Web Site and Email, Do Your Own Easily

I have setup many website and the associated tools with them.

The "experts" make this event sound so impossible that a normal person would never attempt to do it. It's simply not that hard. Here is a simple guide as to how to do it:

There are really 2 initially components to a web site and email.

Get a Domain:

This is what people usually refer to as the ".com" , the fact is there are a multitude of domain endings, .net .org .us just to name a few. Personally I have always gone with .com as it's what most people know. Many of the services have tools to check to see if your domian name idea is taken or not, you woudl be surprised how many are gone and do not be disappointed if your first, second or third choices are not available.

Get A Web Hosting Service:

You will need to have someone "host" your domain so you have to go get a service to do that. There are literally thousands of these services. I'm not about to get into recommending one. I'll provide a link to a site that you can go find your own it's called www.webhostingtalk.com. I'll also provide a link to a few I have used in the past but that's not a recommendation just simply what I have done.

So whats the steps to get your own webite and email?

Start with a domain name and register a domain. I like namecheap.com for less than 10.00 US they let you register a domain. My experience has been Ok with them so far they are no frills so do not expect hand holding. The online agents are OK. namecheap.com is not the only service, there are a multitude of them.

I will make this suggestion, do not have your domain registered by your web hoster. Most web hosters provide a domain for free with registration. They usually charge you more later if you re-subscribe. If you want to change hosters later.. some do not allow you to move your domain to a new web host. If you use a domain register you have the control to move the domain to whatever web hoster you want when ever you want.

Once you register the domain you will need to get a web hosting service. Most Web hosting services will provide you email and a host of other assorted services, such as blogs and even shopping carts. That's beyond what I want to discuss here but it's available if you want to use them for the most part.

Once you get your web hosting service you will need to point your DNS entries to your new web hosting service. The way you do that is you first need to find out what your Name Server names are at your web hoster.

They will usually include this in your start up information. They are usually named something like "ns1.webhoster.com" or "ns2.webhoster.com". With that information in hand log into the service you have used to register your domain. They will have a place for you to plug the "ns1.webhoster.com" name to update the DNS entries.

The whole point of this is like a phone book. For people to know how to call you you need to be lsited in the"phone book" to make it simple the DNS entry is the Internet's phone book.

Once you have these setup , you can then go to the web hosting service and setup your web site and email.  These are pretty simple, many have tools to create your website in just a few minutes and you can use the same interface to setup email address.   You are in total control you can be me@yourdomain.com if you want to be.. you can setup email for your friend , family whatever.  Most web hosting providers give you detailed instructions as to how to setup your PC or MAC   and the email application you use. 

Conclusion:

Doing your own web site and email are not hard, do your research and follow a few simple steps and you should have your own domain name and web site in less than a day.