Registering a Domain
The Internet is only one example of a DNS namespace. You do not have to be connected to the Internet to use DNS. If you are not connected to the Internet, you do not have to worry about registering your domain names. However, organizations that want to use their own domain names on the Internet (such as BuddysCars.com) must register that name with the proper registration authority.
ICANN oversees the task of domain name registration but delegates registration for particular TLDs to other groups. Registration services for a number of commonly used TLDs are listed here.
.com, .org, and .net— A number of companies (known as registrars) are authorized to provide domain name resolution services for the popular .com, .org, and .net TLDs, as well as for lesser known domains such as .info, .museum, .name, and .pro. See the official list of ICANN-accredited registrars at http://www.internic.net/regist.html.
.gov— The .gov domain is reserved for the U.S. federal government. State and local government names branch from the U.S. TLD. Registration services for the .gov domain are located at http://www.registration.fed.gov.
.mil— The .mil domain is reserved for the United States military. Registration services are located at http://www.nic.mil.
For other domains, including the domains associated with countries, registration procedures may vary.
By the Way
The game of name registration has grown more competitive in recent years. Some companies have made a science out of registering domain names on speculation of perceived value. You might have even had the experience of typing a name incorrectly in your web browser and suddenly seeing a page that asks if you want to register the name you just typed. If you do have a name you want to register, work directly with an official registrar. Experts advise against “checking” to see if the name is registered by typing it directly into a web browser. Some users have reported seeing the name they wanted mysteriously registered to a speculator after they type the address, although major Internet companies deny involvement with such tactics.