The Ultimate Guide to Domain, DNS, Hosting and FTP
Managing your website’s domain, DNS, hosting, and FTP can be confusing, especially with all the different logins and technical terms involved. This guide will help you understand the key components and how they work together, even if you’re not a technical expert.
Introduction
If you’re in marketing, sales, or even running a business, and you’re tasked with overseeing a website project, you’ll need to understand or at least have access to key components like your domain, DNS, hosting, and FTP. If your company has an IT department, they’re likely handling these aspects, but it’s still important to know how they all fit together.
Here we will walk you through the foundations of these various components that ultimately make your website a reality. But if you’re at a dead end road with hunting down this information or you want to better understand how it all connects, keep on reading.
Domain (Registrar) Overview
What is a domain?
Your domain name is the digital address for your website. It’s the URL customers type into their browser to find you—like example.com or windmillstrategy.com. Essentially, it’s how people access your online presence.
To get a specific domain, you need to buy it through a domain registrar. Popular registrars include GoDaddy, Network Solutions, and even Squarespace Domains. There are also smaller, lesser-known registrars, but many have been absorbed by larger companies like GoDaddy, so they are effectively resellers.
When you buy a domain, it’s regulated by ICANN, a non-profit organization responsible for overseeing the global domain name system. You can learn more about how the domain registration process works directly from ICANN, but here’s what you need to know for practical use.
Pro Tip: Choose a well-known registrar. For ease of management and support, we recommend purchasing your domain from a reputable registrar. Major registrars have better service quality and are more familiar to agencies or IT partners who will help manage your domain. Plus, you’ll find way more help articles if you’re a do-it-yourselfer and need some help.
How to Find Your Domain Information
If you’re not sure where your domain is and can’t find any documentation internally, you can do a WHOIS lookup through a few tools, like the industry leader https://www.whois.com/. Start here; typing in your domain name will more than likely uncover the name of the person who is registered to a domain and with which domain registrar.
Migrating Your Domain
You can transfer your domain from one registrar to another, often to consolidate services or simplify your management. However, keep in mind that domain records do not transfer automatically when you migrate. Be sure to save a copy of your current domain settings before initiating the transfer.
Why You Should Control Your Domain
It’s Windmill’s position that a company should hold the keys to its own domain. Without it, you have no website or email. If someone else, like an IT vendor, manages it on your behalf, make sure you have full ownership and access to the administrative controls. We’ve seen cases where companies were locked out of their domain by vendors, which can cause serious disruptions to business operations.
Domain Management
No matter where you register your domain, you’ll need to log in to manage domain settings, renewals, and other services. When we request your domain login, we’re asking for the credentials that allow you to access and manage your domain.
DNS (Domain Name System) Hosting Overview
What is DNS Hosting?
DNS, or Domain Name System, is responsible for converting domain names into IP addresses (internet protocol addresses), which are the unique identifiers for servers on the internet. Think of DNS as the “directory” of the internet, telling web browsers where to find a website when you enter a domain name (like windmillstrategy.com). It’s similar to how a phone book matches phone numbers to people.
Each server has a unique IP address, acting like a phone number for that server. When you type a domain into your browser, DNS looks up the corresponding IP address to find the server that hosts the website’s files.
DNS hosting is what connects your domain name to the server where your website is hosted. Additionally, DNS can route different types of traffic to various servers. For example, email traffic for your domain is usually handled by a separate server using MX (Mail Exchange) records, while website traffic is directed through A (Address) records.
There are also other types of DNS records, such as TXT records, CNAME, and SPF, which serve specific purposes like verifying domain ownership or preventing email spam.
Where are DNS Records Hosted?
In most cases, your DNS hosting is provided by the same company where you registered your domain. However, there are instances where businesses or IT departments choose to move their DNS hosting to a different provider. If you’ve migrated your DNS hosting, it’s essential to know where it’s been moved to.
When launching a new website on a different hosting provider, you’ll update your DNS records to point to the new server’s IP address. This process is crucial to make your website live. However, keep in mind that DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate across the web, though they typically take around 6 hours, depending on how quickly your DNS refreshes.
Why DNS is Important
Your DNS is a critical part of your domain’s infrastructure. Along with directing website traffic, it also routes email and other services to the right servers. Because of its importance, DNS credentials are often protected and tightly controlled by IT departments.
Pro Tip: Document DNS settings. Before making any changes to your DNS records, it’s a good practice to document the current settings—such as by taking a screenshot. This will allow you to easily restore your DNS to its previous state if needed.
Hosting (Web Hosting) Overview
What is Web Hosting?
Hosting or web hosting is the service that provides the infrastructure to store your website’s files and database. It’s essentially the “home” where your website lives on the internet. When you purchase hosting, you pay for space on a server where all your website data is stored. Hosting providers offer this service on a monthly or annual basis, and it’s the foundation that allows your website to be accessible to users worldwide.
How Does Web Hosting Work?
Your website is made up of a collection of files, including HTML, images, and databases, which are uploaded to a hosting server. When users visit your website, these files are retrieved from the server and displayed in their browser.
Most website updates are done through FTP (File Transfer Protocol), which allows you to upload, download, and manage your website files on the server. Some hosts, like Windmill’s preferred provider, WPEngine, also offer more sophisticated tools like a file management application called “Local” to streamline this process. If you ever decide to move your website to a new host, you’ll need to upload your website’s database and files to the new hosting server and update your DNS records to point to the new server’s IP address.
