Short answer: Your domain name is your address on the internet — the thing people type to reach you, and the part after the @ in your email. It usually represents your company name or brand. Ours is www.infosaic.com. Domain registration is included free with any annual hosting package for .com, .net, .org and .info domains.
Applies to: Anyone setting up a website or business email with Infosaic
This is the most basic question in hosting and it is worth answering properly, because a surprising amount of confusion later traces back to it — particularly the difference between a domain and the hosting it points at.
A domain name is your address on the internet. It represents your company name or brand, and it is what people type into a browser to reach you.
What a domain actually is
A domain is a name you rent, not a place. Nothing is stored in it. What it holds is a set of instructions saying where to find things: the website here, the email there.
That is why a domain and hosting are two separate purchases. The domain is the address; the hosting is the space where the website actually lives. You can have either without the other, and moving one does not automatically move the other.
It also explains why the same domain sends visitors to a website and mail to a mailbox that may be somewhere else entirely. Both directions are set by the domain’s records, and either can be changed independently.
Registration is included with annual hosting
Infosaic includes free domain registration with any annual hosting package — and not just for the first year. For as long as you host with us on an annual package, the domain stays included in the price.
This applies to .com, .net, .org and .info domains.
If you want additional domains, or domains without hosting, they can be invoiced through your control panel or bought directly through a domain reseller account.
Keep the domain and the hosting in one place if you can. One supplier, one renewal date, one invoice. Split across two companies, the domain is the one that gets forgotten — and an expired domain takes the website and the email down with it.
Choosing one
- Short and sayable. If you have to spell it out loud, it will be mistyped.
- Take the .com if it is available, even if you plan to use something else. It is what people type by default.
- Avoid hyphens and numbers. They survive on a business card and vanish in conversation.
- Think about the email address. You will say [email protected] far more often than you will read the website address.
- Register it for several years if it matters. It is cheaper than recovering it after it lapses.
Once chosen, a domain is awkward to change — it is on your stationery, in other people’s links and in every email you have ever sent. Spend a little longer on it now.
Questions and answers
What is a domain name?
Your address on the internet. It is what people type to reach your website, and the part after the @ in your email address.
Is a domain the same as hosting?
No. The domain is the address; the hosting is the space where the website lives. They are separate purchases that work together.
Is a domain included with Infosaic hosting?
Yes. Registration is included free with any annual hosting package, and stays included for as long as you host with us on that package.
Which domain extensions are included?
.com, .net, .org and .info.
Can I have a domain without hosting?
Yes, through a domain reseller account.
Can I have hosting without a domain?
Yes, using the temporary address we provide, though you will want a domain before launching.
What happens if my domain expires?
The website and the email stop working, regardless of whether the hosting is paid up.
How do I choose a good domain name?
Short, easy to say aloud, no hyphens or numbers, and take the .com if it is free.
Related articles
- How do I register a domain with Infosaic?
- Is domain registration included in my hosting package price?
- How do I manage or point my domain name to Infosaic?
- What are Infosaic’s name servers?
- How do I move my site to Infosaic?
- How do I contact tech support?
Still stuck?
Open a support ticket from your hosting control panel at controlpanel.infosaic.com — that is the fastest route, because it reaches the team who can already see your account. You can also email [email protected].