Web hosting and domain names

[.Maleficus.]

Does anybody know where I can get a FREE domain name (like, no strings attached free, I can't seem to find any places where I don't have to fill out ****, or pay for one) and free hosting? I've found lots of places with free hosting, but the domain names are killing me. Also, if at all possible, I'd like to not have a .tk.ru.com one, you know, with all the crap. Just a plain and simple, .com.

Also, can I host my own site? What's required to do that? This won't be a high-traffic site by any means, so could I just do that?

And why do I have to pay for a name? I don't understand how all this works, so an explanation would be great too.

Thanks guys!

[SgtM]

I'm trying to start a small hosting company. I'll have a better explanation of everything for you in a little while.. (making dinner right now).

[tybrenis]

To give you a short explanation....

You COULD host your own domain name, but it'd take a whole lot of effort and money. It's a lot easier to just buy one; my favorite host is www.godaddy.com. I have never found a free domain name - if they were out there, those sites would be used all the time, and domain names would be impossible to get a hold of, due to everyone registering them and monopolizing the market.

As for hosting you own website, that is relatively easy to do. Simply set up a dedicated server at home and load it with some good software (apache is a big name). A quick google for "+how +to home ftp server" or similar will help you a lot.

[Crimson Sky]

And why do I have to pay for a name? I don't understand how all this works, so an explanation would be great too.

Thanks guys!


Why do you have to pay for socks? and gummi bears. and dental floss. It's called commerce. ;)

[Airbozo]

You have to pay for your host name because the funds go to maintain the databases. Some one has to do the paper/electronic work. That is part of the cost. Also part of your yearly fee is to provide funds to maintain the servers that hold the domain name databases across the world. It is NOT free. Never has been, most likely never will. When I first got my domain name (1995) it cost me $80/yr, now it costs ~$9, so it is more reasonable. There are deals aout there you just have to find them.

You can host your own site. This is not for the faint of heart though because it takes some administration and you need to keep up with all the security fixes (be it linux or windows) or your web host will quickly turn into a spam spewer. This is also something you want to ask your ISP about. Some don't care, some have specific rules against it and some allow it so long as you keep it from being a mail relay or spam spewer. Some ISP's will disconnect you the _instant_ they see you hosting your own site.

You can get a "free" domain name from some of the hosting companies (bluehost.com is one). Check it out, basically they pay the registration and yearly fee if you host that site on their servers.

[SgtM]

Everyone has provided very good info. +rep to them for that.

TLD - Top Level Domain. Your .com, .org etc.. You'll have to pay to register the name no matter what. Unless you go with a host that offers free registration if you pay for hosting in advance. Either way, you're paying something.

DNS - Domain Name Service. This is what directs traffic to your web site. Take www.thebestcasescenario.com as an example. If we ping the web site name, we get an IP address in return. That is the IP address of the server where the site is hosted. MOST hosting companies use what's called virtual hosting. Whereas their server has 1 IP address, and multiple sites hosted.

Forward Lookup Zone - Basically, this is does is takes the domain name, and
converts it to the server's IP address, so data (http traffic) can be
transferred from the server to your computer so it displays the web page.

Reverse Lookup Zone - Vice Versa. Takes the IP address and converts it to
the domain name.

HOSTING - While it is possible to host your own web site from home, it requires ALOT more administration. First thing you will need is a static IP address, and you will also have to subscribe to a service such as dydns.org so DNS information can be provided for your site. Or, if you want to provide your own DNS service, you will need 3 static IP's. One for the server, and 2 for each DNS server. Airbozo is right. Most ISP's will block port 80 (the http port) so you CAN'T host your site from home. This is their way of getting you to upgrade to business class services and pay more money. If you're serious about hosting something from home, I would recommend a fedora or ubuntu LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) server since it's opensource and free. It might even be worth it to set one up anyway, just to play around, and learn on. Setup a little intranet. I'm in the process of doing the same thing just for kicks.

There are free web hosts out there, some searching will provide some good info for you. I hope this helped. Let us know if you need anything else.

[ESX]

For a free domain name you can try www.ddboard.com, although it will take you some time to get the required amount of points.

[SgtM]

I "own" the domain www.jeremypratt.com for like 2 years.. just can't figure out how to get that URL to point to anywhere..

Lost all the info on that.. It was done through dot5hosting (which SUCKS).

-Jeremy

You'll have to log in to dot5hosting and point the domain to the DNS servers of your hosting provider.

i.e.
dns1.hostingprovider.com
dns2.hostingprovider.com

Then, when your host adds the site to their server, and makes the appropriate DNS entries, everything will point to the correct location.

