Registering a Domain Name

The first step would be to type into a search engine: "cheap domain registration" or something like that. You'll come up with a long list, and basically, you should just go through as many as possible.

But before you go through and price-compare, you should check to see that your desired domain name is available. All of these sites have the capability to do this search.

Once you have chosen a domain, and paid for it, you will need to find a web host. When you do find the web host, you will let your Domain Name Registrar know the name servers from your web host. (Your web host should provide you with support on doing this).

Things to Keep in Mind when You're Looking for a Good Web Host

Before choosing a web host, it's a good idea to do some research. Here is a forum you can join to read about other people's experiences with various web hosts: www.webhostingtalk.com.

Also, this site is a very good resource for starting up your website: www.thesitewizard.com

1. Space. First of all, determine what your needs will be. How much space do you actually need? Once you've created your site, what is the size of that root directory? Will you be adding to that?
   
   
2. Bandwidth. How much bandwidth will you need? Will your site be high-traffic? Since you have limited bandwith, this is one reason to keep your graphic size down. 1-3 GB per month is usually reasonable, but make sure to track your usage and find out how much is being used overall.
   
   
3. Control Panel. Speaking of that, your host will need to provide you with some sort of control panel. You should make sure ahead of time that it will be user-friendly. Often times you'll be able to do a "test drive" and check out its features.
   
   
4. Support. Make sure the customer support is good. Before you even join up, send a few emails out, or call them, with questions to see how responsive they are to you.
   
   
5. Email Accounts. Make sure you have enough email accounts available to you. Usually you should be able to get up to ten or so email accounts at no extra charge.
   
   
6. Server. Figure out what kind of server you'll need. This is particularly important when it comes to backend programming. For example, if you will use PHP at all, you'll need a Unix server. For ASP, you need a Windows server. Generally Unix hosting is much less expensive.
   
   
7. Domains. Will you need to host more than one domain name? Sometimes you can host multiple domains for the price of one. Do your research.
   
   
8. Price. Don't get overcharged! I've don't a lot of research, and you should not pay more than $12 per month for a good web host.
   
   
9. Reviews. Look at the reviews of the host you're thinking about. Here is an example of a review: http://www.thehostingchart.com/ourreview1.html