What is the ORIGINAL organization that registers domain names?

[DuaneBidoux]

Everytime I do a search on Google I get a bunch of companies that have essentially created a non-needed layer of cost and effort in between the original group that does this and themselves.

Also, does anyone have any advice for building the best website as cheap as possible?

thanks

[ChromeFoundry]

1. The first public owned domain registrar was

Network Solutions, founded in 1993.

Best and cheap are usually not words you associate together when deciding on a web solution. If you are just looking for a quick solution to get a website up to hack around with, I would suggest that you try hosting a server at home, using a free Dynamic DNS hostname (see: www.DynDNS.org)

If that does not fit your needs, there are hundreds of cheap hosting facilities like GoDaddy that you pay a annual fee for a virtual server. The most important question is... are you going to develop the site yourself or hire someone to do it?

[DuaneBidoux]

3. Thanks. I owned my own corporation up until about 3 years ago and had a very good website that actu

actually got me a lot of business but cost me quite a bit to have designed. My short term solution right now is to get one up and running (I had an old client come back wanting to do business and have decided to relaunch my business). After a bit of time I should have a budget to have a good one designed.

Can you give me a clue as to how I would go about hosting a server at home with, as you say, free Dynamic DNS?

thanks again for the great info.

[FormerDittoHead]

2. I know of no registrar who charges more than Network Solutions @$35.00. Go Godaddy

Network Solutions are the Ma Bell of registrars, they haven't lowered their price because so many legacy domain owners don't think $35 a year is much and never bothered to switch.

There are many others, but for price plus quality of service, go with Godaddy.com

I've never had a problem with them. You can go cheaper, but you can expect the phone to ring to sell you more "services" as it wouldn't stop ringing after trying to save a dollar with aplus domains.

DO NOT register your domains through a webhost! MOST of the time THEY will own the domain and MANY times you'll have to pay them to transfer it to another registrar if you want to switch. Not worth saving $3-4.

[DuaneBidoux]

4. Thanks for the great information.

[Jazzgirl]

6. I have registered with Network Solutions for years.

I registered a site for a friend through a provider and the provider went under. They took the domain with them. I had tried to get them to register with NS in the first place but they didn't. It is a little pricier but it is worth it if it is business or you want to "own" it.

[truedelphi]

5. When you are choosing a webhost, it is good to consider what your needs are.

If you are not a business, your needs are quite different than if you are planning on paying customers.

I use Webmasters, which has some problems (For one thing, its email system is very tedious) But at the time it was the cheapest I could find that let me have a shopping cart and use PayPal etc.

Also, you need to consider the value of lots of technical support. You might find someone hosting websites cheaply, but not really available when you need them. At least, WebMasters has support 24/6...