All About Domain Names

What's a domain name? What's a subdomain? Find out here!

What is a domain?
A domain (or domain name) is anything that ends in .com, .org, .net, or .anythingelse.

Can you host sites with other top level domains besides .com, .org, and .net?
Yes! DreamHost can host ANY domain name at all. We can even register it for you! If you prefer to register your domain on your own with someone else, just provide them with our DNS info when you do so:

I already have a domain name, if I sign up do I have to pay for it again?
No!

If you have already registered a domain, you don't need to register it twice. You only need to transfer the domain to DreamHost, then pay for hosting.

DreamHost does not charge you to transfer your domain, but your registrar might. Check with your registrar for more information.

Can I change / delete my domain name (URL)?
You cannot change or delete the name of an existing domain. If you want a different domain name, you must register a new domain.

If you register a new domain, you must pay $9.95/year for it. You may not change the domain name of a domain you've already registered and paid for.

As for hosting, DreamHost will not charge you to switch the domain you are hosting through us. You can do that by visiting the Manage area under the Domains tab on our Account Control Panel.

You can also keep your current domain and add an extra domain to your package. See the KBase section on adding extra domains for details.

Will both "www.mydomain.com" and "mydomain.com" work?
Both will work automatically with every account we host!