registration is not renewed, the domain name will be deleted from our database and from the Domain Name System (DNS), terminating the domain record and the functionality of the domain name's corresponding web site and email service. After deletion, the domain name enters a 30-day Redemption Period in which the domain is held by the registry and the domain's web site and email are unavailable for use. Once the Redemption Period ends, the domain becomes available again for registration on a first come, first served basis.

You may rescue a domain from the Redemption Period by paying the central registry, through us, a $120.00 fee. We do not set the price of this fee, and must abide by it if we retrieve domain names from the central registry's database.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:20:43

Expiration Date

The time at which a domain name registration expires. To check the Expiration Date of your domain name, you may do the following. 1. Go to our homepage, www.domainsite.com 2. Click the "Account Login" tab 3. Log into your account, using your username and password 4. See the listed Expiration Date next to the domain(s) at the "Welcome" page of your account

Or, you may do the following. 1. Go to our homepage, www.domainsite.com 2. Click the "Whois…" tab 3. Enter you domain name, without the www, and press "Submit" 4. Read the listed information on "Whois…"

To extend the expiration date, simply renew your domain.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:21:19

Extension

The final segment of a domain name used to further designate the location and identity of a domain. For instance, typing in www.domainsite.com to your web browser may tell your computer to go to a different place to find a different entity then if you typed www.domainsite.net.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:21:43

FTP

An acronym for File Transfer Protocol. FTP is used to transfer files between computers on the Internet. You can use FTP to exchange files between computer accounts, to transfer files between an account and a desktop computer, or to access software archives on the Internet.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:22:01

Host Record

An electronic set of instructions that tells a user's computer where a domain and its accompanying resources, such as its website, are located. A host record will direct a user's computer through the Domain Name System (DNS) to a certain set of servers, identified by their IP address and on which a domain and its resources are located. For instance, if the resources of my domain, mycooldomain.com, were located at the following IP address, 209.61.183.125, and I wished to link my domain to my resources, I would create a host record that pointed mycooldomain.com to 209.61.183.125. After doing so, anyone who typed in mycooldomain.com to their web browser would have his / her computer directed to the name servers corresponding to the IP address 209.61.183.125 and containing my resources.

To create a host record for a domain that is registered with domainsite.com, do the following: 1. Go to our homepage, www.domainsite.com 2. Click the "Account Login" tab 3. Log into your account using your username and password 4. Click on your domain at the "Welcome" page 5. Choose the "Advanced DNS edits" option at the "Manage domain name" page 6. Click "Add a host record" at the "DNS Management" page 7. Follow the posted instructions on the "DNS Management-host record" page, and enter the correct "Host name" and "IP address" 8. Press "Submit"

The "DNS Management-host record" page will reappear with notice of the addition of the host record. To see your newly created host record, click on "Continue managing DNS for this domain" at the "DNS Management-host record" page, and then choose the "Advanced DNS edits" option at the "Manage domain name" page. Your newly created host record will be listed on the "DNS Management-host record" page.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:22:57

Hostmaster (Web Hosting)

The contact person, usually, at your Web Hosting Provider.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:22:19

HTTP

HTTP, short for HyperText Transfer Protocol, is the set of rules for transferring hypertext documents on the Internet.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:23:13

IANA

The overall authority for day-to-day administration of the Internet Domain Name System (DNS). IANA staff members perform the administrative responsibilities of assigning IP Addresses, Autonomous System Numbers, Top-Level Domains (TLDs), and other unique parameters of the DNS and its protocols. Please see http://www.icann.org/ for more information.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:23:42

ICANN

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the non-profit corporation that was formed to assume responsibility for the IP address space allocation, protocol parameter assignment, domain name system management, and root server system management functions previously performed under U.S. Government contract by IANA, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, and other entities. Please see http://www.icann.org/ for more information.

A customer should register their domain name with an ICANN accredited registrar in order to insure regularized and regulated service.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:24:12

Internal Transfer

The sale or transfer of a domain from one customer within domainsite.com's database to the account of another customer within domainsite.com's database. You may use our internal transfer service to quickly transfer the ownership of a domain from your account to the account of another party listed in our database. If a monetary transaction accompanies the sale and transfer of a domain, it should be handled wholly on your part and without our intervention.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:48:32

Internet Protocol (IP)Address

A unique numeric label used to identify computers in a Domain Name System (DNS) network. For example, the computers on which our website, www.domainsite.com, is located are identified by the following IP address: 209.61.183.125. If you were to type this number string into your web browser, you would come to our website. IP numbers are the numeric counterpart to domain names and are converted by computers from domain names in order to locate resources associated with domain names on the Internet.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:49:23

Mail Exchange (MX) Record

An entry in a Domain Name System (DNS) that routes mail to an email server or forwarding service. For example, I may choose to create a MX record that routes all mail sent to dude@mycooldomain.com to a certain IP address where my email services are located.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:50:22

Masked URL Forwarding

A function that redirects all http (web) requests for your domain name to a destination, without acknowledging on a user's browser the redirection. For example, if you forward your domain "mydomain.com" to "yourdomain.com," any web requests for "mydomain.com" will be directed to "yourdomain.com," without broadcasting the redirection.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:50:38

Monitored Domains

You can add a domain name to a list of names that you would like to monitor. When monitoring a domain name you can check, track, and store information like link popularity, Alexa rank, whois information, and more. You can monitor any domain you like by clicking on “Add a domain to monitor” on your account Welcome page.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:27:42

Name Server

The computer network that has both the software and the data required to translate domain names to Internet Protocol (IP) numbers, and thus to help route users and their data to the correct website or location on the Web. Your Web Hosting agents will most likely ask you to use their Name Servers as a part of their services for your web site. Name.com provides free name server registration and DNS services when you purchase a domain name with us.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:50:56

