The website address remembered by users
For example, naibabiji.com. The domain name itself does not store website content; it just allows users to avoid remembering the server IP.
Domain Registration / DNS Resolution / Domain Renewal
Domain Registration, Resolution, and Renewal Guide
This is a domain guide for WordPress beginners: first understand domains, registrars, suffixes, DNS resolution, real-name verification, domain renewal and transfer, then point the domain correctly to your VPS, WordPress hosting, or cloud server.
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Quick conclusion: Domain names are long-term assets, and registrar selection is more important than the first-year price
A domain name is not a one-time purchase but an annual renewal and long-term management. The most common problems for beginners are: domain name spelling too complex, poor registrar, forgetting to renew, and incorrect DNS resolution settings.
What beginners can do
If you are just building a personal blog, corporate website, or foreign trade independent website, prioritize registering a short, memorable, and brand-related .com domain name. For domestic business, consider real-name verification and ICP filing in advance; for overseas business, you can prioritize using overseas registrars.
- Buy .com if possible, unless your business heavily relies on a specific country or region.
- Domestic users and domestic servers: Domestic servers can only use domain names registered domestically, and ICP filing is required before use. Consider Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud.
- For foreign trade sites, overseas business, or if you want to avoid the domestic real-name process: consider overseas registrars like NameSilo, Namecheap, etc.
- After purchasing a domain name, you must set up DNS resolution, commonly using an A record to point to the server IP.
- For important domain names, it is recommended to enable auto-renewal and keep the registration email and payment method valid.
What are domain name, server, and DNS respectively
First, clarify these three concepts, so you won't be confused when resolving the domain name later.
The actual place where the website is stored
VPS, WordPress hosting, and cloud servers are all website operating environments. Website files and databases are stored here.
Point the domain name to the server
DNS records tell the browser: when accessing this domain name, which IP or which service provider should be used to find the website.
Make the website use HTTPS
SSL certificates are usually applied for through the host, CDN, or panel, and are not expensive certificates that must be purchased additionally when buying a domain name.
If you really can't understand, think of the domain name as a SIM card, the server or host as a phone, and DNS resolution as inserting the SIM card into the phone. Only when all three are ready can others call you through the phone number, i.e., open the website on your server via the domain name. HTTPS can be understood as a secure communication channel; if not enabled, the browser will prompt that the website is not secure.
Where is it more suitable to buy a domain name
There is no absolute best domain registrar; it depends on your business region, payment method, real-name verification requirements, ease of use of the backend, and whether renewal prices are transparent.
| Registrar Type | Who It's For | Common .com Price Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Registrars: Alibaba Cloud / Tencent Cloud | Beginners with mainland China business, needing ICP filing, and preferring Chinese customer service | First year often has promotions; renewal is usually about 60-90 CNY/year, subject to current prices | Real-name verification is usually required after registration; if binding to a domestic server, ICP filing is also required |
| Overseas Registrars: NameSilo / Namecheap | Users with foreign trade sites, overseas business, or who want to avoid domestic real-name verification | .com is usually about $10-15/year; focus on renewal price and whether privacy protection is free | Need to complete overseas payment and operate in English backend; if the registration page cannot be opened, use a proxy |
| Hosting Provider Free Domain | Those who want convenience in the short term and manage hosting and domain under the same provider | First year may be free; renewal and transfer prices need to be confirmed separately | When migrating hosting later, the domain is also with the same provider; check transfer rules and renewal prices in advance |
Overseas Registration
NameSilo Domain Registration Tutorial
Suitable for users with foreign trade sites and overseas business; focus on registration, renewal, privacy protection, and DNS management.
Renewal ManagementNameSilo Domain Renewal Tutorial
If you have already purchased a domain on NameSilo, continue to learn about renewal paths, term selection, and auto-renewal settings.
DNS ManagementNameSilo DNS Change and Resolution Tutorial
If your domain is on NameSilo but your server or CDN is elsewhere, first learn how to configure DNS and resolution.
Domestic RegistrationAlibaba Cloud Domain Name Resolution Tutorial
Suitable for users who have already purchased domains or servers on Alibaba Cloud.
Domestic RegistrationTencent Cloud Domain Registration and Resolution Tutorial
Suitable for users who already use Tencent Cloud domains, cloud servers, or lightweight application servers.
How to Choose a Domain Name
The more a domain name looks like it was thrown together temporarily, the more likely you are to regret it later. Especially for corporate sites, foreign trade sites, and long-term content sites, the domain should be usable for a long time.
Priority Short, easy to read, easy to spell
Users should be able to roughly write it down after hearing it once. It's best to avoid complex hyphens, long pinyin, and hard-to-remember abbreviations. For example, naibabiji.com might be mistaken for a parenting website from the domain name, which is detrimental to promotion. This is a legacy issue, and changing the domain now carries too much risk.
Brand Related to brand or business
Corporate sites should prioritize brand names; content sites can consider topic keywords, but don't sacrifice readability for keywords.
