A common misconception is that a domain name and web hosting are the same things. Despite their close relationship, they are two separate services that work together to make your website function effectively. The assumption is more present with newbies as they try to grasp a better understanding of how to create websites. It's critical to understand how web technology works to create a good website. To understand the differences between both services, you will first need to know what they both are and how they contribute to the smooth running of a website. Let's take a look at domain names and web hosting, their similarities, and also how they differ.
What is a domain name?
A domain name that is provided by a domain hosting provider is an address that customers use to access your website through a browser. Think of it as a street address to your home. When you type a domain into your browser, it connects to the domain name server (DNS), which locates the website's location on the internet and displays it to you. Pinkpillows.com, for example, is a domain that has a top-level domain (TLD) of.org or.net.
Domain names are the ‘pet names’ of IP addresses which are made up of numbers such as 134.0.0.1. Imagine needing to memorise several IP addresses to access your favorite website. That's time-consuming, intimidating, challenging, and borderline impossible. That's where domain names come in: they're just like IP addresses, but they're easier to remember. You can also create subdomains within your domain name and build websites under that subdomain.
An example of a subdomain would be www.blog.pinkpillow.com
What's web hosting?
While a domain name can be thought of as your home's actual address, web hosting is the actual house where all of your belongings are; it is the home of your website. Web hosting is a service that allows you to post your website on the internet.
Web hosting services provide all the resources you need for your website to be accessed online. This includes disk space, email accounts, security, and File Transfer Protocol access.
While a domain name and web hosting are two separate services, it is difficult to establish a website without either. The first is the address, and the second is the location where all of the files are stored. Let's look at both of these more closely.
Depending on your budget, demands, goals, and other factors, you can choose from a variety of web hosting options. These include Shared Web Hosting, Reseller Web Hosting, Virtual Dedicated Server Hosting, WordPress Hosting, and Cloud hosting.
Do I need both a domain and web hosting to build a website and can I buy them separately?
The simple answer is yes, to both questions. Once you buy a domain, it is yours for a specific period, usually for a year. This is renewable. The next step is to sign up with a web hosting provider that will host your website’s file under your domain name. After purchasing the domain name, it can be used to sign up with your web hosting provider. You can get both domain and web hosting services all in one place when you use one of our plans at luxhosting.com.
Connecting your Domain to your Web Host
To connect your domain name to your web host follow these steps:
- Register your domain name
- Purchase a web hosting service
- Search for your web host domain name server settings
- Log into your registrar admin panel and save your name server
- Allow domain name server settings to update
Can I move my Domain and Web Host?
Yes, you have the option of transferring your domain name and web hosting provider; the process is quite straightforward. Here are the simple steps to follow if you want to transfer your domain name
How to transfer your Domain name
- Choose your new web hosting provider and create an account
- Disable domain privacy
- Make your domain free to transfer by unlocking your domain name
- Request the authorisation code
- Move your domain name to the new web host
To move your website to a new e-Hosting follow the steps below:
- Select a new web host E-hosting service
- Transfer your entire site from the old host to your new web hosting provider
- Install and configure with your new host
- Search for and eliminate any errors that may exist
- Finally, change your domain name's DNS
Conclusion
It's safe to say that though a domain name and Web Hosting differ, they need each other for your website to properly function. Educating yourself on how they work individually and also as a team is important before you start the website journey. If you're looking for a Web hosting provider that also provides domain names, luxhosting.com is a great start. Looking for some advice? Contact our support agent for a free consultation and start your website today.
