Hosting & DNS

Choosing a host is an important step in creating your own website. Over the last 15 or more years, I’ve used a total of three different hosts; 1 and 1, GoDaddy and my self. Sure, I’ve set up a few free hosting accounts. However, I’ve always come back to one of the three hosts I just mentioned.

These days, I stay with NACITS, as my host, for a few reasons:

• I HAVE FULL CONTROL – This hosting service is an exclusive and private hosting solution.
• I HAVE FULL CONTROL – I have my own cloud-based, virtual server environment, which I manage and administer. The small server farm is located at the same place I’m located. I own all the servers, network equipment and hardware used to run my system.
• I HAVE FULL CONTROL – I can configure my servers and systems exactly the way I want.
• I HAVE FULL CONTROL – While FREE doesn’t come without a cost, I’m not charged anything for the actual hosting service.
• I HAVE FULL CONTROL – There is a simple installation process implemented, for many Open Source, web-based systems.

I guess all these reasons could be condenced into one…

I HAVE FULL CONTROL!

For the purposes of this post, please keep in mind, a web host, may not be the same as a registrar. Many hosts are also registrars, but this is not always the case. The host I currently use is NACITS and they (we) are not yet a registrar.

So, while I stick with NACITS as my host, GoDaddy is my domain registrar. This means, each time I want a new domain, I use GoDaddy to register it and then point the domains at the NACITS DNS. The steps below, outline how I go about doing this, within the GoDaddy system (and yes, I’m going for all the bonus points).

If you want to skip the detailed, numbered instructions, view my sequential picture gallery instead.

1. I start by paying a visit to Danica Patrick at GoDaddy.com
2. After I’ve oogled over Danica, I log in with my username and password.

3. I click on the black “My Account” button.

4. I click on the green “Launch” button. Most likely, this will open GoDaddy’s Domain Manager in another tab or window.

5. I select the domain(s) I wish to edit, by placing a check in the checkbox, to the left of the domain.
6. I choose the “Set Nameservers” option from the Nameservers menu item. A lightbox will open, assuming I have JavaScript enabled for my web browser.

7. I Select the “I have specific nameservers for my domains” option.
8. I then populate Nameservers 1 & 2 (minimum), with my Nameserver information. Your configuration may require more Nameservers to be used.

9. I review the changes I’ve made.
10. I make sure the changes I’ve made are correct.
11. I click the OK button. Remember, these changes are not instant. It can take a few days for this change to be updated on all the world’s DNS.
12. I then log out of GoDaddy’s Domain Manager and website.
13. Its at this point that the NACITS DNS takes over. If I’ve already created the domain in my hosting account, the DNS of NACITS will automatically point requests to the correct IP address. If the domain has not been created in my hosting account, the DNS of NACITS will automatically point requests to the correct IP address, once I create the domain, in my account.

This pretty much summarizes the steps I have to take, each time I register a domain, in order for the DNS to be correctly pointed at my hosting account.

If you’d like to use a picture gallery to view each step, instead of the detailed, numbered instructions, check out my gallery below:

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STOP: The instructions for this P2PU challenge, specifically tell me to write a blog post called “Hosting & DNS.” I followed the instructions in my challenge. While I’m not very keen on using a different naming scheme, I wanted to make sure I met the criteria, specified in the challenge.

This post represents the required post for P2PU: Webmaking 101 – Your Hosting – Hosting & DNS.

Thank you KSnapshot and GIMP, for creating the software I used to create the screen shots in this post, and many others.

If you are interested in any of my prior posts in the P2PU: Webmaking 101 series, you can see them below:

1. P2PU: Webmaking 101
2. P2PU: Webmaking 101 – Writing HTML by Hand
3. P2PU: Webmaking 101 – Choose Your Weapon
4. P2PU: Webmaking 101 – HTML Hunting in the World Around You
5. P2PU: Webmaking 101 – Attack the DNS

Oh, and if you have the time, I have a poll running at the bottom of the

P2PU: Webmaking 101 – Choose Your Weapon

post. Take some time to cast your vote. If you don’t see your favorite text editor listed, just add it. I think those who are watching this poll would find it much more useful if the actual editor was mentioned if you choose to vote for “other.”