A Basic Introduction to a Range of Internet Related Concepts and Terms

Things to look for when considering purchase of a domain name and when signing up to use an ISP

Am I being provided with the following facilities?

1 Free Domain Parking. When you register a domain name, you must indicate the server (DNS) where the domain is to be "stored" even if it is not 'active'.

2 Free email forwarding. You can give out an address at your new domain (e.g., terry@allans.org) and have all mail forwarded to your current email addresses (eg t.allan@norcol.ac.uk). Later you can change the forwarding address to your new email address (eg terry_allan@talk21.com). You could even switch between accounts as is convenient (eg you go on holiday to Australia and find it best to use a hotmail account and so you switch temporarily to terrencewallan@hotmail.com).

3 Free WebForwarding - sometimes called Domain Name Pointing. Many people have web space that comes with their email account. Unfortunately, the URL is something unmanageable like http://www.allans.fsbusiness.co.uk. With WebForwarding anyone who types in your new domain http://www.allans.org will automatically get sent to http://www.allans.fsbusiness.co.uk. If you change the computer which is hosting your website to http://webspace.lineone.net/~terry_allan all you need to do is change the WebForwarding information.

4 Free allocation of a number of email addresses associated with the domain name registered and with each email address having independent or separate email forwarding. Eg all mail to terry@allans.org will be sent to t.allan@norcol.ac.uk and all mail for linda@allans.org will be sent to linda_allan@lineone.net. and so on. Sometimes terms like multiple email aliasing may be used to refer to this facility. It is not uncommon to have free administration of 10 email addresses set up for you by an ISP. Eg www.freeparking.co.uk.

5 Free Domain Name Masking - sometimes referred to as URL Masking, URL Gripping, or Cloaked URL Redirection to allow the domain name to remain within the address bar of the browser even when the surfer has been transported to my web site on my free ISP account. Whenever anyone views your website, and wherever it is, they will see your domain name in the URL address bar of the browser (Internet Explorer or NetScape Navigator). Many people have web space that comes with their email account. Often, however, the URL is something unmanageable like http://www.allans.fsbusiness.co.uk. With Web domain Name Masking anyone who types in your new domain http://www.allans.org will automatically get sent to http://www.allans.fsbusiness.co.uk without seeing the URL http://www.allans.fsbusiness.co.uk. Domain Name Masking may thus be thought of as an improvement on straightforward WebForwarding.