Parking

Registration of a domain name without the immediate creation of a corresponding web site. A registered domain using our name servers and without a corresponding website will direct users to a personalized parking page when its URL is entered into a web browser. To use our parking pages, make sure your name servers are set to ns1.domainsite.com and ns2.domainsite.com.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:51:50

Password

The six-digit or longer case-sensitive code used to access your Name.com domain account.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:51:34

Primary Name Server

The first server used for information about and the location of resources associated with a domain.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:52:15

Redemption Period

A thirty day period after a domain has expired and been deleted from our database; deletion occurs anywhere from 1 to 45 days after expiration. During the redemption period, a domain is frozen in our database and cannot be accessed by any party, including us, for use, renewal, registration, or transfer. Furthermore, the web site and email attached to a domain name will not function during the "redemption period." Once the thirty-day "redemption period" has expired, the domain is once again available for registration (by any party) and use, after a five-day registry hold. The Registrant can retrieve a domain name out of the Redemption Period ONLY by paying a $120 fee through us to the central registry.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:52:31

Registrant

The owner of the domain name and the person responsible ultimately for domain issues.
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Registry

The central storehouse and controlling body of domain names. There is a Registry for each extension. For instance, VeriSign Global Registry is the organization that controls all .COM domain names. We, as an ICANN Accredited Registrar, interact with the VeriSign and other Registries in order to register domain names for customers.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:53:34

Renewal

The process of extending the Expiration Date for a domain name from one to nine additional years.

For a very short period after your domain name expires, it is available for renewal. During this period, we may charge a service fee of up to $20.00 in order to renew the domain, and after this time, your domain becomes unavailable as it enters the "redemption period." Therefore, it is imperative that you renew your domain before the expiration date.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:54:24

Root

The highest level of the Domain Name System (DNS).
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:54:42

Second Level Domain

That portion of the domain name appearing after the top-level domain. In a domain name, it appears immediately to the left of the top-level. For instance, the domainsite in domainsite.com is the second level of the domain name.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:55:35

Secondary Name Server

The server that takes over if the primary goes down; the secondary name server also helps out in extreme load conditions.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:55:51

SSL

Stands for Secure Socket Layer. SSL is a method with which to hide the information a web browser and a web server send to each other. An SSL-enhanced website, such as ours, uses SSL encryption to scramble the data, such as credit card information, you send us into an unintelligible string of seemingly random characters.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 16:56:06

Sub Account

Creating a sub account will create a new user account with the same default contacts and default name servers. The sub account will have default pricing and security settings. Sub accounts are good for those that want to register domain names for others and then move them into other accounts for their customers.
Last modified on 2006-05-19 14:23:03

Technical Contact

The person responsible for technical matters relating to a domain. We may contact the Technical Contact concerning issues relating to a domain's Name Servers, IP address, URL Forwarding, Email Forwarding, or Host / MX records.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:12:53

Third Level Domain

Appears to the left of the Second Level of the domain name. For instance, the ben in ben.domainsite.com is the third level of the domain name. A third level domain is controlled by the name servers used by a Registrant.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:13:17

Top-Level Domain (TLD)

The part of the domain name furthest to the right. For instance, the .com in domainsite.com is the Top-Level of the domain name.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:13:39

Transfer

The movement of a domain and its current registration term from one registrar to another. To transfer a domain to Name.com, follow these steps: 1. Go to our website, www.domainsite.com. 2. Click "Transfer to Name.com." 3. Login to your pre-existing account with us, or create a new account. 4. List the domain name(s) you wish to transfer. 5. Enter your billing information. (Note: we will not charge you until the transfer completes.) 6. Place your order. 7. Alert your current registrar of your wish to transfer to Name.com. Once your current registrar acknowledges your transfer request, we will enter your domain into your account in our database.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:16:57

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

A URL is a standard way of identifying things on the Internet, such as a website, web page, file, or newsgroup. The first part of the URL, before the colon, indicates the method of access; for web sites, this is designated by the letters http. The part of the URL after the colon is interpreted specific to the access method. For instance, our URL is http://www.domainsite.com. The first part indicates the method of access to our website, and the second part, including the slashes, indicate the name of the resource, our domain name, and the location of the resource, our web site.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:17:30

URL Forwarding

A function that redirects all http (web) requests for your domain name to a destination. For example, if you forward your domain "mycooldomain.com" to "domainsite.com," any web requests for "mycooldomain.com" will be directed to "domainsite.com."
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:17:47

Username

The six-digit, case sensitive code used in conjunction with your password to login to your account with us.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:18:10

Web Hosting

The service, and its operators, that provide the software and hardware with which a web site is generated; a web host also maintains the presence of the web site on the Internet. In short, a web host acts as a virtual construction and management company for your domain's web site.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:18:26

WHOIS

A tool used to look up registered domain names. "Whois…" can provide the following data about a registered domain: registrant, administrative, technical, and billing contact information, including physical and email addresses and phone numbers; expiration date of the domain; name servers used by the domain; the domain's current registrar; and the status of the domain. To use "Whois…" for a domain name search, do the following: 1. Go to our homepage, www.domainsite.com. 2. Click on the "Whois…" line, located on the upper left side of our homepage. 3. Type in the domain name, without the www., you are looking for. This domain name must be a second-level domain, for example "mycooldomain.com". Domain names with a "www" or third-level domains like "dude.mycooldomain.com" are not contained within "Whois…" 4. Press "Submit" All relevant contact information and terms of registration will be listed for the domain name.
Last modified on 2006-05-25 12:18:49