Alright, I have a domain name, NOW WHAT!?

Okay, been fiddling with computers now for about 6 years.

Know a lot about Windows xp pro and using the computer.
Know a lot about graphics software, media software, CAD programs, Office, etc.
Love to learn and still learning all the software packages I have.

Now trying to figure out web design. Thought it would be a snap. NOT!

Tell you where I am at.
Set up a domain name at www.co.cc...
They have free domain name registration and free hosting.

Set up the domain name.
Now this is where I am getting confused.
I have Dreamweaver CS4 and I want to use that to set up the site.

Now the web hosting site, they have a section that is used to set up the Domain. This is where I am getting confused. Do not really know anything about the internet on how it works except how my computer connects to it. Do not know the code for internet software, just using the Dreamweaver to set it up. I am a quick learner but things tend to get a little complicated for those learning on the fly. Especially with all the technical language used by the different software, and also the different hosting sites and the instructions for setting things up. Since I am a cheap bastard, the free sites make it hard to do while the purchasing of a domain name and the hosting services provide a software for ease of setup, the free ones do not.

So, I am going to write this thread on my travels into creating a website. Learning as I go. Also to use as a format to set up any other internet ideas in the future.

Any and ALL help is appreciated.

The reason I am doing it here is for my reference and any help that it would do members here.

Since I am not internet lingo knowledgeable, I am going to attempt to describe in idiocy proof language for my own ignorance. Like I said, I am internet unsavvy.

I found for use of Dreamweaver CS4 package-

www.justdreamweaver.com... Describes the setting up a site wizard for connecting to your site and setting up the software assets files in your own computer. Also the software type you are going to use to write (code) of the site.

Yes, I am taking the long way through this, so I can actually figure out what the hell is going on. A lot of sites and packages provide simplified packages to do all of this, but I like to learn the hard way, then I can do it the easy way later.

This will be the end of my first post and I will be back to this later.

Hello saltheart.

I saw your thread, and thought I would check it out, and see what the problem is.
I'm under education as a web-designer, so this was probally something I could help you out with! I'm not a super talent at this yet, but I hope it will come later

But I dont quiet understand what point you are at now? It sounds like you just need to throw all your data on your FTP server? (ftp server is where all your data goes in) If its this you got problems with, then dont panic, its really easy when you first know how to do it. (isent all things that?)

I dont know if I have understood this right, but I hope I do, and I would be very happy to help you out with this

You are very welcome to u2u me.

reply to post by ypperst


Well, I have the Domain name, if I go to the URL, the site is there.

When I go to the URL, I get a set up domain link. This has three components.

1) Name server
Update Name Servers
Advanced Service / It can be difficult
2) Zone Records
Edit / Add Zone Records(A, MX, NS, CNAME, TXT)
Advanced Service / It can be difficult
3) URL forwarding
You.co.cc will redirect to your own website.
Change your home page address into Cool ones!
Simple Service / It is easy to everyone

This is the part that is getting me confused.
I am assuming now that I have a Domain Name I need to apply name servers or something, maybe Zone records. This is the main confusion I am getting right now. Maybe it is all set and all I have to do is set up the language and download that to the server provided?

Okay, now I think I have to setup a webhosting location. If you wanted to just give a basic non technical layout of how going from having a Domain Name, what you have to do with that, and how a webhosting site works. Like I said, quite unfamiliar with the whole website thing works. I thought of going to like Windows Live and setting one up, but I think most of those type sites have their own restrictions on the language or limits to the available website layout. I would rather not be restricted to the typical layout. I would like to be able to go where the language being used allows, instead of their limited templates.


I am currently working on setting up the web page using Dreamweaver.
There are several questions regarding that.

After firing up the site wizard, it asks questions like, do I want to set use server technology.
Choices are-
ASP _javascript
ASP vbscript
ASP Net C#
ASP Net VB
PHP
Coldfusion
PYP mySQL

To me, I do not care what language it is in. But what is the best for say the most types of browser to use.
Also, it has the option not to use server technology.

Next is the how to upload files, that I got.
Next is the how do you want to connect to server. I am assuming I will use FTP, since I am not using a local server on my network for the website.
This I believe all the components are described pretty well in the link I had in my first comment.

But mainly, is trying to understand what the steps are for setting up the site itself, meaning the hardware and internet steps. Not the website creation itself. That I am learning or proceeding okay. Trying a couple of the different languages in DW.

Ah okay. So you got your address and all. I have never bought a homepage myself, I have only used my own homepage I got from school. But I think its the same deal.
Didn't they give you some information about your server?

Its a little hard to know exactly what your problem is here, as I dont know how far you actually is, and what information you have. But I will try and explain how I upload things on my homepage.