Your site lives as a database and files that get uploaded to your hosting server. The method to upload and update the files of your site are most often done through FTP (see below), or through more sophisticated systems in certain cases. For example, Windmill’s preferred host, WPEngine, allows for the uploading and managing of site files through a file management application called “Local”. If you move your site to a new host, you will upload the database and site files to that new hosting server, then update your DNS record(s) to point to the hosting server’s IP address.
How to Choose a Hosting Provider
When selecting a hosting provider, it’s essential to consider factors like performance, security, and support. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right provider:
- Reliability:
Choose a host with a strong reputation for uptime reliability and fast load times. Look for providers that guarantee at least 99.9% uptime and optimize their servers for fast page load speeds. This is critical because slow websites can negatively impact user experience and SEO rankings. - Security:
Security is a top priority. Ensure the hosting provider offers SSL certificates (enabling HTTPS) and other security measures to protect your site from threats. An SSL certificate ensures that data transferred between your website and your users is encrypted, improving trust and preventing data breaches. In the current web landscape, having an SSL is essentially a requirement for having a functional production website. Google has treated HTTPS as a positive ranking signal since 2014, meaning sites without it are disadvantaged in search results and may rank lower compared to secure equivalents. Major browsers like Google Chrome prominently label HTTP sites as “not secure,” which alerts visitors to potential risks and often leads them to abandon the site rather than proceed. - Scalability:
As your business grows, your hosting needs might change. Choose a provider that offers flexible hosting plans that can scale with your traffic and storage requirements. Cloud hosting or managed WordPress hosting, for instance, offer scalability options that can grow with your business. - Support:
Good customer support is essential for addressing issues quickly. Look for a hosting provider that offers 24/7 customer support via multiple channels (phone, chat, email). Prompt and knowledgeable support can save you time and prevent costly downtime. - Pricing:
Pricing can vary widely based on the type of hosting you choose. While it may be tempting to go for the cheapest option, it’s important to balance cost with the features and support you need. Shared hosting is affordable but may lack performance for high-traffic sites, while VPS or dedicated hosting offers more resources but at a higher price point, which may be unnecessary for your company’s traffic requirements. Tools like Google Analytics can help identify how much traffic your site brings in per month, which can help inform the price point you need to hit for effective hosting. - Performance:
Many hosting providers offer extra features such as a Content Delivery Networks (CDN), which can improve page speed for large, resource-heavy websites. A CDN stores copies of your website’s assets across multiple locations around the world, so users can access them faster from the nearest server. As the web evolves, serving your site through a CDN becomes more and more relevant. Users expect to access sites quickly and consistently, so finding a hosting provider who can serve your content through a CDN or offers a robust on-site caching solution ensures a good user experience.
Pro Tip: Always secure your website with an SSL certificate (enabling HTTPS) to protect sensitive data and boost trust. If your website is asset-heavy (like having large images or videos), consider using a CDN to distribute resources and enhance site speed.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Overview
What is FTP?
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a standard method used to transfer files between computers over a network. It’s commonly used to upload and download website files to and from a server. FTP helps you manage the content of your website by allowing you to add, update, or delete files directly on the serve
FTP vs. SFTP
While FTP is widely used, it’s not the most secure method of transferring files. For better security, SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) encrypts the data being transferred, ensuring that it cannot be intercepted by unauthorized parties. Despite the difference in security, the basic functions of both FTP and SFTP are the same—allowing you to access and manage your website files.
How Does FTP Work?
FTP is primarily used to upload or change website files rather than affecting how the site appears to users. It’s an essential tool for website management, especially when you need to update content, replace images, or make other changes on the server.
Some hosting environments may restrict FTP access, limiting it to specific IP addresses in combination with the correct login credentials for added security.
When Would You Need FTP Credentials?
You may be asked to provide your FTP credentials when a developer or IT professional needs to make changes to your website or access your server. These credentials typically consist of a username, password, and the server’s address. If you’re unsure where to find your FTP credentials, you can contact your hosting provider or search for guides from your hosting company’s support center to help locate them.
Why is FTP Important?
- Easy File Management:
FTP allows you to quickly upload, update, and manage files on your server, making website maintenance efficient. - Essential for Updates:
It’s crucial for updating content, replacing images, or making other changes directly on your website’s server. - Backup and Restore:
FTP enables easy backups of your website, so you can restore files if needed. - Secure Transfers with SFTP:
While standard FTP transfers are unencrypted, SFTP provides secure, encrypted transfers, protecting sensitive data. - Industry Standard:
FTP file system access is the standard access point for interfacing with a web server for the vast majority of server hosts.
Putting It All Together
Here’s how everything works together: When a customer types in your domain name, it connects to your DNS host, which then directs them to the correct web hosting server via your IP address. The server then sends your website files to the browser, and voila! Your website loads, all happening seamlessly in the background.
A Common Scenario: The Trifecta
Different vendors can be combined for various services. For example, you might use Squarespace Domains as your registrar, Cloudflare for DNS, and WP Engine for hosting. Alternatively, you could consolidate services with Network Solutions for both registrar and DNS, and Amazon for hosting. In some cases, a single vendor like GoDaddy may handle the registrar, DNS, and hosting all in one. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and each option comes with its own advantages and disadvantages that should be evaluated based on your needs.
Need More Clarity?
Watch this video below for two helpful tools that can help point you in a better direction in finding out who controls your domain and DNS.
The Bottom Line
Managing your website and domain can be complicated, especially when it comes to knowing who owns what and where everything is located. As a business, it’s crucial to document all relevant details—like login credentials and service providers—to ensure you maintain full control over your online presence. Clear documentation helps protect your business and ensures future success. We hope this article has provided valuable insights and helped you understand more about managing your website and domain.