Domain name is an important part of website. When a Web Design Company has finished designing a website, the website files are transferred to the web hosting server. A website is said to be launched when it can be accessed on the internet using its domain name. In order for this to happen, the domain name server settings (DNS) for the domain name needs to be updated. In some cases, a Web Design Company may undertake the responsibility of updating the DNS settings for the domain name. In some circumstances, you nay have an arrangement with your web-hosting company who may be responsible for updating the DNS settings for launch. In a majority of the case however, domain name is procure d directly by the business from a domain registrar.

Websites are accessed using DNS (domain name server) settings in the background. Whenever we access a website using its domain name, Domain name servers are used in the background to translate the domain name to the physical IP address of the web-hosting server and the website is served to the browser. When the design of your website is complete and you wish to launch your website, you will need to update the DNS settings accordingly. If you have registered a domain name with a company online then you will have access to the domain name management section on their website. It is often referred to as the domain control panel.

There are many domain name registering companies on the internet from where domain names can be purchased online. UK Reg, 123 Reg and Domain Monster are some examples. Purchasing a domain name yourself as opposed to asking your Web Design Company to provide it gives you complete control over your domain name in future which is a valuable asset for your business. Many Web Design Consultants often advice businesses to procure a domain name themselves.

The DNS settings or Domain name server settings can be managed easily from the domain name management section (Domain name control panel) found on the registering company’s website.

• Set up web forwarding
• Change Name server settings
• Change administrative contact information

Changing Name Server

In this article we will look at DNS Settings and Name server settings. By default, the name servers for the domain name will be set to the registering company’s servers. In most cases two name servers are required. Here you can enter the Name servers of your web-hosting company. They will be able to provide you with this information. This information will also be available in the welcome email received form your web hosting company or will be available in the log in area on their website.

If you change the name server then all domain traffic will be sent to the web-hosting account for processing. This includes emails, website or sub-domain traffic.

Changing DNS Records Individually

Changing the name servers to the web-hosting server transfers all domain traffic and management of all aspects of the domain to the web hosting server. Often you may wish to only divert the website traffic to the web hosting server and keep the management of domain name and/or emails within the domain control panel at the registering company. This can be achieved easily by amending individual DNS settings instead of transferring the entire name server.

The DNS Settings provide the two main options among others. ‘A Name’ Record is for website and various MX records are for emails (Primary and secondary mail servers). The format for the settings are as follows:

• A Name Record: IP Address.
• MX Records: IP Address.

By default these will be set to the domain registering company’s servers. For A Name record, you should replace default value with the IP Address o f your web hosting server. You can either leave the MX servers to default values if you wish to manage emails from the domain registrar’s end. If you wish to transfer management of all emails to the web hosting server, you can enter the IP Address of the web hosting server

Web forwarding:

Web forwarding refers to simply forwarding all requests for the website to another website. Web forwarding is done to another domain name or URL link. It is different to DNS or Name server changes. Changing the DNS settings (Including Name server settings) is the correct way to launch a website. Web forwarding can be used temporarily but is not recommended in the long term. Search engines also prefer websites to be mapped to their domain name using DNS settings and not web forwarding.

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