Overview

The Domain Name Service (DNS) is something like an Internet phonebook--it enables computers on the Internet find your computer with your custom domain name. There are two parts to this:

1. A Domain Name Server must be configured to support your domain (e.g. MYCLUBNAME.ORG), and to have the correct IP address (e.g. 198.82.165.36) that goes with your computer's name (e.g. WWW.MYCLUBNAME.ORG).  
2. Your domain must be registered with a Domain Name Registrar, sometimes called a Root Domain Name Registrar, a company or organization that records which DNS Server is the authority for your domain. The "root" reference reflects the fact that the registrar will install your domain in the root domain name servers, which record all the subdomains occurring in the chosen root domain. In the case of MYCLUBNAME.ORG, "MYCLUBNAME" is a subdomain of the ".ORG" root domain.

The Blacksburg Electronic Village can provide the first service, Domain Name Server support, for personal and business domains for Ethernet users in the Blacksburg, Virginia area. BEV charges an annual fee for this service (generally $31.15 per domain).

BEV does not provide the second service. You will need to contact a Domain Name Registrar to register your domain. Fees for this service vary, but are generally $70 or less for a registration that lasts two years. Some Domain Name Registrars also provide Domain Name Server support.