It's really easy. You pay about $20-$40 per year (depending on which NIC you get it through). I use pairNIC, who are associated with Pair Networks. They are a nice bunch, and don't charge too much, but you should be able to get cheaper. However, I trust pair.
Hosting:
http://www.pair.net
Domain registration:
https://www.pairnic.com/
If you want to get a domain name, that's easy. The trick is to get a stable hosting place that will be here in two or three years. You can't be chaning IP address every week with a domain name, so you want somewhere that will keep it roughly the same or at least help you out if they change. greebo.net has had the same IP address since 1997, for example.
There are many choices for domain names, but you should choose:
.com.au if you're a commercial entity in Australia
.org.au if you can be bothered and wish to wait a long time
.net if you're an ISP or similar or offer network services
.org if you're doing your own not-for-profit place
Or just be like everyone else, and go for .com, like aussieveedubbers.com. There is heaps of NIC competition, prices are low, and you don't have the overhead of a long URL.
Tips:
* Never pay for more than three years. The SRS system doesn't accept registrations longer than this, and so you gain nothing for it, and if your vendor goes bust, you could lose the domain name. I was on the auDA DNS competition panel, and I know what I'm speaking about on this one. At my and a few other's suggestions, we put in strong consumer safeguards to prevent .au fraud. This will not help you outside the .au space.
* Choose a NIC that wont stick up their web-redirection page if you choose to park the domain instead of getting a web page up pronto. NICs that use you as free advertising are scum.
* Don't pay over $50/year for registrations. Dodgy operators can get you a domain for as little as $5/year, and the cost to the operators is miniscule compared to the fees paid. $120 or more per year is total money for jam and is far too expensive. Pair are offering a 4 year rego for the same price as 3, which works out at $25ish per year.
My domains are:
greebo.net
vanderstock.com
evilsecurity.com
It's hard to find a good name as most are taken. Good luck!
Brad - are there any deals with the new operator? Although I've plugged pair (cos I like 'em), we should also try to support the places we do business with.
Andrew