Using FTP I personally do this:

Open a program called FTPcore, wich is a program only for setting up your FTP server and its free.
Then it ask for username, and that is my homepage address.
Then I type my password.
And this thing is important to remember, else you cant connect. You'll need to deselect a option called 'PASSIV MODE' Its right next to all the other information, you cant miss it.
Then I click connect, and then I can begin working on my homepage.

I know it can sound a little confusing, but its pretty simple. There are many many tutorials on youtube, but many of them are diffrent. So try just stick with FTPcore.

Now, do you know how to make basic homepage? Do you know the language? If not, this homepage is ALL KNOWING www.w3schools.com...

And for the question about what language you should make your homepage in is PHP. But you can also use HTML wich is a basic programming for homepages. PHP is much more powerful, and you can do all things with it.

I have now created a account so I could see how it works. And man, I now see why you dont understand it. I will try to take a look into this, and report back if I know how it works. Sorry I misunderstood some of the things you was talking about.

Alright, here is where I am at so far.

I registered the domain name.
I then needed to get a web host.
I set that up at www.000webhost.com...

Set up an account there. Next using that site, I recieved an email back that stated to install two name servers at my Domain Name.

Went back to the Domain Name account and installed the two server names into 1) name servers
This could take up to 48 hours to update. During that time, I will use the hosting site's web builder to just put together a temp site. See how that looks and will update to my design when finished.

I will update when I get anymore information.

reply to post by saltheart foamfollower


Correct once your name servers are applied to whatever host you have chosen. It takes any where from 1hour-48hours for them to apply. Once the name servers are pointing at your host from the domain name it should pull up the information you have with your host once you type in your domain name. I may have this backwards and you apply your name servers to your domain name. Its been a while since I fiddled with this, but it seams you have figured it out.

Let me know how it goes.

Alright, I have my site up. Now the next problems to go over. I tried the website builder they provided at my web hosting site. What a worthless piece of garbage. I tried the Adobe Dreamweaver, that seems to be way too complicated for me at the moment, at least until I understand the basics of what is going on. I will probably go back to it, but for now I am using NVU, pronounced envue.

Seemed to be going along fine, until I tried uploading what I had built.

So I tried to just do a simple picture as a temp placement for the site. I was able to use the site builder software to install a temp site, just did not like it. So I tried, like I said, to just put in a temp pic for the site.

Now, here is the current problem. I am not familiar with the structure for website design, in regards to the file structure.

I believe this is the problem with most anything. Those that know the basics and the advanced, have a hard time understanding that you cannot stand on giant's shoulders, without knowing the giant. Everyone assumes that people creating the sites know the basics.

So here is the next problems.

Alright, trying to understand the file structure of my site and how that works.
I had uploaded a temp site using the builder software, did not like it at all and the interface and the builder software was pretty much garbage IMO. I decided to wipe the space and start over. So, to attempt to understand how things are structured, here is what is there when it is at the beginning.

Here is what my site shows at the moment-

Your website is up and running!

Website www.something.co.cc has been successfully installed on server.
Please delete file "default.php" from public_html folder and upload your website by using FTP or web based File Manager.

So, I went and got me filezilla and the NVU. It seems NVU has it's own file uploading component so I am probably going to get rid of filezilla later but why get antsy.

Will stop here for now to go to store. Will be back to comment more in a little while.

Well you can go through all that, or you can just use IPage Hosting.

This thing is only... $3.50 per month
- Unlimited Web space for hosting
- Unlimited Bandwidthy
- Free domain name
- Free website builder (you don't even have to know dream weaver or any program)

It just allows you to drag and drop to make a webpage.

- free ecommerce
- tons of other free things

I've built 3 website already on this thing and I didn't have to learn web design at all.

Try it

IPage Unlimited Hosting

reply to post by ghpink


Well, being that I am currently not earning very much and I am just beginning to set up websites, I thought I would keep it in the free realm for now. So far I have found that there has not been many downtime incidents so far with the webhost I am currently using.

Will be back this week to post site, I am pretty close to being complete. Still working on the comments component. I have installed the disqus component and it seems to work pretty nice.

Alright, I have it far enough along so I will post the link now.

I have some mods to make on some of the pics but I have the layout generally the way I want it.

I am currently working on the Writers, Forum, Suggestions, and Contact parts.

I have not installed any of the comments sections yet though. I want to wait until I have it complete and articles started before I install those. I am also working on the storage areas for old articles and the pages for them.

oops, forgot the link.

www.constitutionallibertarian.co.cc...

Well, I think I have done pretty well for someone that has only began to learn lately.

David J Kramer

Constitutional Libertarian

Anyway, working on installing a lot of content now.