The domain is the address on the Internet. The actual servers have an address consisting of numbers, e.g. 192.168.1.156. Since these do not look very friendly, there are domain names.
There are 126 million registered .com domains worldwide. That’s why we often see creative names such as flickr.com, tumblr.com, deximal.com or hilenium.com. Most of the \”normal\” names for CH domains are also names are already taken.
How do I know if a domain is still available?
If there is no website behind a domain, this unfortunately does not automatically mean that the domain is also available. It is perfectly possible to register a domain but not use it (the owner may hope to be able to sell it at a later date).
To find out whether a domain is free, you can use domainwhois.ch. If the following message appears, the domain is still available:
\”We do not have an entry in our database matching your query.\”
Otherwise, the details of the person or company who bought the domain will appear.
Where can I buy a domain?
Depending on the provider, the costs for a CH domain are between €10 and €20 per year. For CH domains I recommend metanet.ch. They are offered there for 10.
What else is necessary for the homepage to appear behind the domain?
Let’s take the house building analogy: The domain corresponds to the address. Then you need a plot of land (hosting provider) and a house (the homepage). Only when everything is set up and configured correctly (these are the DNS settings) will your homepage and domain be accessible.
Not interested in any of this? Then get in touch with us and we’ll take care of everything for you.