If you want to create a website of your own, you need to know the basic differences between Domain Name and Web Hosting. Domain names can be simply thought of as a street address that will help people find out where you live- in this case, help them locate your website’s location. But apart from a free domain, you also need to store data and information for your website (with a top-level domain) will have enough codes and data that would be necessary to store.

This is where Web Hosting comes to play as this is the space in the server where every single bit of data and codes is saved for further use. And this data includes HTML, Document, and media. But, this is not all that we can infer as there is a lot that goes behind a custom domain name like a domain extension, or a domain registrar- something that needs to be looked upon. For that will help us understand the difference between a domain name and web hosting. 

What Is a Domain Name and Where Does it Stand When We Talk About Domain Name and Web Hosting?

As reiterated above, a domain name is simply the name that any website has on the Internet. To look up any website, whatever the user types in the web browser bar is the domain name for it leads us to a landing page of the website. There are millions of examples that we can draw from- like google.com, hotmail.com, gmail.com, etc. Every domain name comes with its DNS Servers, and it is imperative that you have a domain name before you are thinking of creating a website. But the process is extremely simple- you just buy it from a domain registrar. Once you have engaged in domain registration, you will be allowed to purchase the domain. This entails sole ownership over that domain on the entire Internet- no one would be able to use the same domain name as yours for their own website. A distinctive identity will be created for your website using the domain name that you have. And this leads on to the next step of the domain name and web hosting. 

How Much Does a Domain Name Cost to Buy and Renew, When It is Used In The Context of Domain Name and Web Hosting?

If you are worried about the price of a domain name, there are a few factors you need to keep in mind. You need to check which domain registrar you are using, along with the domain name you are choosing. The prices of domain names can fluctuate when the options are a new domain name, or reusing an old one. Remember, older domains, especially ones that have a single word are quite expensive and difficult to manage. On the other hand, if you want to buy a new domain, you should be able to get ownership for $10-$15 annually. 

Also, it must be kept in mind that the renewal depends on which domain registrar you are choosing. Every single domain registrar would have its own renewal fee, which, surprisingly isn’t all. You also need to check the TLD (top-level domain) that you have, and the duration of your contract. Usually, if you have a long contract for renewal with the same registrar, your monthly rate will be cheaper. Here, you would be able to truly see how important a domain name and web hosting is when it comes to building a website. 

What Are The Main TLDs for a Domain Name and Web Hosting?

A top-level domain is what comes at the last bit of an URL, which is usually the small part after the dot. TLDs have always been thought of as domain suffixes. ICANN, which is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, usually looks after the domain names and the IP addresses that are strewn throughout the Internet. And according to ICANN, the TLDs are-

1. Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD)
2. Country-code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD)
3. Sponsored Top-Level Domain (sTLD)
4. Infrastructure Top-Level Domain (iTLD)

Generic Domains usually are the most widely used TLDs. Out of them, some of the most popular TLDs are-

1. .com – Commercial
2. .net – Commercial
3. .org –  Commercial
4. .edu –  Educational Institutions
5. .mil – Military
6. .gov –  Government Agencies

In the DNS (Domain Name System), the names have a very distinctive hierarchy. Top Level Domains are usually this set of generic names that form a hierarchy- COM, NET, ORG, EDU, BIZ, etc. The top-level domains have an official list which is always maintained at the Root Zone Database by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). 

Incidentally, while a lot of the TLDs are actually open to the public for their own use, there are extremely high profile regulations on certain other TLDs. Like, the registration of a ccTLD is completely restricted and prohibited for the citizens of that country. In the event of any malpractice, the cyber law regulates the workings of said TLDs.

Regulations on ccTLDs

There are several regulations that come up when purchasing a TLD. In the case of ccTLD, it becomes very important to note that the entire registration process might be all about trying to determine if the user is from that country itself. For example, a person not having any residential proof of being an American won’t be allowed to purchase the domain name (.us). If they are Americans, only then will they be able to truly purchase the domain name. And this brings us to a secondary point that users would do well to remember. When talking about domain name and web hosting, it is important to note that certain domain names need a certain requirement to be enforced before selling the domain name. If you aren’t an organization, you wouldn’t be allowed the domain name ‘.org’ for your online presence. And these requirements are legally binding- so if you bail out on any of the requirements when you are registering for your domain name and web hosting, the domain name will be sent out into the open for authenticated users to purchase. You will have to cancel out your payment and choose a new one if you still want a website. It is also important for you to remember that while signing up, you would do better to gather your information from the web host, so you have all the authentic information that you might need during your registration. 

