Think of a domain as your street address and hosting as the building. The domain tells people where to go and the hosting holds the pages when they arrive. You rent each one separately, they are linked through DNS settings, and you should be listed as the owner of the domain whoever hosts the site.
Domain name
yourbusiness.com.na
DNS records
Link the name to the server.
Hosting
Stores the files.
Your website
What visitors see.
The difference at a glance
| Domain name | Web hosting | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The address, for example yourbusiness.com.na | A server that stores your website files |
| What it does | Tells browsers where to look | Sends the pages to visitors |
| Who provides it | A registrar or the registry for that ending | A hosting company or website builder |
| Usually paid | Every year (check the renewal price) | Monthly or yearly |
| If it lapses | The address stops working and could be taken | The website goes offline |
How they connect
The link between them is DNS, the Domain Name System. It works like a phone book that turns a name into the address of a server, as described in the original DNS specification (external site, opens in a new tab). You (or your developer) enter settings called DNS records in the domain's control panel so that your address points to your hosting.
Who should own what
- Domain: registered in your business's name or yours, with your email for recovery.
- Hosting: an account you can log into, or clear written terms if the developer manages it.
- Copies: keep a copy of your files and a list of logins in a safe place.
Our guide who owns your website explains this in more detail.
Common mistakes
- The developer registers the domain in their name. You may not be able to move it later.
- Ignoring renewals. An expired domain takes the website and email with it.
- Buying hosting but no domain, or the reverse. A site needs both.
- Changing DNS without a note of the old settings. Email can stop working.
Key terms and where the definitions come from
Show key terms and sources
These explanations are ADA's own words, adapted from the independent sources named. Those organisations do not endorse or work with ADA, and the examples are illustrations, not real clients.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a human-readable address for your website, such as yourbusiness.com.na. You rent it from a registrar for a set period and renew it to keep it.
Source: Based on MDN Web Docs, What is a domain name?.
Reference: MDN Web Docs: What is a domain name? (external site, opens in a new tab)
For a Namibian business: A Rundu business that registers its own name controls where its website and email addresses point, even if it later changes its web designer or host.
Related ADA service: Who owns your website
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is renting space on a server, a computer that is always on, to store your website's files and send them to visitors who ask for them. A domain name is the address; hosting is where the site lives.
Source: Based on MDN Web Docs, What is a web server?.
Reference: MDN Web Docs: What is a web server? (external site, opens in a new tab)
For a Namibian business: A restaurant in Windhoek pays a hosting provider so its menu pages are available day and night, instead of only when someone's own computer is switched on.
Related ADA service: Business website design
What is DNS?
DNS, the Domain Name System, is the internet's naming system. It lets a human-readable domain name be matched to the numeric address of the server that holds the site.
Source: Based on RFC Editor (IETF), RFC 1034: Domain names, concepts and facilities.
For a Namibian business: When a Namibian company moves its website to a new host, the change is made in DNS records. A wrong record can take a website or email offline, so changes are made carefully.
Related ADA service: Website care plans
Common questions
Can I buy a domain from one company and hosting from another?
Yes. This is common. You point the domain's DNS settings to the hosting company.
Do I need hosting if I only want a domain?
Not to keep the name. Without hosting, though, there is no website or email at that address.
What happens if I forget to renew the domain?
The address stops working. After a grace period it can be registered by someone else. Set reminders and use an email you check.
Who is the owner listed on my domain?
You can look up public registration data. See ICANN's lookup tool (external site, opens in a new tab) for many domains. Some endings use their own registry.
Does a website builder include both?
Usually it includes hosting, and you can often add a domain. Check whether you can move the domain away later.
Need help with this?
Optional. You do not need any ADA service to use what you have just read.
- Domain and hosting help
Registering a domain, connecting it and setting up suitable hosting. - Website care plans
Renewal reminders, backups and security checks.