Suffix .com is still the most universal
.com is more easily accepted by users. .cn is suitable for domestic business. For other suffixes, confirm whether users trust them easily. Avoid suffixes commonly seen on ads in small market restrooms—trust issues.
Pitfalls Avoid infringement and shady history
Do not register domain names that clearly contain others' trademarks. Before purchasing a second-hand domain, check its historical content and whether it has spam backlinks. If you don't know how, let AI help you check.
How to choose between brand words and keywords
Beginners often force keywords into domain names for SEO, but a domain is first and foremost a brand asset. Keyword domains are not unusable, but they must be short, natural, and not limit future business.
- Corporate websites and foreign trade sites: Prioritize brand name or company name for easy memorization on business cards, emails, and by customers.
- Content sites and tool sites: Can include topic keywords, but avoid overly long pinyin or English combinations.
- Do not sacrifice readability to include keywords, such as forcibly combining multiple product words, region words, and years.
- If you may expand your business in the future, do not bind the domain to only one narrow product or temporary campaign.
How to do domain resolution
After purchasing a domain, others cannot automatically access your website. You need to add records in DNS management to point the domain to your server or host.
So the prerequisite is that you need to have a server or host first before you can proceed with resolution. If you haven't purchased one yet, you can first refer toVPS Recommendations 或 WordPress Hosting Recommendations。
| Record Type | Common Use | How to Understand |
|---|---|---|
| A Record | Points domain to an IPv4 address | Most common. For example, point example.com to your VPS IP. |
| AAAA Record | Point the domain to an IPv6 address | Use when both the server and access environment support IPv6. Beginners can skip this for now. |
| CNAME record | Point one domain to another domain | Commonly used for www, CDN, third-party website building platforms, or email verification. |
| MX record | Email receiving | Required for enterprise email and domain email. Do not confuse with A record for websites. |
| TXT record | Verify ownership, SPF, DKIM, etc. | Commonly used for Google Search Console, enterprise email, and anti-spam configuration. |
Most common WordPress resolution method
- Bare domain example.com: Add an A record pointing to the server IP.
- www.example.com: You can add a CNAME pointing to example.com, or add an A record pointing to the same IP.
- After resolution, wait for it to take effect, usually from a few minutes to several hours.
- Once the resolution takes effect, you can bind this domain on the server and start building the website.
| Issue | Common Cause | Priority Check |
|---|---|---|
| Website cannot be opened after resolution | DNS not yet effective, wrong IP, domain not bound on server | Use ping, DNS lookup tools, and hosting panel to confirm step by step |
| Bare domain works, www does not | Only configured @ host record, not www | Add CNAME or A record for www |
| HTTPS error | SSL not issued, certificate domain mismatch, CDN or origin server configuration conflict | First confirm HTTP works, then apply for or refresh SSL |
| Cannot receive emails | MX, SPF, DKIM not configured or configured to the wrong provider | Check MX/TXT records according to the enterprise email service provider's documentation |
How to renew a domain
Domain names are not a one-time purchase, butrenewed annually(Naiba has encountered multiple companies whose domains expired for months without being noticed). For important domains, it is recommended to confirm the renewal status 30 days in advance, enable auto-renewal, and keep the registered email, payment method, and account two-factor authentication available.
NameSilo Alibaba Cloud / Tencent Cloud Expiration stages Cost
Click Renew in Domain Manager
After logging in, go to domain management, select the domain to renew, click Renew, choose the renewal period, and complete payment.
Handle renewal in the domain console
Domestic registrars usually remind renewal via console, SMS, or email. For important domains, you can enable auto-renewal.
Grace period, redemption period, deletion period
After expiration, it usually enters a grace period, then a more expensive redemption period, and finally may be deleted and opened for registration again.
Don't just look at the first year price
Some registrars offer a cheap first year but expensive renewal. For long-term projects, consider the normal renewal price, transfer rules, and privacy protection fees.
| Renewal item | Recommended practice | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Enable auto-renewal for important domains and confirm the payment method is valid | Avoid forgetting to renew, which would cause both the website and email to fail |
| Registered email | Use a long-term controllable email, not a temporary email or employee's personal email | Renewal, transfer, and security notifications all rely on the email |
| Renewal period | For important brand domains, you can renew for multiple years at once; for ordinary projects, decide based on budget | Reduce the risk of forgetting to renew, but also avoid buying too many useless domains at once. |
| Renewal cost | Compare renewal prices, not just the first-year promotional price. | Domain is a long-term cost; the first-year discount does not represent the subsequent price. |
What to pay attention to when transferring and changing domain ownership
Domain transfer is changing the registrar, while domain ownership change is changing the owner. Neither is a daily operation, but they are often encountered when changing service providers, unifying domain management, or changing company entities.
| Scenario | What needs to be done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Change registrar | Unlock the domain at the original registrar, obtain the transfer code, and submit the transfer at the new registrar. | The domain usually needs to be registered or last transferred for at least 60 days; do not change DNS during transfer. |
| NameSilo transfer out | Enter domain management, disable lock, obtain Authorization Code. | Confirm that the registered email can receive the transfer confirmation email. |
| Domain ownership change | Modify domain owner or contact information. | When the company entity changes, confirm the attribution of real-name verification, invoice, filing, and contract. |
| Access during transfer | Keep the original DNS records unchanged. | A normal registrar transfer should not cause the website to go down; downtime is mostly due to NS or DNS misconfiguration. |
Perform 5 checks before transfer
- The domain is not in a locked, disputed, redemption, or newly registered within 60 days restricted state.
