THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOMAIN REGISTRATION AND WEB HOSTING
The general assumption carried by most beginners that domain registration is enough to get a website up and running is not spot-on. Although the use of domain names has and continues to have a remarkable effect to simplify ways in which people can access and find your website, they, by no means, enable your website to operate live on the internet. There is need for you to shop for web hosting services to ensure that your sites are live on internet.
Let us consider these following analogies to accentuate the above point.
In my own experience, having a domain name without a hosting plan is like soliciting a cell contact from a stunning lady but later discover that she does not have the actual phone to receive your calls or messages.
Or, in certain circumstances, having to callout names on a list and notice that some of the people are absent.
If you can’t relate, try to imagine how it feels when someone gives you an office address for a place that never really existed? Even when the address is real, the absence of any visible structure is quite disappointing.
This is exactly how people feel when they try to access your websites while you haven’t yet purchased a hosting plan.
So what is the actual purpose of a domain name?
A domain name is basically an identification for your website. Domains are simply retainable and unforgettable names used to represent an Internet Protocol (lP) address. When people are trying to find your website or send emails, they type the domain name into the (URL) for their browser to locate your site.
Without a domain name, people willing to visit your website would have to remember the entire IP address without fail. Every computer or any other server has a unique IP address which constitute a string of digits divided by full stops.
The essence of The IP address is for computers to locate the server where the website is hosted.
However, the retention of such a long series of numbers is not a simple ask. Effective domains are simply catchy and classy. Very long domain names are often awkward and always challenging to remember. To avoid these needless misinterpretations, it is safer to create memorable names that represent you or your business. Domain names are part of a larger network of servers that are managed by your website’s hosting provider which carries registers of domain names and convert them to (IP) addresses.
They are two generic categories for domains such as (.com and .org) which are more expensive and exclusive, and those such as .zw (Zimbabwe) which fall under a country code.
Why then is Web hosting necessary?
Despite all that has been said, we all need to ensure that our websites are hosted right after domain registration in order to promptly attend our urgent business or kick start our online presents. Web hosting, in simple terms, is the service offered by hosting companies to facilitate your website and afford your web page to be viewed on internet.
These sites are hosted on a physical server (a computer). Since the Internet is a network of computers connected with cables, when users attempt to view information on your sites, they can simply type your domain name into their URL. Their computer will then connect with the server that your website files are ‘stored’ and results will delivered on their screens. Web hosting companies offer different types of hosting plans to their clients.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE A DOMAIN NAME AND WEB HOSTING AT THE SAME TIME?
Of course, most hosting companies sale domain names. Some of them even extend the gift of a free domain when clients consider subscribing for any hosting plan they offer. As mentioned above, useful domain names always come in handy for people wanting to send emails or access your website. While they function as mnemonic tools to help people remember, they are not easy to come up with.
It is recommended to purchase your domain name from you web hosting company in order to be eligible any other bonus features and discounts. If you want a domain name or any efficient hosting plan, you can contact top notch hosting companies such as Zimhero Zimbabwe and get the best domain name suitable for your business brand.
