Register Domain Name

DUE Tuesday, Mar 20 – 3 points
(Wednesday NOON deadline)

  • Gradebook Declaration: I have registered my domain name. The DNS for my domain references my hosting account. On the course website’s Students page, a link to my domain name appears next to the link for my course blog.

You will need to register a domain name and configure it to reference your hosting account. You will also need to update your profile within your course blog to include a link to that domain.

Register a Domain

There are number of companies that register domains. I recommend Namecheap. Domain name registration costs around $10/year. Some web hosts allow you to register one domain through them (Webfaction does not). Many smaller websites have the  domain registration and the hosting handled by the same company, but most companies and larger websites will have the domain registered at one company and the hosting at a different company.

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Configure DNS

Once you have your domain registered, you’ll have to set up it’s “domain name system” (DNS) configuration to reference your hosting account. The easiest way to configure this is to change your domain’s nameservers. Here’s an article on Namecheap about how to do this:

Each web hosting company has different nameservers for you to use. Here are the nameservers for Webfaction:

  • NS1.WEBFACTION.COM
  • NS2.WEBFACTION.COM
  • NS3.WEBFACTION.COM
  • NS4.WEBFACTION.COM

Changes to DNS can take a little while to propagate across the internet, so you may not see the change reflected immediately.

(Before you can view anything at your domain, you’ll have to create a website for it at your hosting account for it. This is assigned for you later this week: 09. Install WordPress.)

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Update Your Profile

After you register your domain, you need to let your classmates know about the domain by adding a link to it on the Students page. To achieve this you’ll need to edit your profile.

  • Log in to the administrative area of your course blog.
  • Click on your name in the top right corner, then select “Edit My Profile.”
  • Update the “Website” field to include your domain name.
  • Save your profile.
  • Visit the Students page and confirm that your domain name now appears next to the link to your course blog.

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Once you have completed this assignment, make your gradebook declaration.

DUE Tuesday, Mar 20 – 3 points
(Wednesday NOON deadline)