| It seems like every business has a website and e-mail address these days—from Fortune 500 giants to solo firms. These sites and addresses can be seen on every brochure, business card and advertisement. With so much interest in the Web, small firms are gaining attention and exposure they could never have dreamed of 15 years ago. But before businesses can reap the rewards of their sites, the first step all businesses must take is registering their domain names. Once a business chooses a name that is not already in use (see Name GameERROR MSG), it then must register the name. Registering names reserves the name for future use and an e-mail address or Web address. It prevents others from using the name. A domain name, which up until recently came with either a .com, .net or .org suffix, is the name that tells your PC, Palm or cell phone to link to a set of numbers that takes you to a specific destination on the Web. Domain names are portable. Once your name is registered, you won’t need to worry about having to rename your site or change your e-mail if you decide to change e-mail providers or have your website hosted elsewhere. How can a company register its name? Through a registrar company. For many years, one company,  Network Solutions Inc.Kudjape Alojamiento en hotel barato, held a monopoly on domain names. However, after receiving complaints from leading Internet experts around the world, the U.S. government helped create the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit corporation now responsible for day-to-day administration of all net-related issues. One of the first things ICANN accomplished was increased competition for Network Solutions Inc. Today, there are over 100 registrars, offering domain registrations anywhere from $10-$40 per year. "Syracuse luxury hotelsI think it’s important to go with a reputable firm," said Kevin Vogler of Vogler & Associates, a Web design firm. Vogler still points his clients to Network Solutions, the original registrar. "There are a lot of smaller companies doing registering for less money, but keep in mind that there is no national government body governing these registrations," he said. "With this in mind, I think it's better to go with an established firm that you know will be around." For many businesses, the easiest way to gain domain name registration is through their host companies or Web designers. "Many businesses simply work with the companies that are hosting their websites," said Mark Bonney of Bi-State Consulting, a Web design and hosting firm. "Many times, the hosting company will bundle registration in with hosting services. There is no sense of going out and gaining registration on your own when the host provider will handle it for you." Bonney warns that registration should be in the company's name, not the hosting firm's name. "Just in case there are problems with the hosting company later," Bonney said. Wendy Martin, owner of the Web design and hosting firm Shades of White, said businesses seeking registration should watch for hidden costs. Said Martin: "Watch the small print." said Martin. > See also: e-Commerce your own domain name plus web space for $19.95 | 