[SgtM]

yeah except that I cancelled my dot5hosting within 24 hours of getting it (it would have overdrafted my account) so I got my refund for the hosting space etc, but the domain name registration was non-refundable so I "own" this domain for 2 years.... Just don't know where to go to point it anywhere. Can't do it through dot5, as I don't technically have an account with them anymore.. this stuff gets twisted..

-Jeremy

ahh.. I C said the blind man. Well, I did a whois search with Network Solutions, and it seems that dot5 used 1and1 to register the domain. The domain is also pointing to 1and1's DNS servers. So I guess dot5 is just a reseller for 1and1.

http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp?whoistoken=0

Maybe try and call 1and1. They should be able to help you out.

[Airbozo]

ahh.. I C said the blind man. Well, I did a whois search with Network Solutions, and it seems that dot5 used 1and1 to register the domain. The domain is also pointing to 1and1's DNS servers. So I guess dot5 is just a reseller for 1and1.

http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp?whoistoken=0

Maybe try and call 1and1. They should be able to help you out.

Be prepared to prove who you are. I had an issue similar to this with "bozoair.com" and it took me 6 months to be able to prove who I was and that I had permission "from myself" (don't ask) to change the dns info. Once you get a hold of your own domain, and an account at the registrar, you can change your dns, contact and ip info easily and as much as you want.

I had bozoair.com pointing to one of my systems at home using a dynamic ip, then the system ran a program that detected the IP and uploaded the info to one of the free dynamic dns sites;

http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/
http://freedns.afraid.org/
http://www.mtgsy.net/dns/freedynamicdns.php

There are more, just shop around and ask questions. Here is a nice site with a description of the dynamic dns setup and a list of free dynamic dns sites.

http://www.technopagan.org/dynamic/

[.Maleficus.]

Help me out guys, which would you choose.

https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/hosting/shared.asp?se=%2B&ci=260

http://www.ixwebhosting.com/index.php/v2/pages.planBusinessPlus

If the links didn't show the specific plan, I was looking at the Deluxe Plan at GoDaddy and the Business Package at IX. Both are around the same price, and both look like the have about the same features. Right now I'm leaning towards the GoDaddy one, because I can get a Domain name too for $1.99, and the IX one doesn't come with one (if I'm reading it right). But I'd still like to know what you guys think.

[tybrenis]

They're both about the same, your right.

I personally would actually go with the IX one, as they offer three times as much space, and more bandwidth as well(1000 versus 1,500 I believe).

Plans have really gotten cheaper. I locked in for like two years two summers ago, I'm up for renewal this summer. I paid about the same price, maybe a little less, and all I have is 5 gb compared to your 300. I have about the same or better everything else, though.

[.Maleficus.]

Hmmm... I did a comparison on the IX website for the Business package and the GoDaddy package. I went through the list and it says that the IX package has "Free Domain Registrations: 3". If I am interpreting this right, I can potentially have 3 unique sites, not having to pay for any of the domain names? If that's the case, I will definitely do that.

[tybrenis]

I'm not sure, but it sounds like that is correct. You probably have to lock in for a year or something, too.

You can have up to 8 domains if you want to with IX, as long as you buy the domains. I just buy mine from Godaddy as they are cheapest, then I forward them to my server and use my own hosting.

[.Maleficus.]

I think I'll probably end up going with the IX package, it looks like it has more features at comparable cost. Thanks again for all the help guys!

[SgtM]

Too bad I had to take my server down for a while to save cost.. we could have worked something out. The IX plan sounds like it would work. I would definitely clarify that 3 domain deal before committing though.

[Vertigo]

Paying for a domain name has always seemed to me like paying for a mailing address. If you want a post office box for instance, you have to pay a fee for it. Personally, I use GoDaddy.com myself. They've been prompt with me, and so far I haven't had any problems.

[ESX]

Well, if you guys need hosting, I could suggest a few good free hosts, as they are becoming better now than they used to be.

[.Maleficus.]

Too bad I had to take my server down for a while to save cost.. we could have worked something out. The IX plan sounds like it would work. I would definitely clarify that 3 domain deal before committing though.
http://www.ixwebhosting.com/index.php/v2

I don't know if that will go directly to the comparison, so if it doesn't, it's the Business Plan and Godaddy. What I can read from it is...

Free Domain Registrations: IX Webhosting - 3 | Godaddy - 0

And I guess even if it misinterpreted it, it's still probably a better deal, and I could always buy a name somewhere else and host on IX.

[nil8]

<I've skipped a lot of posts. If someone has said this or the topic has shifted, forgive me.>
I've used dyndns.org for the work I've needed to do. If you're hosting your own server, then all that's required is port fowarding depending on what you're doing.

Dyndns.org naming convention is very simple. asdf.dyndns.org for example. It's quick, small and easy to remember.
They also have **** for dynamic ip's and a few other things. Give them a check.