Hopefully you will find this page helpful, especially if you have had little experience with Domain Names and Web Hosting. If after looking through the list you find you still have a query unanswered, please phone or email us and we will be more than happy to help and we will also add your query to the list to help others

FAQ's on Domain Names:

What is a domain name?
A domain name is something that is used to identify a piece of web space that houses a web site. In reality that web space is identified by a set of numbers like 242.89.67.87 (an IP Address) - but as humans are less likely to forget words a name is "attached" to those numbers and is unique to that web space.

Do I have to have a business to get one?
No. Anyone anywhere can purchase a domain name and pretty much use it for whatever they like providing they are not infringing someone else's copyright or trademark.

Do I need one?
This depends on what you are wanting to do. If you are a company then a proper stand alone domain name is much more professional looking than using free web space provided by someone like Freeserve or Virgin - www.yourcompany.com is more likely to create the right image than your.company.Freeserve.co.uk. Also, a secondary domain does not stand much of a chance on the search engines as a lot of engines refuse to list non stand alone domains at all.
And domains are so inexpensive now there's no real reason not to buy one!
On the other hand if you are just running a personal site for friends and family then a proper domain name is not so important but again, at the price they cost why not?!

What domains do you sell?
We deal with the main domains - .co.uk, .me.uk, .org.uk, .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info

What is the best domain name for me?
Most people prefer either a .co.uk or a .com. A .co.uk identifies you as a UK business. A .com was originally a USA domain name meaning a commercial site but nowadays it has become an international domain. .plc and .ltd are for companies that are registered at companies house only - .org and .org.uk are essentially for organisations and .net was initially for ISP's and network organisers but again has become more widely used.
So, really, the domains have for the most part long lost their intentional purposes and anyone can buy them, but most people usually go for the .co.uk and .com versions simply because these are the most widely used and if someone knows your name but can't remember the extension, they will generally try a .com first then the .co.uk.
In an ideal world you would choose a name available in .co.uk, .com and perhaps .net and cover all the bases - but to do that depends on your name being available.
If you already have a domain name and just require the web space fill out the form after visiting our hosting page. If you need a domain name as well search for that domain from the QA home page and just before the order form there are options to add a hosting package to your chosen domain.

Can I buy domains of just two letters?
Not with UK domain names, .biz or .info and all the .com's are gone!

What about dashes?
There are mixed views about putting dashes in a domain name (by dashes we mean the - sign) Generally there is no harm apart from a number of dashes in a name can make it a bit of a mouthful to tell people. However, it may be the way to get the name you need and include words that will help with search engine rankings.
Dashes can go-in-between-words but NOT at the beginning or end ; www.-domains-.com

What if I can't get the domain I want?
Good domain names are rare so you might have to add dashes in between words or add a call to action at the beginning of the name: www.domainames.com is gone so try www.fastdomain names.com or www.fast-domain-names.com or www.quick-domain-names.co.uk and so on. Eventually you should find a combination that works.

How much are they and are there any hidden fees?
..co.uk, .org.uk, .me.uk £15 for two years registration and .com, .net and .org cost £15 for one year, .info and .biz are £35 for two years registration - all prices exclude VAT. Once you have made that payment the domain is yours and there are no other costs involved at all.

How will I know when the registration is due for renewal?

We will email and let you know in good time - if you want to renew the registration simply pay the fee again or let it expire if you no longer want the domain. Letting a domain expire is not like ignoring a bill and doesn't prevent you from registering other domains at a later time - there is of course the possibility that should you want to register a name that you previously owned but let expire then somebody else may have bought that name and there isn't anything you can do about it.

What do I get for my money?
You get registration for however many years you specified - - . The domain can be parked - just purchased but with no function, waiting whilst you decide what you want to do with it. You also get email forwarding and web forwarding if required. See other questions for explanations of these terms.

How do I pay for the name?
You can either search for an available domain and purchase through the online form at the end using your credit card - this is completely secure and handled by WorldPay, a reputable merchant service- (we do not receive details of your credit card this way, only WorldPay and the actioning bank) or you can order by phone, again with your credit card or we will accept cheques.

Can I cancel a Domain Purchase?
Once a Domain has been registered it cannot be canceled. After the initial registration period has expired it can then be allowed to relapse.