The information from the web host would be useful when providing DNS and MX information records. And these records would actually help one determine as to the identity of the web host whose content would be displayed after a user navigated to their domain. 

What Are The Most Popular Domain Registrars When Talking About Domain Name and Web Hosting?

As of today, the three most trusted domain registrars are:

1. Domain.com
2. GoDaddy.com
3. Namecheap.com

When you are looking for good domain registrars to create the perfect domain, there are a few things that should be kept in mind-

1. Every single domain registrar has its own price ranges which you should be familiar with. And you should also read their Terms and Conditions to make sure there aren’t any secret payments that might be conducted without your knowledge. 

2. Although domain owner transfers are pretty free for most domain registrars, there are some that might complicate it. In many ways, they might just make it more complex for you, or ask for a fee to do it themselves. In that case, read up on the services provided before signing up for anything. 

3. Every domain name comes with an expiry date. And if you don’t renew the domain before the expiration date, you might just lose out on ownership and the expired domain would be out there for anyone else to use. This is exactly why you need to be aware when dealing with domain names and web hosting, and choose a registrar that automatically renews the domain name- or one that allows some time even after the expiration period is over. 

4. You could also browse through the add-on services that some registrars provide. All you need to do is be patient and see when these services are actually needed for use. 

Domain Name and Web Hosting: Can I Buy a Domain Name Without Hosting?

There is no way you can buy a domain name if you don’t have a web host. People would only be directed towards your website when you have a proper domain name and web hosting. The rationale is pretty simple- you will have to procure for web hosting services- for that will store your website’s data that comes from the domain name. Although if you are more curious about the domain name and web hosting is from the same company- don’t be. You can choose different plans, service providers, and registrars for both.

Can I Use My Domain Name With Any Host?

This is indeed a solution, for multiple domain names of one registrar that will allow the user to use the web host of any other service provider. Although, it must be mentioned that most users do apply for the 2-in-1 package that most registrars provide, to each their own, as to some it is easier for both the domain name and the web host to be of the same company- for others, they would like to keep it separate. 

How Domain Name Registration Works

This is how a typical domain name registration should look like from the perspective of a user.

1. First, you have to think of a pretty memorable name for your website.
2. Since the possibility of your name being taken by someone else is ridiculously high, you might as well prepare a few backup names. 
3. Search for the name on the website of the registrar.
4. In the event that your domain name hasn’t been taken by anyone, go ahead and purchase it. 
5. You have to pay the registration fees, which depends on the TLD you are using.
6. Your registration is done. 
7. Next, simply point your domain name in the direction of your web hosting- after you change its DNS record. 

Domain Name WhoIs Data

This becomes important to maintain accountability and transparency. In the event of some malpractice, or fraud, one would be able to look up the owner of a particular website by just visiting the WhoIs directory. Every single domain name is listed there, and all it needs is a simple search to determine who owns what. 

Domain Name and Web Hosting Plan: How Do I Connect My Domain to the latter?

1. You absolutely need to register a premium domain name for your website- you can go for website builder assigned names. 
2. Fix a web hosting provider plan and sign up.
3. You need to check up on the DNS setting of the web host.
4. You need to save the web host with the registrars using your name. 
5. Next, wait as the DNS propagation takes place. 

Domain Privacy: Something Extremely Vital When It Comes To Domain Name and Web Hosting

Since it is very easy for someone to check up on a website’s personal information, registrars provide Domain privacy services. Instead of the information that is provided by the WHOIS privacy, domain privacy services replace that with proxy server information. This ensures that every piece of personal data that you have on the WHOIS is hidden from anyone with a nefarious mind. This will also protect using their strong SSL certificate certain personal information from hackers or thieves who would be willing to sell your personal information in lieu of money. 

Domain Name and Web Hosting: Domain vs Sub-domain

There is quite a bit of difference between domain and sub-domain for a domain name is a unique id that is registered with a registrar. On the other hand, a sub-domain is simply any extended list of add-ons that can be placed over a domain if the web host provides all the services. Interestingly, while sub-domains usually consider themselves as third-level domains, search engines usually see it as completely independent of primary domains. 

Domain Name and Web Hosting-Differences 

The basic difference between a domain name and web hosting is that your domain name is basically like the address of your house and website hosting is the space where you keep your furniture. In case of naming a website, a set of numbers or words are used instead of an area code or street name. As for the web hosting, computer memory and computer hard disc are used to store and process all your files. 

The reason behind the confusion between domain name and web hosting is because often the same hosting provider allows domain registration as well as web hosting services. 

