So you want a self hosted wordpress blog ? hmm that’s a good idea. It’s always good to own a little piece of web for yourself.
First, you should get a domain name. Yes, think hard, and select a domain name. But, keep domain registrar’s website open while you are doing this serious thinking. Because, you need to make sure that the domain that you want to register, is actually available. You can’t register someone Else’s domain name 
You can use any of the following checkdomain.com register.com godaddy.com So, when there is a domain name ready, you can register it.
Tip: Do not register the domain straightaway , if you are planning to buy hosting for 1 year, or 2 years, most of the webhosts give you a free domain name with the hosting plan, you can make use of this offer.
It is okay to have the domain name registered with one company, and webhosting with another one. So, if you someone who can share their webspace with you, you can simply register a domain name from any registrar, and start hosting 
Some technical stuff
What makes a website ? ( from a webhost’s view ). It’s a domain name and some server space. It is possible that, domain name is registered at the company “A” and the server space is at company “B”.
Now, how will you tell company A, that your space, or your blog is with company B, or more specifically, on which server. ( think about a server as computer with lot of space, and hundreds of websites stored in it ). This is done using something called “nameservers”.
The company where you have hosted, or the server where your website is on, will have a pair of nameservers. Something similar to, ns1.hostingcompany.com and ns2.hostingcompany.com. You login to your account with the domain registrar, and provide them with your server’s nameservers and when the propagation is complete, your domain will be avialable on the web or, in technical terms, will start resolving to your server.
Propagation is the process of updating the new website, and it’s nameservres etc, all over the web. It may take up to 72 hours.
So, you register a domain name with a company, and update nameservers, and point them towards the server where you have hosted your blog. Got it ?
PS: If your host is your domain registrar too, ( ie, if you purchased both domain and space from the same company ) they will update correct nameservers, as soon as it is registered and you will not have to worry about updating htem.
Questions ?
27 responses so far ↓
1 s4n705h // Aug 20, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Great work there. I think people will love the “How To” series of yours. BTW why dont you tell them to look for when they are buying domain names from different domain name reseller.
Like if they are giving free domain forwards, or self managing the name server, modifying your MX keys. there are something which no1 will tell.
2 dinu // Aug 20, 2008 at 2:19 pm
@ s4n705h
hmm right .. I was thinking about introducing google apps .. which will be the best option .. mx entries and all the stuff, if your domain registrar can’t do it for you, your host can ..
please send if you have more suggestions 
3 xylene // Aug 20, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I got one. which is the cheapest and the best one? to host blogs? I believe we have to pay them yearly right?
4 dinu // Aug 20, 2008 at 4:11 pm
@ xylene
Good question .. but tough to answer ….
will try to find some info for you guys 
5 vishesh // Aug 20, 2008 at 4:52 pm
6 dinu // Aug 20, 2008 at 5:11 pm
@ Vishesh
hi hi .. okkki okki ….
make sure that your IP matches their billing address, and use your parents; name on account .. or it may get rejected
7 Suda // Aug 20, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Now you go in details Dinu. Very Good.
As usual, one tip from me. I read somewhere that the Free Domains that come with Hosting account are not recommended normally.
This is what a OWNER of Free Hosting Site said in his forum:
Here is the original link of his post, but I doubt if guests are allowed to view it.
http://www.zendfree.com/thread-7.html
8 dinu // Aug 20, 2008 at 5:37 pm
@ Suda
hmm thanks.. I could read it.
There is a possibility. You can always ask the host before signing up. That’s the best thing to do. The company that I work for, allow the domain to be transferred. But transferring the domain name costs $9.95 ( usually ) even if it is not a free domain …. and it can not be transferred when registration renewal is up …. it is applicable for all domain registrations .. I will let you know if I get more information about this.
9 Binny V A // Aug 20, 2008 at 8:46 pm
If possible try to get some hosting that installs and maintains wordpress for you - that way you don’t have to learn about FTP and all that stuff.
10 dinu // Aug 20, 2008 at 8:52 pm
@ Binny V A
that’s right …. but as far as I know, 99% of hosts provide it .. through fantastico in cPanel … Dreamhost through their own panel … but you always need ftp to add more themes and plugins
11 arvind // Aug 20, 2008 at 11:53 pm
lol back to back posts on hosting blogs ..
i want to buy my own domain soon
12 dinu // Aug 20, 2008 at 11:54 pm
@ Arvind
back to back posts on hosting blogs, I mean same topic .. is it boring ?
13 Philip // Aug 21, 2008 at 6:55 am
who are you hosted with and what is the hosting and domain registration cost that you incurred? what’s the yearly damage to your pocket?
14 dinu // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:53 am
@ Philip
I am on Dreamhost. .. will tell you more about it on another post
15 | Balu | // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:03 pm
More than cheapest I would like to know which is the most reliable and which has the best support!
16 dinu // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:16 pm
@ | Balu |
Interesting, but tough answer ….
17 Hasit // Aug 22, 2008 at 11:37 am
Dinuuuuu……
I am back.
and btw… nice post. very informative.
how are u??
18 dinu // Aug 22, 2008 at 10:23 pm
@ Hasit
I am doing good.. thanks
happy journey
19 Anshul // Aug 25, 2008 at 3:06 pm
nearlyfreespeech.net is a good hosting provider, pretty cheap and good uptime too. My blog is hosted on that. you need to pay only for usage there, rather than some fixed charges per month.
My domain registeration is from GoDaddy. Godaddy is quite fast at processing changes.
20 dinu // Aug 25, 2008 at 3:10 pm
@ Anshul
Thanks for that info … paying only for the usage ? never heard of that !!!
21 Anshul // Aug 25, 2008 at 3:57 pm
@dinu: Yeah, only for usage, read there terms and conditions. Their control panel is not the user friendly but gets the work done.
22 Anshul // Aug 25, 2008 at 3:58 pm
There= their *
23 dinu // Aug 25, 2008 at 4:16 pm
@ Anshul
hmmm …
will send u an emails oon
24 Chirax // Sep 26, 2008 at 4:56 pm
@if you purchased both domain and space from the same company
Any good suggestions here, me and my friend are Planning(for pas 3 years) to start a company. So we want to have a simple site and obviously a blog please suggest.
25 dinu // Sep 26, 2008 at 5:06 pm
@ Chirax
will email you
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