How to Map a Domain Name to a Hosting Account

A valid domain name and a web hosting account are the two most important things you need to start your own website.

Domain name extensions like .com ,.net ,.org, and others can be reserved through domain registrars like GoDaddy.com and Name.com. These extensions are called TLDs.

You can book hosting space for your website through the same company or through a different one.

Once you have a valid domain name and a web hosting account, you will need to set up your domain name so that it points to the hosting space you reserved for your website.

All of this may sound complicated so far, but mapping your domain name will be very easy if you follow the steps below:

Step 1: Tell your domain registrar about the Name Server information for your host.

Through the name servers, your domain registrar will find out how to get to the host of your website. After you buy a web hosting account, the web hosting company will usually send you an email with information about the name servers.

NS1.hosting provider site name>.com and NS2.hosting provider site name>.com are examples of a typical name server. For example, the name servers for Fatcow.com, a popular web host, are NS1.fatcow.com and NS2.fatcow.com. You need to write down these details and be ready to use them in the next step.

Step 2: Change the information about the name servers in Domain Manager

Your domain registrar gives you a secure page called “Domain Manager” that you can use to access and change settings for domains you’ve bought from them. You will need to use the credentials you get when you register a domain to log in to the domain manager page.

On the main page of domain manager, you will see your domain name. When you click on your domain name, a page will open that gives you information about the domain, such as the Administrative and Technical contacts. This information comes from the global WhoIs Database.

There are also two fields that have to do with the Name Server. You will need to change this with the information you wrote down in step 1 about your host’s Name Server.

When you save it, Domain Name Servers around the world will start updating themselves with the new location of the domain. Even though this process is pretty quick, the domain registrar says that 24 hours is a safe estimate.

You can go back to your host and finish the domain mapping process as soon as this is done.

Step 3: Use the Hosting Control Panel to set up the domain.

You will need to use the login information you were given when you signed up for hosting to get into the control panel of your website host. You will find a link to Domain Manager or Domain Central in the control panel.

When you click this, you’ll have to choose “Add new domain” next. When you do this, you will be asked for the Domain Name you want to map to the hosting account and the folder path on your host that will be the root folder for your Domain Name.

Once you’ve put in the information, upload your website’s files to the folder you set up. Your website will soon be up and running.

Keep in mind that Domain Name Servers around the world may need up to 24 hours to change the name of your website. So, be patient.