Domain Name Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a domain name? A domain name is a combination
of words separated by periods (ie: dots) that represents
the name of a company or organization and the names
of the computers it wishes to use on the Internet.
For instance the company Example Inc. would
like to have a presence on the Internet. They may have
the following options for a domain name:
example.com
example.net
example.org
example.ca
example.on.ca
example.ottawa.on.ca
Reading the name from left to right, the first word
"example" is called a second-level domain name
and is registered by Example Inc. with a domain registration
authority. The second word (com) is a top-level
domain name (TLD). Example Inc. must select from a predefined
list of top-level domain names. TLD's are defined and
managed by various organizations . A TLD can represent
a general classification (e.g. .edu is for U.S. based
educational organizations) or a 2 letter country code
(e.g. .ca is the Canadian TLD).
Each country decides how their TLD (i.e.: .ca) is further
classified. In Canada the subclassification is done
according to political geography.
- example.ca
Example Inc. is a national company with offices in
more than one province
- example.on.ca
Example Inc. is provincially registered with no offices
outside Ontario.
- example.toronto.on.ca
Example Inc. is a local Toronto company with a single
office
Aborg will take care of the registration process for
you by submitting it either to InterNIC (.com, .net, .org) or the Canadian Domain
Name Registrar (*.ca).
What are the valid characters for
a domain name? How long can a domain name be?
The only valid characters for a domain name are letters,
numbers, periods "." and hyphens "-". Other characters
such as "_","!", "@" are NOT allowed. The domain name
can be up to 63 characters long including the characters
used to identify the Top Level Domain (.com, .org, .ca
).
Will I be able to access my website
without the 'www' (just company.com)?
Yes, Aborg always configures the appropriate DNS settings
so that your website is reachable from both http://www.yourcompany.com/
and http://yourcompany.com/
What is the advantage to owning
my own Domain?
The key word here is "owning." You will own the rights
to your company's name (address) in cyberspace. This
is similar to owning an 800 number that spells out your
company's name. Also, once you have your domain name,
your employees can have e-mail addresses that identify
them as members of your company. As an example:
you@yourcompany.com
instead of
3876dqw4zm@your.internet.provider.com
Every week more than 10,000 names are registered with
the InterNIC, the organization
that registers all .COM names on the Internet. Each
name is unique and can only be used by one person or
company. Once taken those names are gone forever. Now
is the best time to reserve your domain name and ensure
that your business will have the domain name that is
easy to find and remember. Your domain name is your
corporate identity, "your business card" for the 21st
century and beyond.
What is propagation?
Once InterNIC or the CA Registrar announces that your
domain name has been registered (or transferred, if
applicable), it usually takes about 72-hours before
it is active. The domain name has to propagate from
the InterNIC or CA Registrar's database to the root
name server tables located throughout the Internet.
What are the rules for '.ca'
Domains Names? As per the new rules established
by the CIRA in December 2000, most Canadian citizens,
companies, organizations, etc. can get a .ca domain
name.
Here are some of the most basic rules. You must comply
with at least one of these rules, otherwise your application
will be rejected
(a) Canadian citizen. A Canadian citizen of the age
of majority under the laws of the province or territory
in Canada in which he or she resides or last resided;
(b) Permanent resident. A permanent resident as defined
in the Immigration Act (Canada), R.S.C. 1985, c.I-2,
as amended from time to time, who is ordinarily resident
in Canada (as defined below) and of the age of majority
under the laws of the province or territory in Canada
in which he or she resides or last resided;
(c) Legal representative. An executor, administrator
or other legal representative of a Person listed in
paragraph (a) and (b) above;
(d) Corporation. A corporation under the laws of Canada
or any province or territory of Canada;
(e) Trust. A trust established and subsisting under
the laws of a province or territory of Canada, more
than 66 ?% of whose trustees meet one of the conditions
set out in paragraphs (a) to (d) above;
(f) Partnership. A partnership, more than 66?% of whose
partners meet one of the conditions set out in paragraphs
(a) to (e) above, which is registered as a partnership
under the laws of any province or territory of Canada;
(g) Association. An unincorporated organization, association
or club:
(i) at least 80% of whose members: (A) are ordinarily
resident in Canada (if such members are individuals);
or (B) meet one of the conditions set out in paragraphs
(a) to (f) above (if such members are not individuals);
and
(ii) at least 80% of whose directors, officers, employees,
managers, administrators or other representatives are
ordinarily resident in Canada;
(h) Trade union. A trade union which is recognized by
a labour board under the laws of Canada or any province
or territory of Canada and which has its head office in
Canada;
(i) Political party. A political party registered under
a relevant electoral law of Canada or any province or
territory of Canada;
(j) Educational institution. Any of the following:
(i) a university or college which is located in Canada
and which is authorized or recognized as a university
or college under an Act of the legislature of a province
or territory of Canada; or
(ii) a college, post-secondary school, vocational school,
secondary school, pre-school or other school or educational
institution which is located in Canada and which is
recognized by the educational authorities of a province
or territory of Canada or licensed under or maintained
by an Act of Parliament of Canada or of the legislature
of a province or territory of Canada;
(k) Library, Archive or Museum. An institution, whether
or not incorporated, that:
(i) is located in Canada; and
(ii) is not established or conducted for profit or does
not form part of, or is not administered or directly
or indirectly controlled by, a body that is established
or conducted for profit, in which is held and maintained
a collection of documents and other materials that is
open to the public or to researchers;
(l) Hospital. A hospital which is located in Canada
and which is licensed, authorized or approved to operate
as a hospital under an Act of the legislature of a province
or territory of Canada;
(m) Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
the Second and her successors;
(n) Indian band. Any Indian band as defined in the Indian
Act (Canada), R.S.C. 1985, c. I-5, as amended from time
to time, and any group of Indian bands;
(o) Aboriginal Peoples. Any Inuit, First Nation, Metis
or other people indigenous to Canada, any individual
belonging to any Inuit, First Nation, Metis or other
people indigenous to Canada and any collectivity of
such Aboriginal peoples;
(p) Government. Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada,
a province or a territory; an agent of Her Majesty the
Queen in right of Canada, of a province or of a territory;
a federal, provincial or territorial Crown corporation,
government agency or government entity; or a regional,
municipal or local area government;
(q) Trade-mark registered in Canada. A Person which
does not meet any of the foregoing conditions, but which
is the owner of a trade-mark which is the subject of
a registration under the Trade-marks Act (Canada) R.S.C.