- The original registrar account and registered email can log in and receive emails normally.
- DNS records, NS, email records, and CDN configuration have been confirmed.
- The new registrar supports this TLD and confirms the transfer price and renewal price.
- Take a screenshot of the current DNS records before the formal operation to facilitate rollback if problems occur.
When to handle real-name verification, filing, and compliance
Real-name verification and filing mainly affect business in mainland China and access from mainland servers. Foreign trade sites or overseas servers usually do not need to consider filing, but account attribution, brand trademarks, and customer data still need attention.
Domestic registrars usually require real-name verification
When purchasing a domain on domestic platforms like Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud, you usually need to complete real-name verification before normal use and ICP filing.
Domestic servers require ICP filing for formal access
If your website server is in mainland China, you must complete ICP filing before binding the domain to the website for access.
Overseas servers do not require ICP filing
Websites targeting overseas customers should focus more on overseas access speed, SSL, email credibility, and Google indexing.
The domain account must be owned by yourself
When hiring someone to build a website, ensure that the domain registration email, account, real-name subject, and renewal permissions are in your own hands.
Common Domain Questions
These questions are common for beginners buying domains, DNS resolution, and early website building.
Can only a domain name be used to create a website?
No. A domain is just an access address; a website also requires a server or hosting to store files, databases, and the WordPress program. You need to prepare both the domain and the website hosting environment.
Does the domain extension affect SEO?
The extension itself is usually not a core factor for ranking. More important are website content, technical quality, speed, internal links, and external trust. However, in terms of user trust and memory cost, .com is still the most common choice.
Why is the website still not accessible after DNS resolution?
Common reasons include DNS not yet propagated, incorrect A record IP, the server not binding the domain, the website environment not started, HTTPS configuration errors, or browser/local network cache not updated.
How to renew a NameSilo domain?
Log in to your NameSilo account, go to Domain Manager, select the domain to renew, click Renew, choose the renewal period, and complete payment. For important domains, it is recommended to enable auto-renewal and ensure your account email and payment method are valid.
Can I renew an expired domain?
There is usually a grace period for renewal, after which it may enter a redemption period with significantly higher fees, and eventually be deleted and released. Rules vary by registrar; it is recommended to renew 30 days before expiration.
Can a domain be transferred from one registrar to another?
Yes. Generally, you need to unlock the domain at the original registrar, obtain the transfer code, and then submit the transfer at the new registrar. Domains usually cannot be transferred again within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer.
Will the website go down during domain transfer?
Normal registrar transfer usually does not affect website access because DNS records can continue to work. What can cause interruption is mistakenly changing DNS, NS, or resolution records before or after the transfer.
Do domestic domains require ICP filing?
Registering a domain itself does not necessarily require ICP filing. It is usually required when you use a mainland China server to provide website access. Using overseas servers for overseas users generally does not require the domestic ICP filing process.
Content Note: This domain guide is compiled based on Naibabiji's long-term practical experience with WordPress, NameSilo, Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, VPS, and WordPress hosting. Domain prices, renewal rules, filing policies, and registrar backends may change. Please refer to the current registrar page before purchasing or transferring.
If the domain is purchased but the website cannot be accessed, you can troubleshoot based on the issue.
Domain resolution, host binding, HTTPS, and ICP filing often affect each other. You can first check according to the tutorial. If it still cannot be accessed, contact me to determine whether it is a DNS, server, or WordPress configuration issue.
Naiba, I'm very fortunate to have found your blog. Thank you for compiling such detailed tutorials.
Following your notes, I registered a website with SiteGround using my original domain and Google Workspace email. However, I've now found that the Workspace email can only send emails but cannot receive them. How should I resolve this?
Looking forward to your reply, thank you~
It's likely that after pointing the domain's DNS to SiteGround, the records for Google Workspace email weren't transferred. You can contact customer support to help you add the Google Workspace email records.
In the article, the sentence „Domain resolution, simply put, is entering your server“s IP in the domain management backend„ seems to be missing a “析„ character. Also, may I ask Naiba, are the articles in the simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, and English sections of your website“s top menu translated manually or using some Plugin for automatic translation? Thank you for your advice.
Translated manually using a translation plugin, only some pages were translated.