Buying a domain name should be one of your easiest tasks! 

Most large companies have their own; most radio and television stations have one. Of course we're talking about domain names. internet.com, WebDeveloper.com, ServerWatch.com all give you a good idea of what you'll find if you go to their Web sites. 

Good domain names do that--they give the public an idea of what they will find at your site, and if they are the same as your company's name or brand, they make it easier to find your Web site on the Internet. 

A lot of people are under the misconception that they must purchase a domain through their ISP or content provider. While the service that these companies provide make it simpler for individuals and companies to purchase domains, you can do it yourself without any help (or fees) for the service. We're going to give you some tips, and show you some interesting facts that you may not be aware of, even if you're a regular domain dominator. 

The first thing you'll want to do is to check on the availability of the domain in question. If the domain is available, you can then proceed to register it. You will be asked to fill in some information about the purchasing agent--yourself--and you will need to know in advance the two DNS servers you will be using for your domain. An easy way to find this info out is to look up the domain of the ISP or host you will be using. Their two DNS servers will most likely be the same ones that you will need, and you can copy and paste them from the whois lookup page to your registration form.

The next thing is, you'll need to give your ISP a call or drop them an email explaining what you are doing, and they may charge you a fee to setup the domain on their system and add it to the DNS files. There will of course be a fee for you to actually host the site on their servers, although you are under no obligation to host it with them. Once the domain is bought and paid for, you can move it to any ISP or host you wish. 

Do you live in the .US? 
At this time there is no rule which requires the registrant to be physically located within the city represented by the domain they are requesting. Some domain administrators may charge a suitable fee for registration, however it is usually a small fee such as $5 or $10. That may change in the future, however, as the United States Postal Service, if it has its way, may be in charge of the .US domain, and plan to start charging fees for registration. 

Many companies will be happy to absolve you of the tedious task of registering a domain and getting it set up.

What if you really want a domain, but it's already taken? Not much you can do, other than purchasing it from its owner. But if you check on a domain and it's "on hold," then most of the time, if you keep checking, it will eventually go off hold. If the owner didn't pay their late fee, it will be back on the market, and available for you to purchase it. Some great domain names have been bought in this manner, but there is no guarantee that a domain that is on hold will ever come off.

The bottom line about domains is this: If you want a domain, the time to get it is now, if it is available. Wait and it will be taken. If you've been looking for a domain for your site, there's nothing stopping you!