How long does it take for the domain to work?
24 hours after a domain has been registered it should be showing as belonging to you. The best way to check this is to search for it as if you were wanting to buy it and then click on current owner information - this should show your details. If it doesn't allow another 12 hours and if you still see the name as available let us know immediately. Please Note: During that 24 hour period your name may well show as still being available. Rest assured that as soon as the name is registered with us it is queued and unavailable for anyone else to buy - the domain search databases are updated once a day and this is the reason that onece you have ordered, the domain may show as still being available for a short time.

Once I buy the domain is it always mine?
The domain is yours for as long as you registered it. Providing you renew the name there is no reason why you shouldn't own it for as long as you wish.

What is the point in just having a domain but no web site?
You may want to make sure nobody else gets it! You may own a .com but want the .co.uk to avoid visitor confusion. You may just not have finished designing your site and want to wait before getting hosting.

What is email forwarding?
If you buy www.yourdomain.com email forwarding allows you to have as many email addresses as you wish for that domain. So that means you can have steve@yourdomain.com, fred@yourdomain.com, sales@yourdomain.com, enquiries@yourdomain.com, in fact, as many of those addresses as you wish. And they can all be forwarded to an email accent of your choice. So if your email address is bob@Freeserve.co.uk or bob@hotmail.com any email to those addresses above will land in your Freeserve or hotmail email account.

What is web forwarding?
If you have a web site on free web space such as Freeserve or Virgin, any domain name you buy from us can be redirected so that when someone types in www.yourdomain.com it will actually show the web site at the Freeserve address. This is quite handy but for a business site can cause problems when promoting your site on the search engines.

What if I want the site hosted later?
No problem, just let us know when you are ready and we can tell you how to make payment then set it up immediately.

What if I want the site hosted now?
If you need a domain name and hosting search for that domain from the QA home page and just before the order form there are options to add a hosting package to your chosen domain.

What if I want the site hosted by someone else?

Just let us know the host's details and we will do this within 24 hours free of charge. Normally a hosting company will tell you exactly what details you need to give us.

How can I contact you?
Just use any of the methods on the contact us page.

FAQ's on Web Hosting:

What is web hosting and why do I need it?
When you type in a domain name you generally then see a set of pages making up a web site. Originally these pages would have been constructed on a computers' hard drive. Once their creator is happy with the site he then needs a computer that is continually connected to the Internet so that anyone from anywhere can see the site at any time. This is the web space and the site is hosted on that computer. We provide that web space so you can "publish" your web site for al the world to see!

How do I get hosting?
If you already have a domain name and just require the web space please click here.

If you need a domain name as well search for that domain from our domain names page and just before the order form there are options to add a hosting package to your chosen domain.

How much does it cost and are there any hidden fees?
Hosting costs just £50/$85 per year excluding VAT- that includes the transfer of the domain you have already. There are no other fees to pay.

What does the package consist of?
The package consists of the features listed at the top of this page. As well as the "hardware" you also get an assurance that we will be help with any specific web related problem you may have provided it is within our knowledge!

How do I pay?
You can either search for an available domain and purchase it along with hosting through the online form at the end using your credit card - this is completely secure and handled by WorldPay, a reputable merchant service- (we do not receive details of your credit card this way, only WorldPay and the actioning bank) or you can order by phone, again with your credit card or we will accept cheques. If you just require hosting then an order form can be accessed via the clicking here

What if I have a domain name I bought elsewhere and want hosting from you?
No problem, place your order and we will contact you right away with instructions on how to move the domain from your current host or domain holder.

What if I bought a domain name from you some time ago and now want it hosting?
On purchasing your domain name you will have been given a link to our domain management access area - simply place your hosting order from there or phone or email us.

How much web space do I get and what is an MB?
A MB is a megabyte which is a measure of computer space. You get 150MB of web space with all hosting packages.

How long before my web space is active?
The FTP details will be with you within a couple of hours normally. Usually it can take a day or two for the domain name to associate with the web space and then you are up and running!!

Can I cancel Hosting?
If you wish to cancel hosting this can be done if notified in writing but one month must have elapsed since ordering the hosting. Your money will be refunded less however months the hosting had been active and less the cost of the domain name if bought with hosting.

