Most network adapters within servers and computers are assigned a unique address known as an IP address. An IPv4 ip address is a address written as four numbers separated by periods. Each number can have a value between zero and 255, so your dedicated server or home computer address format would look somewhat like this 172.16.3.44. You can find out what your ip address is by typing ipconfig at the command prompt (Start, Run, ipconfig) on a Windows Server and by typing ifconfig on a Linux Server. You can use the same command on your home Windows or Linux system to determine your static dedicated ip.

Technology has simplified browsing for websites through the use of something called a host file. A host file translates a website name into the assigned IP address. So when you use your internet web browser to browse a website, it communicates to the web server using the ip address. The host file is stored in the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\ directory on a windows computer and in the /etc directory on linux and unix systems.

Have you ever been to 3111 World Dr. in Orlando Florida? Do you know where that is? You may be able to figure out what location I am talking about but wouldn’t it be easier if I said have you ever been to Disney Magic Kingdom? That is essentially name resolution 3111 World Dr. Orlando, Florida 32830 is equivalent to the IP address and Disney Magic Kingdom is equivalent to a hostname. The server space or website hosting is equivalent to the land that the theme park sits on. So when you register for a domain name you get the name but you also must rent or purchase some “land” or server space for your website to reside. Likewise if you rent or buy the server space but do not register a domain name or an address, no one will know how to get to your website.

A hostfile will contain lines that look like this: 192.168.20.34 www.npsis.com which basically says that the ip address 192.168.20.34 corresponds to the hosname or webserver www.npsis.com. Hostfiles are used for name translation for a small number of computers.

Internet Service Providers typically use DNS (Domain Name System) to translate hostnames to IP addresses on the internet. When you type www.npsis.com or your own website address, your computer contacts a DNS server to determine what IP address is assigned to the domain name or website address that you entered. All websites, web servers and email servers need domain names if they are to be accessible online.

If you are selecting a domain name or website name for your business it is to your advantage to select a domain name that is easy to remember and if possible reflects what your business or service is (ex. tomsgarage.com). You can also register multiple domain names and have your website design store optimize your web pages for those keywords. Then you can have multiple domain names point to your web site. So you could have tomsgarage.com, bestlocalgarage.com, and wefixcars.com all point to your website.

If you plan on having a web presence at some point, be sure to go ahead and register your website address now. There are many people and businesses that reserve the most desirable website addresses and resell them at costs much higher than the original reservation price.

Make sure you control your own internet destiny. Never let your web designer or web design store reserve your website address in their name. By purchasing your domain name yourself, you secure your own interest in your website address and you protect yourself from negligent people and predators looking to take advantage of you.