Domains, DNS and SSL
Buy the name, point it where it needs to go, and keep the certificate current. Three small things that take a site down when they lapse.
- Domain names
- from $22 a year
- Managed SSL
- $55 a year
- Basis
- Ex GST
Three separate things
People say domain when they mean any of these. They are bought and they break separately.
The name
Registration
The name itself, held for a fixed term. It is the part people type and the part that expires.
The pointing
DNS
The records that turn the name into an address. Change the records and the name goes somewhere else.
The proof
TLS certificate
The file that proves a browser reached the right name, and encrypts what passes between them.
What the DNS records do
The common record types, and what each one answers with.
| What it answers with | |
|---|---|
| A record | One IPv4 address for the name. |
| AAAA record | One IPv6 address for the name. |
| CNAME record | Another name, which is then looked up in its place. |
| MX record | The mail servers that accept email for the domain. |
| TXT record | Text a service reads to verify the domain, including SPF and DKIM for email. |
| NS record | The nameservers that answer for the domain. |
DNS changes are not instant. Every record carries a time to live, and resolvers keep the old answer until it expires. Lower that value before a planned move, not after it.
What managed SSL means
A TLS certificate does two jobs. It proves the browser reached the name it asked for, and it encrypts everything sent between the two. Every certificate has an end date, and a browser that meets an expired one shows a full page warning before it shows the site.
Managed means the certificate is issued, installed and renewed for you, at $55 a year per domain.
All prices are in AUD and ex GST. Indicative. Your fixed quote comes after a free consult.
A certificate secures the connection, not the site behind it. It does not patch old software and it does not make a weak password strong.
Questions about names and certificates
How long does a domain registration last?
A registration runs for a fixed term and has to be renewed before that term ends. If it lapses, the name goes back on the market and anyone can take it.
Can I move a domain I already own?
Yes. A transfer needs the name unlocked at the current registrar and the authorisation code they hold. A transfer moves the registration, not the DNS, so the records keep answering as they did.
How fast do DNS changes take effect?
Not instantly. Every record carries a time to live, and resolvers keep serving the old answer until it expires. Lower that value before a planned change, not after.
What happens when a certificate expires?
The browser shows a full page warning before it shows the site, and most visitors stop there. Renewal is the part of managed SSL that matters.
Does a small site need a certificate?
Yes. Browsers mark a page served without one as not secure, and anything typed into a form on that page travels in the clear.
Every price on one page: see the full list.