Chances are, if you are reading this, you’re thinking about building your own website from a
template site or a do-it-yourself site or some other similar site.

Well, if you are a trained web designer and programmer, have the knowledge and tools
available, and know the inner workings of how the internet works in conjunction with
websites, e-mails and servers, then don’t bother reading this. Good on you and carry on!

If you are like the rest of us who weren’t born with a mouse in our hands, or never had any
training (much less formal) in technology but intelligent enough to maybe eventually figure
it out, but just want to get a website up for your business or organization, then keep reading.

It may seem long…but believe me - This is for your own good.

What you HAVE to have.

Domain Name

A Domain Name is your address in the virtual world called Internet. But the thing is, you
never get to own. You always rent. If you don’t pay your rent on time, there is no grace
period. That name is now fair game, and someone else can take it. The process of paying
that “rent” of your Domain Name is called renewal.

Just think if Google didn’t renew their Domain Name and someone else took it. No more
Google. So you have to remember to renew or have someone else keep track and remind
you. Keep in mind that this rent is just to rent the address and the address is mobile. It can
be moved from Hosting Server to Hosting Server. This brings me to my next point.

Hosting Server

This server can be compared to an apartment building. And like all apartment buildings, you
have to pay rent for an apartment. At that building there is a list at the door of the
addresses or Domain Names. For each one of these addresses there is supposed to be an
apartment where a website is housed. And like I say, you have to pay rent for that apartment.

What if there isn’t a website?

Ever go on the internet, type in an address only to be told it was “under construction”? That’s the Hosting Server telling you “Yeah it’s here alright, but it ain’t ready to come down just yet.” Why do I say “come down”? Because that is actually what happens. The website comes out of the Hosting Server, and goes all the way back to your computer before you even get to see it. You never actually get to go into the Hosting Server. Unless you are a hacker of course, and that brings up the point of security. Make sure the apartment building you put your website in has a buzzer, guard, and steel gate, and not just an open door. But the real problem is, you can have a Domain Name, a Website, and a Hosting Computer and you STILL won’t be functional. Nobody knows how to get to you. Not unless you have
registered your Domain Name or address with a Domain Name Server.

DNS Domain Name Server

A Domain Name Server is a computer that basically is a huge taxi service that has a big address book full of addresses or Domain Names. Someone tells the driver where they want to go. He looks at his address book and takes them to the Hosting Server where the website they’re looking for is located. They get the website, take it “home” to their computer only to find that it is a book.

Website

All books have pages. It could be a one page book. Or the Home Page would be the cover and the table of contents. And the table of contents could be the list of chapters like About Us, Products/Service, and Contact Us. And like some books, each chapter can have its own subjects. Take Products for example. Let’s say you flip to the Products page in the book. There the Products page could have subjects listed under it like hammers, nails, boards, etc. And each subject could have its OWN page you could flip to describing that subject. Or all the subjects could be described right on the Products page itself. And like most books, the pages have text and pictures. All those pages make up the website. And by its self, that is what a website is.

The only difference is, it’s electronic. You click instead of turning pages, and the pictures and text sometimes move. Keep in mind though, if you are looking at using a template, your getting a box. Not a book. A box full of text and pictures. This is important to know as you will see in a bit. That’s what you absolutely have to have to in order for your website to be found and viewed on the internet. The website has to have a place rented for it, and that place has to have an address listed. And before you can list it, you have to register the address by renting it as well and securing it before someone else does. BTW, notice this description doesn’t include e-mail. That’s a whole different kettle of fish.

So, What you HAVE to have, to have a website:

1. Domain Name,

2. Hosting Server,

3. DNS Server,

4. Website.

But what do you NEED to have?

Well, tune in for part two AND three as I tell you what you need to have and then what you want to have.