Here you will find frequently asked questions and answers about domain names, divided into the following three parts:
general information about domains, 
information about top level domains, 
information about the registration procedure and the costs of the top level domains 

What is a Domain?

Each computer connected to the internet owns a definite number, comparable to a phone number. As numbers usually fail to be recallable by humans, names are given to computers. Computers which belong to a certain group (e.g. in a company), are combined to a domain.

How are Domains Organized?

Domains are organized hierarchically. A dot separates each hierarchy level. The name of the computer always appears at the first place. Computers with the name »www« are the best known and they usually contain the world wide web service of a company.

What is a TLD (Top Level Domain)?

A top level domain is a domain with the highest hierarchie level. For »johns-pc.sales.company.com« this is »com«. Just these top level domains are currently reorganized. Besides »com«, »net«, »org« and the country domains (e.g. »de« for Germany) the domains »firm«, »shop«, »arts«, »rec«, »info«, »nom« and »web« will become available after the reorganisation.

What is a SLD(Second Level Domain)?

Second level domains are the domains on the second hierarchy level, so just below the top level domains. Depending on the name of the top level domain, everyone can apply at the corresponding registrar for a second level domain name.

What can a Name of a Domain be?

Usually company names or names of products or services are used as a domain name. Examples: »mcdonalds«, »search« or »football«.

Which Characters can be Used?

Only a small set of characters are possible. It was reduced to the smallest international common denominator, namely 26 letters and 10 digits as well as the hyphen. No accented letters are allowed.

Are Upper and Lower Case Letters Different?

No. There is no distinction between the cases. It does not matter whether you write »McDonalds« or »mcdonalds«. Usually the case is chosen for best reading results. Note, however, that on Unix systems, file and authentication case distinction is usually a default, so, index.html and Index.html can be two separate files.

How Long can a Domain Name be?

Every domain name must not be longer than 256 characters. Shorter names are easier to recall and are therefore preferred.

How Many Names can You Register?

Every company may register as many names as it likes. Paramount Pictures for example owns »startrek.com« besides »paramount.com« (and a lot of other domains). In many cases the addresses direct to the same site.

My Name is Already in Use By Someone Else.

Every name can be used only once. There is one fundamental principle: first come, first serve. In the past, smart people kept on dealing with domain names. In the mean time, jurisdiction (at least in Germany) has taken a legitimate interest of an applicant into consideration. Therefore a company called Borland would have a higher interest in the »borland.com« domain than a person who's name is John D. Borland.

What is a Domain Name Server?

As mentioned, computers work on the base of internet numbers. The domain name server converts the names into those numbers and vice versa. It is comparable to a telephone directory of a company. The domain name server is run by the company itself or by its internet provider. In case the domain name server fails or is not reachable because of a technical failure, a secondary domain name server is required. For customers, USTINET operates such a secondary domain name server for free.

How do I register a Domain?

If you or your organization signs up for a hosting package with USTINET, we will register your Domain Name for you free.

What Costs are Involved with Having a Domain?

There are basically two costs associated with having a Domain. 

The first is registering your Domain Name with a registrar. In the United States, the most common registrar is Network Solutions (InterNIC). They register .com, .net, .org as well as .edu. Every registration is valid for two years. The price for two years is $70 (USD); thereafter, the yearly fee is $35 per annum. These fees vary depending on the registrar of the TLD. We do the actual registration for you for free.

The Second Cost associated with a Domain Name is the host server which actually contains your web site. This host server is sometimes called a virtual host, virtual server, web server, web host, etc., depending on configuration. Pricing for these vary greatly from just dollars per month to several thousands per month. Most people choose virtual server packages such as ours, since the costs of having your own dedicated servers and bandwidth can be prohibitive and requires technical expertise. We also offer dedicated custom solutions, if your business requires them. 

For web hosting pricing and packages, click here.

How can I Apply for a Domain?

See Hosting Basics "3 Easy Steps".