What is a Control Panel?
The Control Panel is an area you log on to and can change email rules, add POP boxes, autoresponders and manage databases amonst other facilities - this is useful if you intend to perform a lot of configurations of this kind. Changes made from the control panel are also instant.

What is FTP?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is something novice webmasters sometimes struggle with in the beginning. FTP allows the transfer of your web pages and images from your computer to your web space. There is help in the members section and we do not mind at all talking you through this over the phone.

What is CGI?
CGI stands for Common Gateway Interface. When you fill out a form on a web site and get a "thanks, we'll be in touch" page afterwards, this has been due to a cgi script. CGI scripts also run counters (devices for measuring the amount of visitors you get to a site), guestbooks, domain name searches! and a huge number of other features you see on the web. We supply several scripts ready for use but you can also add your own.

Do I get any CGI scripts with my web space?
Yes - preinstalled are a counter script - bulleting board - mailform to collect information or orders from your visitors and have it automaically mailed to you -Guestbook - Whois for looking up the availabilty of Domain Names and a redirect script. These can be "switched on" from your online control panel.

What is email forwarding?
If you buy www.yourdomain.com email forwarding allows you to have as many email addresses as you wish for that domain. So that means you can have steve@yourdomain.com, fred@yourdomain.com, sales@yourdomain.com, enquiries@yourdomain.com, in fact, as many of those addresses as you wish. And they can all be forwarded to an email accent of your choice. So if your email address is bob@Freeserve.co.uk or bob@hotmail.com any email to those addresses above will land in your Freeserve or hotmail email account.

What is a POP box?
This allows you greater control over email - you can have several POP boxes set to deliver mail to individuals - which allows for privacy and automatic distribution of mail to whoever it is intended to be delivered to.

What is an Autoresponder?
An autoresponder automatically sends a message back to the sender of the incoming message to your POP box - say for example you were on holiday, the autoresponder could be set to send the message - "thanks very much for your enquiry - i am away from the office at present but will deal with your enquiry on my return" - back to the sender of each message it recieves.

What are PHP and Perl?
These are all various forms of web page authoring or ways to get things to happen on your site. They are more advanced than basic web page writing but if you are going to learn any of them or have your site designed by an agency they are important to have as available.

What is a subdomain?
Sometimes you will have seen a domain name like http://control.lifecoachwebsolutions.com (that's our members area) this is a web site within a web site. You simply add a word or words before the main domain name, put a dot and you have another website complete with its own features, email and more. This is handy if you intend to have members areas or various departments to your site.

5 Sub domains come free with each package but we do have to set them up so you have to let us know what you want.

What is DNS?
DNS are what a web domain name attaches to and shows the web site within that web space. A domain name requires these to function. If you were to move a web site from one host to another then you need to tell the old host the new DNS - they then attach the new DNS to the domain name and a short time later the web site will show at its new web space.

What is an IPS Tag?
An IPS tag identifies who has control of the domain, if you want your new host to be able to modify the details of the domain - contact and technical contacts etc., then the control of the domain must be changed along with the DNS.

If I get stuck will you help?
No problem, the only time we won't help is if we can't! There is also a great deal of help accessible from the control panel.

Can I add further features to the space and at what cost?
Our package consists of just about everything you will ever need for your web site - there are no extras, no hidden costs. Once you have purchased your web space the only further charges will be the annual fee in a years time.

If I get lots of visitors will I have to pay more?
Bandwidth is the amount of accrued data transferred between your web site and the sites visitors - 1.5 GB is more than ample for just about every web site - should you exceed this limit by a small amount every so often you will not incur any penalties. Should your site become a large drain on our resources we do reserve the right to suspend your account until a suitable solution is reached.

Can you help if my site is a success and I need advice?
If you launch what was initially a small site but it takes off unexpectedly and would like help with quickly upgrading the design or want to know what your site may need to help make it more efficient - just let us know!

Can you build my web site?
Yes we can. Examples of sites can be found on the Web Design page - we can take on anything from a simple brochure site to a full blown ecommerce enabled shopping site and everything in-between. We are more than happy to discuss your needs starting with an informal, no obligation chat. Please contact us for more details.

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