Previously the companies providing services like domain registration now provide web hosting services. At present, most of the hosting services allow users to opt for domain registration. Nowadays domain names are given for free or almost free by several hosting providers. 

If you’re thinking of getting a domain name free of cost, your gene is here! GreenGeeks and InMotion Hosting are offering free domains to their first customers.

This brings me to the next question as to whether you should select the same company as the provider of your domain name and web hosting. 

Two opinions come forth in this context. They are:

1. Avoid registering significant domain names with the same web host. For example, you can use Name Cheap to register your domains and choose a different hosting provider to host your website. As for this site, InMotion hosting is used to host it. This helps in ensuring that the domain name is in your control even if discrepancies occur with your hosting provider. When you choose a third party for your domain name, it is easier to transfer to a new hosting provider. If not, you will have to wait for your hosting company to free your domain name. This can put you in a tricky situation and your process might be delayed as your hosting company will be losing your hosting business.

2. However, if your hosting provider is a reputable company and is well-known for its business, you can use it as the host as well as register your domain name there. Several webmasters opt for a domain name and web hosting from the same hosting company. 

There are several opinions when it comes to opting for a particular method for digital marketing. It depends on what suits your website best and which mechanism benefits you the most. 

In case you have already opted for a domain name and web hosting from the same company, this is what you should do: 

1. Accept and move on
2. Select a third party and transfer your domain name there for registration. 

If you select option#2 follow the instructions given below to move your domain name, be it Name Cheap or GoDaddy. 

1. Reach out to your present registrar, i.e. your hosting provider for the Auth/EPP code.
2. Pen down a request for transfer and submit it to your new registrar of the domain. 

It is mention-worthy here that according to the Transfer of Registration Policy of ICANN, a domain that is less than two months old or was moved in the last two months is not eligible for transfer. A span of 60 days is required to go ahead with the transferring procedure. 

Domain Name and Web Hosting are two very integral parts of creating any website. And if the user wants to keep developing on it, they need to keep renewing their domain names, whilst maintaining the condition of the web host. 

Although domain name and web hosting may seem to be similar, they are poles apart when you have a clear idea about them, which you will get as you read further. It is important to gain clarity about a domain name and web hosting before creating a website.

Web Hosting Facts 

A computer in which an individual can store all his websites is known as web hosting. Consider the computer as your house where you store all your computer files such as images, HTML, documents, videos, etc instead of clothes and furniture. All the data is stored in a web host. 

The company which lets their server or computer on rent for you to store your website, and supply internet connectivity for other users to get access to the files on your website is referred to as ‘web hosting.’

Some of the most prominent hosting companies or hosting providers, InMotion Hosting, and SiteGround.

Mechanism of Web Hosting

Apart from storing your files to the computer, web hosting service provides add-on features related to website creation which are listed below:

1. Domain registration – To let you buy and manage the domain name and web hosting from the same provider, hosting services allow domain registration. 
2. Website builder – Web hosting services include a provision of a Drag-and-drop web editing tool for creating a website.
3. Email hosting – This service allows you to send and receive emails from your email account having your domain name. [email protected].
4. Hosting providers also include software (server OS, CMS) and Basic hardware (server setup) in their services.

Web Hosting and Data Center – Differences

The server that acts as a host to your website or the web hosting provider from whom you have rented the server space is referred to as ‘web hosting.’

But the facility that acts as a shelter for all the servers is Data enter. 

A data center could be a house, a room, or a large building containing inessential or backup power supplies, unnecessary connections for data communications, environmental controls- ie. fire suppression, air conditioning, and security devices.

 

The above image is a server example. This server takes after your home desktop in looks and performance. Model name: DELL 463-6080 Server

 The above image is a data center example and the way it looks from within. In simple words, it is a cold room equipped with several big computers. 

Web Host-Types

Hosting servers are of four types, namely, Virtual Private Server (VPS), Shared, Dedicated, and Cloud hosting. 

The above-mentioned servers provide the service of acting as the storage facility of your website. But the four providers differ greatly based on their control, storage capacity, server speed, required technical knowledge, and reliability. Keep reading to find out what are the differences between the four types of servers. 

Shared Hosting

When a common server is used for storing websites of thousands of users, it is known as shared hosting. All the domains use common resources of a server such as CPU and RAM.

The plus point of this server is that it is low in cost. Due to its low expense, this server often hosts websites having average traffic and running decent software. Shared hosting demands minimum technical understanding so it is considered as the preferable hosting option as you start. 

