Email address for Domain Name

Rosemarie44

Hi Techies

I would really appreciate someone explaining in easy-to-understand English how things work with a domain name.

I recently purchased a domain name for my health business but I haven't put any content on it yet. However, I want to send out some information to people using the email address that relates to my domain name instead of using my hotmail account. Do I have to put content on my new website before the email address is activated? I've heard about hosting but I don't know exactly what that means. Is there something else that I need to do before I can add content to the website or use the email address?

Rosemarie44

InsideInsurance

Sending, well you can do that without even buying the domain (hence how all spam and phishing emails work) but if you want to get any replies then you need to sort something out.

Normally you'd have email hosting set up but as an interim solution some domain name registrars allow you to setup a catchall email forwarding FOC so you could have all replies forwarded to your existing email account.

Most people buy a single hosting packing that covers both email and the website rather than separating the two unless there are special reasons that you do.

fishybusiness

I think we need a bit more info from you to be able to answer fully.

You bought your domain name, have you also bought the hosting as part of a package?

If you are not sure, the hosting is the space you buy located on a web server, that holds your web pages and emails.

Normally when you buy hosting space you will be given a username and password and a link to a control panel, often called cPanel. Within the control panel you can upload your webpages, and set up your email addresses.

So, in answer to

Do I have to put content on my new website before the email address is activated?

No.

As long as you have bought hosting space you can just use the email part for as long as you like.

googler

You can't put any content on it until it's hosted, and e-mail boxes usually come as part of a hosting package.

This may explain hosting for you.

Usually you would buy the hosting package from whomever you bought the domain name from, if their business includes that service.

Rosemarie44

Thank you for all your replies. It has been very useful.

Just to answer your question.... I bought just the domain name without hosting ($10 for the year) but I did some research today and saw that I can transfer my domain name to companies offering free hosting. The question this raised for me is, does this mean they will charge an extortionate amount next year to renew my domain name?

Rosemarie44

fishybusiness

I can transfer my domain name to companies offering free hosting

Don't.

Consider that any company offering free hosting still has to make money out of you. Service tends to be awful.

If you want your email address to be reliable, to be able to pick up the phone if you need support, or if your email goes down, then you really need to look at a paid service.

For less than the cost of a night out you can reliable email hosting, and upgrade it once you get to adding webpages to your webspace.

Happy to recommend these people as I have used them, I'm sure other on the forum will be able to recommend others.

http://www.heartinternet.co.uk/