Top Level Domain Names

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TLD's - Top Level Domain Names

Computers read domain names in the opposite direction than humans do because finding the address of a domain is a sorting procedure that begins with the entire world and moves very quickly to locate and return the address of the desired site.

Domain names are composed of two or more domains with the last one - the one on the right being the Top Level Domain or TLD for short. It is very important for you to select the correct TLD for your internet point of presence.

Each country in the world, and the continent of Antarctica have their own two letter TLD. For example those of us in the United States are able to use the .us TLD.

There are several three character TLD's of interest;

.com - commercial organizations - unrestricted
.net - originally for network providers - now unrestricted but useful for Local Area Networks (see "Using and Protecting you Domain Name")
.org - originally for organizations not classified elsewhere, now unrestricted.
.edu - educational establishments - restricted.
.gov - governments and their agencies in United States - restricted.
.mil - United State military.

We recommend that a United States business register their domain in at least the .com, net and .us TLD's to protect it from dilution, and protect its Local Area Network (LAN).

For more information about TLD's click here. While you are on Wikipedia you can use it's search function to explore the meaning and use of all TLD's by typing the 'dot' and TLD characters into it's search bar.