Why use a Domain Name?

A domain name is a unique word combination used as identifier to identify a web site on the World Wide Web. While computers talk in the binary language (I hope you know this one -- There are 10 types of people.. those who understand binary, and those who don't). OK so back to language computers communicate in, and language we use to communicate. Now, each computer on the world wide web (WWW) is identified by a unique 32bit number (which can be permanent, also called static IP or temporary, or dynamic IP).

A typical IP address looks like 121.001.003.005.

This representation with 4 decimal numbers (also called octets), are separated by dots and this format is known as "dotted quad" or "dotted decimal" notation.

Now you may ask what has "dotted quad" got to do with domain name? Well imagine if you were to remember and type 72.14.207.99 in the address bar every time you had to do a search? So what is easy to remember the decimal representation or something you are so familiar with, simply known as Google Search?

So back to what is the purpose of a domain name, it is a easy to remember word representation of the unique 32 bit identifier for a machine connected to the internet. Not every machine can serve you web pages though... The machine has to have a software running to churn out web pages, and thus is called a web server.

Just like 32bit unique identifier, each domain name is unique - and maintained by registrars... So if you have not bought a domain name for your business, and someone else is using it, you have missed out the opportunity for your online showroom!!! Your domain name serves as a visiting card for your existing and new customers to display the services rendered by you, your company or the products that you manufacture, or complete information on your office, location, address contact nos. etc... It is only limited by your imagination to use it the way you want it!!!

As I explained how machines talk with each other in binary language of one's and zero's, and how any computer on the world wide web has an IP address, you may wonder how do we associate a domain name with IP address? OK, the answer lies in machines dedicated to perform this translation for you - known as DNS Servers. When a domain name is entered into address bar of a web browser, request goes to a Domain Name System (DNS). The DNS translates the domain name into an IP address then the appropriate site is sought out. All these transactions remain transparent to You the end user; however in the back ground this translation takes place to display web pages from the domain name that you enter in the web browser.

So to summarize why we use a domain name, as you would recollect.
1. Each computer connected on the network is represented by an IP Address.
2. Each IP Address internally is made of "dotted quad".
3. Dotted Quad representation is also known as "dotted decimal".
4. A sample IP address is of the type 111.222.333.444 - a unique 32bit number.
5. Domain name is a simple word(s) representation of IP Address of web server.
6. A web server is a dedicated computer for presenting web pages. [more on this later...]
7. When you type a domain name, like google.com, the request is first sent to a DNS Server.
8. DNS Server translates the word google.com to it's IP address, and thus you don't have to remember IP Address of computers.
9. Domain Name is unique - No 2 sites can have same domain name (just like IP address is unique)
10. Domains are maintained by domain registrars (like my service on pubdomains.com & pubdomains.in)
11. A sample website on amateur radio has IP address (dynamic IP Address, ie, it may change over a period of time) is 209.222.7.10.
12. It is easy to remember domain name instead of IP address.


So .. you may browse a website by its IP Address or its domain name, but as I mentioned, it is easy to remember format, ie words, or string of words, thus a domain name is used all over the internet...

So long,
happy domain'ing