However, the disadvantages include a restricted capacity to tackle high levels of traffic and no root access. Due to the presence of several websites on a common server, the performance of your site may fluctuate.

The web hosting package for shared hosting costs nearly $10. Some of the shared hosting providers are A2 Hosting, InMotion Hosting, and Hostinger.

Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

In the case of a virtual private server hosting, a server is divided into several virtual servers. Each website has its dedicated server which acts as a host. But the bigger picture is that all the websites are sharing the same server consisting of a handful of different users. 

This hosting type provides a hosting environment that is more secured and allows access to their virtual space. VPS hosting is ideal for websites that need to be controlled at the server level but negates investing in a server that is dedicated. 

Just like Shared hosting, VPN hosting too has a restricted capacity to attend to rising traffic. Due to other servers, the performance of your site may vary. 

If you’re wondering how much to shell out, $20 or $60 per month is the ideal expense. If you need special software or customization of an extra server, count in the additional expenditure.

InMotion Hosting, SiteGround, and Interserver provide VPS hosting.

Dedicated Server Hosting

Dedicated Server Hosting allows you to rent an entire server for your website. This dedicated server hosts only your website. It allows you maximum control over the server that stores your website. 

One of the biggest setbacks of this server is that it is highly expensive. Acting as the sole server for your website, the expenditure shoots up. You should choose this hosting service only when you need maximum control over your web server and better performance of the server. 

Dedicated Server Hosting costs $80 per month and more. Based on server features and value-added services, the prices differ. ; price based on server specifications and additional 

You can look for Dedicated Server Hosting in TMD Hosting, AltusHost, and InMotion Hosting.

Cloud Hosting

If you want a hosting service that can tackle the high level of traffic or a sudden increase in traffic, go for Cloud hosting. 

In Cloud hosting, a group of websites are hosted by a team of servers, referred to as a cloud. This mechanism lets several computers work together in handling high levels of traffic for a specific website. 

Some of the disadvantages of cloud hosting are that it is expensive and many setups do not allow root access. Root access is needed to alter settings of the server or install new software.  

The cost of Cloud hosting may go up to $30 or more. Users of this kind of hosting are charged based on every use. 

You can get cloud hosting services in Digital Ocean, Cloudways, and Hostgator.

Web Hosting: Common Queries

1. What do you mean by Web Hosting and what is its requirement?

A website cannot be fully set-up without buying a web hosting service. If you register a domain name and web hosting service is not selected, your purpose will not be fulfilled. Your website will be incomplete. 

Files like CSS, HTML, documents, images, and videos take up space and need to be stored. A web hosting provider sells server space for you to store all your files. 

A website can be created on any computer, But if a hosting server is not used to upload and store the site, it will not be accessible. Only when you store your website on a hosting server, users can find your website when they put in your domain name in their browser URL.

2. What is the cost of buying and renewing web hosting?

You need to think of ways to slash the cost when you try to own a website. If you get a free domain name and web hosting is chargeable, the cost price of your website comes down. 

The cost of web hosting will depend on the kind of web hosting service required by your website. If you get a free domain name and web hosting The cheapest hosting service is Shared Hosting as it acts as a host to several websites. Prices for Shared Hosting vary between $3 to $10 every month. 

If your priority is better security and efficient distribution of load, go for Dedicated Hosting. In that case, be ready to invest a higher amount. 

If paying for a dedicated server is not in your option but you prefer control over your site and more flexibility opt for VPS hosting. The price of VPS hosting ranges between $29-$69 monthly. 

Note here that your expenditure may vary when you need to go for a contract renewal after your first purchase of web hosting. 

3. What Are the Main Types of Web Hosting?

Web hosting services are basically storage spaces for all your files. This is a common feature offered by all web hosting services. However, they differ from each other based on various factors already mentioned above.

As explained before, there are four main types of web hosting, namely, Shared hosting, Virtual private server (VPS) hosting, Dedicated server hosting and Cloud hosting. Here, It is wise to discuss two other types of web hosting. They are: Managed hosting and Colocation. 

Managed hosting 

A user can manage hardware everyday and operate systems if he has chosen Managed hosting. Managed hosting service providers offer several services like configuration, maintenance, monitoring, updates, hardware replacement, and technical support. 

Colocation

In this type of web hosting service, a user can rent a space in a colocation center. In colocation centers, space can be rented in cabinets and racks by users while bandwidth, power, and cooling systems are provided by the center for your website. 

