Got Domain? Don't Be So Sure!
I've been doing accounting website design since the dinosaurs roamed free, and I keep having the same damn problem. I can get a site designed and prepared in a matter of hours, but when when I'm ready to publish it under the web address I discover that the customer doesn't really even own the freakin' domain name!
Don't get scammed.
Most established website hosts will offer to get you a domain name when you sign up for a site, but if you let them take care of it they'll usually put it in a wholesale account in their own name. This means that technically, you don't own the domain at all!!!
Get your domain yourself. It's cheap (usually less than 15 or 20 bucks a year) and easy.
If you already have a domain things are a little trickier. If you're not absolutely sure your domain name is actually yours you need to find out right now!
Everything you need to know you can learn online, including the actual owner's name, address and phone number. Do a "whois" search (just Google it, there are scores of search sites). You may need to do a little detective work. If your first search doesn't turn up details it will at least give you the name of the registrar. This is the company legally responsible for the registration, and they will have a complete whois record.
Make sure the domain is registered:
1. in YOUR name.
2. with YOU listed as the "Administrative Contact".
3. in a retail account with a "dynamic DNS control panel".
The best way to make sure you have the access you need is simply to make sure you're able to log in to it and access a setting called your "name servers". DON'T CHANGE THIS SETTING. You'll take down your website, your email, everything. Just make sure you can access it.
Your domain name is your real estate on the web. Make sure you actually own it and not your web host!
Oh... BY THE WAY...
If you change your email address make sure you let your domain name registrar know FIRST. Failure to do so will be a royal PITA at best, and at worst could even cost you your domain when renewal time rolls around.
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