DreamHost Domain Registration, Transfer & Hosting
Along with web hosting, DreamHost also provides domain registration facility. DreamHost has its account registered with ICANN. So domains registration and transfer queries are handled by DreamHost itself.
Domain Registration & Domain Hosting
In webhosting world, you need to understand what is domain registration and what is domain hosting and how both thing are attached with each other.
When you want to make your own website, you need register unique website address (URL) for your website. This process is called domain registration. After registering your domain, you need some space on Internet to host your web site. Registering that space is called domain hosting. You can register your domain with any registrar. It need not be the same as your hosting company. Registrars store Domain Name Server (DNS) entries. Domain name servers are used to get the information of where your website is hosted. So if you have registrar other than your hosting company then you just need to change your DNS entries and put your hosting companies DNS entry there.
DreamHost Domain Registration
DreamHost currently gives one free domain registration with hosting plan. It's not necessary to register domain at the time of sign up. May be you used some DreamHost Coupon at the time of sign up which gave you free domain. You can register your free domains after sign up with DreamHost. For registering a domain, first login to DreamHost panel. Click on Domains -> Registrations.
Enter the domain name you want to register. Click on Check Availability... Double check that domain name while entering it for registration. If domain name is available, you will be taken to next step otherwise you will get domain already registered error.
On the next screen you can select whois privacy if you want. DreamHost provides free whois privacy with domain registration. Click on Continue.. and finish the payment information. Within few minutes, you will get a domain registration completion mail from DreamHost.
DreamHost Domain Hosting
For hosting website at DreamHost, you need to follow simple steps. First login to your DreamHost Panel account using your Web ID or email ID. Click on Domains -> Manage Domains.
Click on Add New Domain / Sub-Domain button. You will be taken to next step where you need to give domain name.
Enter domain name, select php version required, check the Fast CGI and Ruby support if required. Select your FTP user and specify your web directory. It's recommended that your keep the default one. Check the Google Apps and Gmail option if you want Google to manage your mails. Click on Fully Host this domain to host your domain with DreamHost.
DreamHost Domain Nameservers (DNS)
Just hosting domain account won't work if nameservers entries are not set right. I remember the first time I set hosting at DreamHost, my registrar was pointing to other nameservers. At that time I didn't know that DNS entry should be set to right DNS servers in order to work your site properly. If you already have domain registered with other than DreamHost, you need DreamHost domain nameservers entry for hosting your site at DreamHost. If your registrar is not pointing to DreamHost DNS servers then your website won't work. DreamHost DNS entries are as below.
- ns1.dreamhost.com
- ns2.dreamhost.com
- ns3.dreamhost.com
Once you change the DNS entry, it will take one-two days to propogate this information to everyone on Internet. You need to keep patience after changing DNS entry.
DreamHost Transfer
If you just want to host website with DreamHost, transferring your domain to DreamHost is not required. You just need to change nameservers entry at your registrar side and you will be able host with DreamHost. However there are some cases where you want to transfer your domain to DreamHost. In case you want only one control panel to do every task then transferring domain to DreamHost will make sense. Also if your registrar is charging more for domain renewal and not providing some facility like whois privacy or providing whois privacy at some extra cost then also you can transfer your domain to DreamHost.
Things to Check Before Transferring Domain
There are few things you need to take care before you transfer your domain.
- Make sure the domain you are transferring is not recently registered. You can't transfer domain within 60 days of registration. Best time for transfer of domain is one month before expire date. If you are transferring domain after 2-3 months of registration then you'll have to pay again for one year.
- Make sure your domain is in unlock status. You can't transfer locked domain.
- You should have access to the email ID registered in whois database. You will get confirmation mail from the registrar where you are transferring domain.
- Make sure that your DNS entries are set properly before you start transfer of your domain. You can't change the DNS entries during the transfer process.
- You need auth code of your domain to transfer the domain to another registrar.
Transfer Domain To DreamHost
To transfer your domain to DreamHost, login to control panel. Click on Domains -> Reg. Transfer. Enter your domain name, click on Request Transfer...
On the next page you need to give auth code. You can get auth code from your current registrar.
Fill the auth code and click on Continue... After that you will be taken to the payment information. Enter the payment details and finish the remaining process. After finishing the process, domain administrator will get mail from DreamHost for the confirmation. Domain administrator need to click on confirmation link to initiate the transfer of domain. Once you confirm the transfer of domain, process will be initiated and domain will be transferred to your DreamHost account.
Transfer Domain From DreamHost
If you want to transfer you domain from DreamHost account then you need auth code. You can get auth code of your domain from the control panel. Log in to control panel. Click on Domains -> Reg. Transfer.
On the Reg. Transfer page, you will find auth code of all your currently registered domains. Once you get the auth code, you can start the domain transfer process with other registrar. Now how to transfer domain to other registrar, that information you can get only from the other registrar.
I hope this article will help you in managing domains using DreamHost account.
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