4. What are the free web hosts I can opt for?

Free web hosts are available in the market but it is advisable to reflect upon your decision of choosing a free hosting company. Some of the hosting companies providing free web hosting packages are InfinityFree, 000webhost, AwardSpace, and SitesGoogle.

When you have a budget-crunch free for your website, free domain name and web hosting services may be alluring. But, choosing a free web host is not wise as it doesn’t offer unlimited bandwidth, server speed and storage space. Basic features like installations of websites and email accounts are not provided by such free web hosting companies alongwith being unstable.

Users are served with unreliable servers which hinders the chances of their website being successful. More to that, security breaches are common in the case of free web hosts. So if you are a website builder cut out on the craze of opting for free things and go for something more secure by paying. 

The most important aspect of a successful website is that it is hosted in a reliable web host. 

5. Name some of the most popular good web hosting services?

In today’s digital world, there are several solutions on web hosting prevailing in the market, and the task to select the most appropriate one for you might seem to be a daunting task. To select the perfect provider of domain name and web hosting for your website, a little research can go a long way!

When you look forward to building a hosting account with a particular web hosting company, read through the company’s terms and services. Most of the time web hosting providers promise one and deliver the opposite. It is your job to get detailed knowledge about the service provider. 

For ensuring that you have chosen the right web hosting service for yourself ensure that the company provides ample storage capacity, unmetered bandwidth, a good customer support team, good features of a control panel, pre-installed apps, SSL certificate, free bonuses, proper building tools, SQL database, tools for monitoring, email features and uptime. 

According to our experience, the below-listed web hosting companies are some of the most popular and reliable ones. 

1. BlueHost

A popular web hosting company listed in the top 20 is BlueHost. It is one of the companies which was studied to analyze web hosting services in collective online learning courses.

Several services like shared Hosting, VPS Hosting, WordPress Hosting, WooCommerce Hosting, dedicated Hosting, and professional services for marketing are offered by Bluehost.

2. SiteGround

One of the most popular web hosting companies, Siteground services 2,000,000 domains, or more worldwide. Apart from being well-known for an excellent uptime, it offers hosting services for Joomla, WordPress, PrestaShop, Drupal, and WooCommerce sites. It also provides a Weebly Connector. 

SiteGround announced the introduction of a redesigned control panel for users called ‘Site Tools’ on 30th June of 2019. As per the officials, more than 20 technical staff were needed to build this feature in 3 years or more.

3. Hostinger

A registrar of domain name and web hosting company, Hostinger International, Ltd is owned by employed. The hosting provider has more than 29 million users with its subsidiaries spread over 178 countries, collectively. One of the prominent services provided is Cloud web hosting alongwith hosting with FTP, PHP, and MySQL. 

4. GoDaddy

GoDaddy Inc. is a registrar of domain name and web hosting company. As per the data till June 2020, it has more than 7000 employees and over 20 million customers worldwide. GoDaddy received a proclamation for its advertisements in newspapers and TV. 

GoDaddy has several services to offer such as the listing of domain names for bid or sale on other auctions of domain names by the users through GoDaddy Auctions, its marketplace of domains. 

Domain names that are about to expire but valuable are put out for auctioning through the Auction services. Before the expiration of the domain names, they are listed in the GoDaddy account of the new owner. These expiring domain names go directly to the new owner’s GoDaddy account before they expire. The blog of GoDaddy is named GoDaddy Garage. 

5. A2 Hosting

An environment-friendly web hosting service, A2 hosting has massive no.of users from all over the world. Their hosting services offer you to speed up your process of working on your website. Some of the tools offered by A2 hosting are a 99.9% guarantee of server uptime, cash-back facility, Turbo servers for loading pages faster, pre-installed WordPress, website migrations free of cost, free SSL, A2 Site Accelerator.

Shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, and managed WordPress hosting are the services offered. With the array of tools provided in A2 Hosting, building a website becomes a piece of cake. 

6. DreamHost

A provider of the domain name and web hosting, DreamHost, began its journey by hosting the sites of its customers in 1997. Presently, it has nearly 200 employees and almost 400,000 customers. 

DreamHost offers Shared, dedicated and VPS hosting that comprises Nginx, Apache, and Lighttpd servers running on the operating system called Ubuntu. Apart from cloud storage, developers and entrepreneurs have been provided with computing services since 2012. The user control panel for handling all services is an in-house application that offers customization. It also includes a support ticket system and integrated billing. 

There is no call-in service for customers from DreamHost’s end. However, you can pay a few extra bucks for a callback from its support team. More than one million domains are hosted by DreamHost. 

That’s all for domain name and web hosting. Hope this article was helpful!