The relationship between domain names and web hosting can be confusing at times. Considering the sheer number of registrars and hosts, it's no surprise that we get so many questions about domains.

What's the difference between a domain name registrar and a web host?

If you have little or no experience working with domain names, the whole process can seem a bit overwhelming. This is due to the fact that many people are unclear on the difference between a domain name registrar and a web host. Here's a straightforward explanation:

Domain Name Registrar
A domain name registrar is a company that is authorized by a central Internet authority to add new domain name records into the Internet's central "domain name database". In order to be recognized as a valid domain name, a domain must be registered with an accredited registrar (or a company reselling domains through an accredited registrar).

Web Host
A web host is a provider that manages a server or fleet of servers that "host" all of your site's files (often they will also provide email and other related services). When you get a hosting account, the host will configure its nameservers to respond to DNS queries on behalf of your domain name. Once the host has configured their systems properly, you can go to your domain name registrar and update your domain name to use your web host's nameservers (ours are given above). How do you know if our nameservers are ready to respond to requests for your name? If you have received your hosting account welcome email, our nameservers are already configured to handle DNS for your domain name--that's part of the account setup process on our end.

NOTE: It's very easy to confuse your web host and your domain name registrar because most domain name registrars nowadays also offer web hosting, and most web hosting companies also offer domain names (Sijison Inc included). This does not, however, mean that they must be the same company; more often than not they aren't. A domain name registrar will almost never require you to use their hosting. They may try to sell you their hosting when you're purchasing your domain name, but it's important to understand that you can use any web hosting company you like with your domain name.

 

What are "nameservers" or "DNS servers"?

Nameservers, "name servers", or "DNS servers" are special servers that are configured to answer requests to translate a domain name into an IP address.
The public domain name database allows computers to determine the nameservers for any given domain name. Nameservers are necessary for all domain names, since traffic on the Internet is actually routed to its destination by IP address, not domain name. Before any computer can connect to your site via domain name, it needs to look up the IP address.
A domain name will generally specify a primary nameserver (the one that should be tried first) and at least one secondary nameserver to be used if the primary is unreachable.

Your web host will generally provide addresses of nameservers to be used when hosting a domain name on their servers.

 

What if I don't know where I registered my domain name?

Because a domain name doesn't require constant attention, it's very common for site owners to forget where they registered their domain name. In other cases, they are moving from another host who handled the registration on their behalf and aren't sure who to contact regarding a change of nameservers.

Whatever the reason, there's no need to worry--it's devilishly easy to track down. All domain names are registered in a central Internet database. A simple search of that database will show the domain name's registrar. Use this page to perform a query on your domain name. Check the "Domain" search type and enter your domain name (no "www"). In the resulting record, you will see a line containing a Referral URL. This is the URL of the domain name's registrar. You can then contact the registrar directly if you need further assistance accessing and updating your domain name record.

When will nameserver changes take effect?

Because servers across the Internet cache DNS information, your domain name will not appear to point to your site immediately after you update your nameservers. Even after the changes are submitted to the central Internet domain name servers, it generally takes anywhere from 24 to 72 hours for all service providers to clear their DNS caches and get the updated records. The delayed processing and distribution of updates made to domain name records is known as DNS propagation.

Also note that propagation of the changes to your domain name won't happen for all visitors at once. Some visitors' ISPs may pick up changes more quickly than others, meaning that during the 24 to 72 hour propagation period, some people will be directed to your site's old IP address while others will be taken to your new one.