Afrihost Domain services and FAQs

A domain service, usually provided by domain registrars or hosting providers, includes various features to help individuals and businesses manage their online presence. This article breaks down Afrihost's Domain Services, making complex concepts easy to understand. It covers everything from straightforward domain registration and renewal to smooth transfers and practical tools for managing your online presence. We explore topics such as domain parking, the importance of a personalised domain email, the protective function of SSL certificates, and maintaining privacy through domain privacy protection. Additionally, we address frequently asked questions (FAQs) to ensure you have all the information you need for a seamless online experience.

• Domain Name Registration: This service allows you to purchase and register a new domain name for your website and /or email service. You can choose from various Top-Level domains (TLDs) (such as .com, .co.za, .net, etc.) based on your preferences and availability. Once registered, the domain becomes active for a year, after which it needs to be renewed.

• Domain Renewal: Afrihost provides an option to renew your registered domain automatically. Renewing your domain ensures that you retain ownership and continue using it for your website and / or emails.

• Domain Transfers: A domain transfer is when you move a domain name from one hosting provider to another. If you have a domain registered with another provider, you can transfer

• Domain Management: Afrihost offers tools to help you manage your domains easily. You can easily edit DNS records, update domain contact information and other settings related to your domain via the ClientZone portal.
  
• Domain Parking: Domain parking allows you to reserve a domain name without actively using it for a website or emails. It is a good way to ensure that the domain name you wish to use in the future will not be registered by someone else in the meantime. It can display temporary content like a "coming soon" page until you're ready to launch a full website.

• Email Domain: Having a domain email address is one of the first steps in creating a professional online presence and making it easy for people to contact you. A domain email address makes it simple for clients to remember you and lends credibility to your company.

• SSL Certificates: An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is like a protective shield for websites and /or emails. It creates a secure pathway between a website and a visitor's device, keeping all the information exchanged safe from hackers or anyone trying to steal it. This way, sensitive data, like passwords or credit card details, stays private.

• Domain Privacy Protection: This service helps protect your personal contact information, such as name, email, phone number, from being publicly visible in the WHOIS database, which lists domain ownership details.

A domain name is the web address that your visitors type in to reach your website. It's like the address of a house. A website, on the other hand, is the collection of web pages and content that the domain leads to. It's like the actual house at the address.

Consider your brand, relevance to your content, length, and ease of remembering. Your domain name should reflect your brand or identity and easy to type and recall.

Unfortunately, if you have already registered a domain name, you can't change it directly. However, you can cancel an unwanted domain name and then, you can proceed to register the new domain name.

A subdomain is a prefix extension of your domain name, creating distinct web addresses treated as separate sites from the main domain site. Each subdomain may have its own FTP account details. For example, our domain name is afrihost.com, our web address is www.afrihost.com, and a subdomain of ours is support.afrihost.com.

Domains typically become active within a few minutes to 48 hours after registration. This period is known as the propagation time or DNS propagation time. During this time, the information about the newly registered domain name needs to spread across various DNS servers worldwide. You can verify the status of your domain on the WHOIS website.

Domain name propagation is the time it takes for DNS (Nameserver or IP address) changes to be synchronised and fully implemented across the internet's network of DNS servers. Domain name propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours.

TTL stands for Time to Live. The TTL in a domain's settings is like an expiration time for its address on the internet. It determines how long your computer or device can remember the location of a website before checking for an updated address, helping keep information accurate and up to date.

The domain will be registered for a duration of one year before requiring renewal. There is an annual renewal fee associated, which varies depending on the specific TLD you've chosen. You don’t have to take any action to renew your domain, as we will handle the renewal process automatically and keep you informed.

Domain renewal is the process of extending the registration period for your domain name. When you register a domain, you're essentially renting the rights to use that specific domain name for a set period, usually one year. To keep using the domain after this time, you just need to pay a renewal fee. The good news with Afrihost is that you don't have to worry about renewing manually. It happens automatically. We'll send you an email beforehand, along with an invoice. Once you've made the payment, your domain is renewed. We'll also send you another email to confirm that your domain renewal is all sorted.

Yes, if it's still available and hasn't been registered by someone else. You can verify the status of your domain on the WHOIS website. However, there might be additional costs depending on the domain's status.

Domain hosts often use their address on WHOIS records to protect registrant privacy, simplify administrative tasks, ensure compliance with regulations, and provide consistency and security against domain hijacking. This practice helps balance privacy concerns with the need for effective domain management.