1985, c.T-13, as amended from time to time, but in this
case such permission is limited to an application to
register a .ca domain name consisting of or including
the exact word component of that registered trade-mark;
or
(r) Official marks. A Person which does not meet any
of the foregoing conditions, but which is a Person intended
to be protected by Subsection 9(1) of the Trade- Marks
Act (Canada) at whose request the Registrar of Trade-marks
has published notice of adoption of any badge, crest,
emblem, official mark or other mark pursuant to Subsection
9(1), but in this case such permission is limited to
an application to register a .ca domain name consisting
of or including the exact word component of such badge,
crest, emblem, official mark or other mark in respect
of which such Person requested publications. For the
purposes of these rules and procedures:
(a) "ordinarily resident in Canada" means an individual
who resides in Canada for more than 183 days in the
twelve month period immediately preceding the date of
the applicable request for registration of the .ca domain
name or sub-domain name and in each twelve month period
thereafter for the duration of the domain name Registration;
and
(b) "Person" includes an individual, a corporation,
a partnership, a trust, an unincorporated organization,
association or club, the government of a country or
any political subdivision thereof, or any agency or
department of any such government, and the executors,
administrators or other legal representatives of an
individual in such capacity, a "person" as defined in
the Trade-marks Act (Canada) and a Person intended to
be protected by Subsection 9(1) of the Trade- marks
Act (Canada). *
* As per the CIRA website. http://www.cira.ca/official-doc/29.CIRA_Registration_Rules_v.2.11.txt
Does Aborg handle domain name
registration?
Yes, Aborg will register your requested Domain Name
with InterNIC.
We will forward all of the necessary information to
the registering body immediately so that you have a
better chance of securing the Domain Name you want.
Aborg will also register requested .CA domains with
a CIRA Registrar if given proper authority and payment
method from the client.
Please note: The InterNIC charges US$70 for the first
two years and US$35 annually thereafter. The CA Registrar
charges $50(Canadian funds) annually. The InterNIC or
CA Registrar fee is NOT included in the Aborg Business
Packages. You will be billed directly by the Registrar.
What are the domain registration
fees?
InterNIC fees apply
to .com, .net, .org, and .edu domain names. The InterNIC currently charges
(per domain name) US$70 for the first two years and
US$35 annually thereafter. The InterNIC fee is NOT
included in the Aborg Business Packages. You will be
billed this fee directly by the InterNIC.
Fees apply to .ca domain names. The CA Registrar charges
$50(Canadian funds) annually. The CA Registrar fee is
NOT included in the Aborg Business Packages. You will
be billed directly by the CA Registrar.
Can the Domain Name I currently
own be moved to Aborg?
Absolutely. Simply contact us for complete information
and the steps involved.
I want more than one Domain
Name but I want them all to go to the same web site.
Is this possible?
We have the ability to "point" or "map" any domain name
you have registered with us to your web site. Any user
that types that domain name will see the same HTML files.
It is also possible to have your current domain hosting
service provider point to a virtual server here.
What if the Domain Name I wanted
is taken?
As the popularity of the internet increases, getting
the exact domain name that you had in mind is becoming
increasingly difficult.
Let's use an example to present some alternative options.
If your company name is Boxes Inc. and the name boxes.com
is taken, you can try different combinations of words.
Keep in mind that you are allowed to use a dash (-)
to separate words.
Here some alternative names:
boxescanada.com
boxes-canada.com
boxescan.com
boxes-can.com
boxesinc.com
boxes-inc.com
If you are still unsuccessful you can try naming the
domain after the product or service that you offer.
Let's assume that Boxes Canada Inc is in the business
of supplying merchandise to movers. The following names
may be appropriate.
moving-supplier.com
carry-all.com
The .ca domain naming scheme is very different from
.com. The rules are very strict and some companies are
FORCED to use a much longer name when choosing a .ca
domain name.
Once again, let's assume that Boxes Canada Inc. is
a retail store in Vancouver B.C. and is not federally
registered. The CA domain committee will require that
the proposed domain name end with ".vancouver.bc.ca".
Here are some allowable names :
boxes.vancouver.bc.ca
boxes-canada.vancouver.bc.ca
boxes-inc.vancouver.bc.ca
In this case YOU CAN NOT USE the following:
boxes.ca
boxes.bc.ca
boxes-canada.ca
How long will it take to register
a Domain Name with Aborg?
The registration process for '.com' or '.ca' addresses
is normally one to two business days.
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