Ελληνικά 
English What a domain is, how to choose a good name and how it relates to hosting
3794 viewsA domain (domain name) is the address people use to find you on the internet, e.g. yourradio.com. It's the "name on the door": easy to remember, unlike the server's IP address (e.g. 203.0.113.10).
Domain and hosting: what's the difference?
| Domain | Hosting / service | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The address | The place where your website, email or station "lives" |
| Example | yourradio.com | Web hosting, email, Multicast Radio, VPS |
| How it's paid | Yearly (or every 2 years for .gr) | Per billing cycle (month, year etc.) |
You need both for a website with your own name: the domain says "where", and the nameservers connect it to the hosting. They can be with the same or different providers; when both are with us, the connection is almost automatic.
Why have my own domain?
- Professional image:
info@yourradio.cominstead of a free email address. - Freedom: if you change hosting or streaming provider, the domain stays the same and your listeners or customers find you at the same address.
- Protecting your brand: if you don't register it, someone else might.
- For radio: you can have your station's public page and players on your own domain (Your own domain in Multicast Radio).
How to choose a good name
- Short and easy to say. Try telling someone over the phone: if you need to spell it out, look for something simpler.
- The same as your brand name, or as close as possible.
- Avoid hyphens and numbers, unless they're part of the name ("radio-1" or "radio1" causes confusion).
- Latin characters for the main domain. A Greek-script name is a nice extra, but doesn't work everywhere for email.
- Check for trademarks: don't use well-known company names.
- Register the close variants you care about too (e.g. .gr and .com), so nobody else takes them.
For the right extension, see Which extension to choose.
How quickly does it become mine?
As soon as the proforma invoice is paid, registration happens automatically and usually completes within a few minutes. Your website or email will work once the nameservers are set and DNS propagation has passed (usually a few hours). Detailed steps: Searching for and registering a domain.
Is it mine forever?
As long as you renew it. A domain is registered for a set period and must be renewed before it expires (Domain expiry and renewal). You can also transfer it to another provider whenever you like (Transferring to another provider).