At CryoDragon, we are regularly asked what the difference is between “Domains” and “Web Hosting,” so we thought we would give some basic information on this subject. It comes up quite often in our line of work, so maybe this will help some others out as well.
A domain is like a phone number, and web hosting is like the service provider. You go to Rogers, Telus, Bell for example and they set you up with your phone, give you a phone number, and activate it. Now you have service. If you like, they can transfer your old phone number over and apply it to your new account.
With websites, you will go to a Web Host Provider or a Domain Name Registrar like GoDaddy, and get a domain from them. It will be something like our “cryodragon.ca” or perhaps you will recognize them better from the older “www.imdb.com” style. This written address is assigned an Internet Protocol Address, or IP Address. You most likely have seen IP Addresses before, and they look like this 175.228.454.911. It acts like a phone number for the search engine, perhaps Google or Firefox, to locate the website that you are looking for. Once called, the site opens and voila, you are looking at the website. It is served up to you, hence the name “Server.”
So the hosting part, is actually renting space on a server which is owned by a web host provider. I might as well use GoDaddy since they are one of the biggest, and the one we always use when creating and setting up service for people. Of course you have choices of who you get your domain from. Some clients use Bluehost, or InMotion Hosting, before coming to us, so quite often they continue with them or they do a domain transfer once their new site is ready. Transferring the domain, is much like transferring a phone number. It can take a week or two, but since it is yours, you can move it wherever you like.
Usually, to set up a domain on a server requires a few steps. The first step is to contact a Domain Name Registrar and get a domain for your site. The address or URL that will be searched for. Next you need a Web Host Provider, someone who will rent you space on their server where your site files will be stored, and accessed by people searching online. If you use a company like GoDaddy, you will be able to do both of these steps at the same time, as they have the servers to host, and can give Domain Names as well. Once you have your name and space on the server, your website developer can upload the files, assign your domain to the site, and you will be up and running.
