A Domain Name should be relatively easy to remember. The domain can be used as the address for your web site and/or can be used as your email address.

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What characters can you use in a domain name and how long can it be?
The valid characters for domain names are the alphabet, numbers, and hyphens. Domain names are not case sensitive, therefore YourOwnName.net and yourownname.net are NOT different. A domain name cannot start or end with a hyphen. Special characters such as exclamation marks (!), question marks (?), and underscores (_) are not allowed and there can be no spaces in a domain name.

A domain name can be 67 characters long, which includes the extension. Therefore, if you are using the .com/.net/.org extensions, your desired name can be 63 characters long.

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What is DNS and how does it work?
DNS stands for Domain Name System and is the system that the Internet uses to find the information on the web. Domain names are registered with a central organization in each country and each domain name is associated with two DNS servers, a primary server and a backup server. In the United States the registry is called InterNIC.

When someone types in a Domain Name into a web browser their Internet Service Provider's (ISPs) DNS computer looks into its cache for an IP (Internet Protocol) address associated with that domain name. If the ISP does not have an entry cached it sends a lookup query to InterNIC's root servers which returns the DNS location associated with the domain name back to the ISP. Once the ISP's computer finds the IP address it can access the web site.

IP addresses are typically 12 digit numbers which identify a computer on the internet. IP addresses are like street addresses. They refer to specific servers and their physical location on the network. Domain names are like the names on the mailboxes, they are associated with people and with content.

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What is InterNIC and what is Network Solutions Inc.?
InterNIC stands for Internet Network Information Center and is the organization in the United States that manages internet domain names and the DNS. Network Solutions Inc. is the company that has been contracted by the U.S. Government to administrate InterNIC.

For more information on the future of the InterNIC you may want to read the NTIA's white paper on the "Improvement of Technical Management of Internet Names and Addresses"

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What are Top Level Domains (TLD) And what do they mean?
The Top Level Domains (sometimes called Generic Top Level Domains) are the last two or three letters in a domain name. Web sites outside of the United States may have two letter country codes (for example: .jp for Japan or .au for Australia).

Top level domain signifiers

• .com
• .org
• .net
• .edu - (educational institutions only)
• .gov - (government institutions only)
• .mil - (military use only)
• 2 letters - Denotes a country/region of the world

The .com, .org and .net TLDs are available to the public.

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How can I find out if a domain name is already registered?
Using our domain search (at the top of this page) you can look up any domain name instantly and find out if it has been taken in the .com, .net, and .org domains.

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Do I have to pay for domain name registration?
Yes: In order to reserve a domain name, a pre-payment of $70 per year via credit card is required. The domain owner is responsible for paying renewal fees in a timely manner. If the fees are not paid, ownership is relinquished and the domain may be lost.

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How do I transfer a domain name?
You can transfer your existing domain name to linkLINE. We have tried to make that process easy for you. If you sign up you will be given the option to transfer your domain name. Instructions can be found here.

To transfer a domain name, a domain modification application must be filed with InterNIC. InterNIC will not transfer a domain without authorization from the owner. linkLINE cannot authorize the transfer - only the domain owner can. For verification, InterNIC will send an email to the domain owner. The domain owner must respond to the email by following the instructions and replying to the email. Once InterNIC receives authorization they will transfer the domain name.

If the domain owner cannot retrieve the email message from InterNIC, then the authorization must be done by fax. This will delay the domain transfer. There is nothing linkLINE can do to expedite the transfer. For more details, you must contact InterNIC. Try: rs.internic.net for more info.

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How do I get an international domain?
linkLINE can host international domain names with two letter country extension codes.

The domain owner is responsible for registering their domain with the country's registry. Each country runs their registry differently, and therefore, linkLINE cannot expedite the registration process. Each country will also charge different amounts. The domain owner is responsible for making all payments to the registry.

You will most likely need information regarding linkLINE's DNS servers. If you desire to host an international domain name with linkLINE, we recommend that you first find the registry of the country and examine their application process.

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Can I register my domain name myself?
Absolutely. Head on over to Network Solutions, or Register.com to search for and register your own domain name. Be sure to write down our DNS information to complete the registration process. Once you find a name the entire process takes only a few minutes.

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How long will it take to register my new domain?
Unfortunately there is no standard time for registrations to be completed. Usually in 1-2 days your domain will be ready, but times are dependent on the amount of domain registrations currently being processed, and therefore fluctuate.

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Will I be able to access my domain name with or without the www?
Yes, you will be able to access the domain name with or without the www in front. For example, you could access the domain name "yourcompany.com" by going to "www.yourcompany.com" as well as "yourcompany.com".

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