In computer talk, a domain is a group of computers administered under the same protocol. The internet protocol (IP) reigns over all the computers in the world that are connected to the internet and hence is their domain.

A "domain name" is an address by which a website can be found on the internet. Typically, the domain name takes the form "name.com" as in Google.com. So the domain name in this example is "Google.com." The format and other aspects of the name are regulated by the "Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" (ICANN). They determine the internet protocol (IP) address structure and assure uniformity across the globe.

Your domain name is like your mailing address at the post office. Anyone in the world can mail you a letter and it will arrive at your doorstep. This can only occur if your address is unique. ICANN assures via an internet protocol that your internet protocol (IP) address is unique. In that way requesting parties can view your website or email you directly. These IP addresses take on a form of xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx and a live example would be 74.125.53.99 located in Mountain View, California otherwise known as Google.com.

Because these addresses are computer friendly but not human friendly, we have added to the internet domain name servers which convert the hard for humans to remember IP addresses into names we can more readily remember, like google.com. Entering either the IP address number or the domain name into a browsers address window will yield the same result.

IP Address = 74.125.53.99
Domain Name = Google.com

Domain Name Servers (DNS or just NS) convert domain names to IP addresses. Your new account IP address is established immediately upon creation. Your corresponding domain name must first travel the internet to be stored on DNS servers all over the globe before your domain name can readily open your web page. This "traveling" to be stored on the world's name servers is commonly refered to as "propagating."

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