A domain name is a combination of letters and characters, together with a domain extension, that can be used as the basis of your web address and email address. So cafeoz.net.au is a domain name; www.cafeoz.net.au and webmail.cafeoz.net.au are web addresses and info@cafeoz.net.au and salesperson@cafeoz.net.au are email addresses.

What characters can be used?
Domain names can ONLY include the letters a to z, the numbers 0 to 9 and the hyphen (-), nothing else. No spaces, underscores (_), etc. Email addresses can also use underscore and full stop before the @, e.g. joe_bloggs@cafeoz.net.au would be valid, as would joe.bloggs@cafeoz.net.au or joe-bloggs@cafeoz.net.au.

Domain name extensions
There are many domain name extensions, global ones like .com, .net, .org, .info and .biz; Australian domains such as .com.au, .org.au and national domains for all nations on the planet, .fr, .de, .jp, .it, etc. There are some national domains that have taken on a global significance, for instance the national domain of Tuvalu in the South Pacific, .tv, is used globally by multimedia and television companies. The .ws domain of Western Samoa is used globally as an acronym of "website".

Making use of your domain name
When you register a domain name you have control of it but you cannot yet make use of it. To create a web site or use it for email you need web hosting (we also supply this service). You can also call us for advice on how best to put your domain name to use.

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General information for .com.au names

• com.au is the most frequently used domain name ending for Australian businesses, and about 80% of all offical Australian domain names end in .com.au
  
  
• Recommended first choice for a business with a primarily Australian customer base.

• You need an ABN (Australian Business Number), ACN (Australian Company Number), BRN (state-based business registration number) or incorporation number to apply (i.e. you need to be an Australian company, registered business name or association).
  
  
• Multiple .au domain names are now allowed, so you can have as many .com.au domains as you like, provided of course that each one meets the policy requirements.
  
  
• The .com.au name(s) you apply for can be either an exact match of your business name or else a close abbreviation or acronym. In addition, you can register domains that have "close and substantial" relationship to your business. This is quite broad but can include things such as names of a product or service you provide, your profession, an event you run or sponsor, something you teach or train people in, a trademark you own, or an event you run.

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.net.au

General information for .net.au names

• Alternate domain name ending choice for Australian businesses - useful if your preferred name has already been registered in the com.au domain name space but you still wish to trade online under that name.
  
  
• Recommended in addition to com.au if you are seeking to protect your trademark, brand or service names - make sure your brand is not subject to dilution by someone else owing the net.au version of your com.au name.
  
  
• Particularly suits businesses in the I.T., computing and communications sectors, due to net.au historically being used more in these areas. Originally intended mainly for "network service providers" but now used widely by all sorts of Australian businesses. net.au still has a more technical feel to it than com.au, so is recommended particularly for "all things tech".

• Registrants must be an Australian commercial entity, i.e. a company with an ACN or entity with an ABN (Australian Business Number) or have a registered business name or trademark.
  
  

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.id.au

General information for .id.au names

• .id.au is a new ending designed specifically and only for Australian individuals.
  
  
• An .id.au domain name reflects two important qualities - being Australian and being individual.

• The applicant must be an Australian citizen or Australian resident.
  
  
• The domain you choose should be clearly based on your actual name (e.g. if your name is Joe Bloggs you can have things like joebloggs.id.au, jb.id.au, joeb.id.au, jbloggs.id.au ...)
  
  
• As an alternative to the domain itself containing your name, id.au names can also use or include any personal name by which you are known (e.g. nick-names and so on).
  
  

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.org.au

General information for .org.au names

An .org.au domain name is the best way for an Australian association or non profit organisation to be represented on the web. An .org.au domain name immediately identifies an association or organisation as being non profit and/or a charity and most importantly, Australian.

By registering an .org.au domain name, eligible associations/organisations now have the ability to register domain names for anything that pertains to their work or cause. For instance, a charity organisation may want to register their up-coming fundraiser or an awareness group may want to register a future campaign.

Using this principle Blue Charities Australia could register their general website as: www.bluecharities.org.au

They run an appeal every year so effectively they could register: www.blueshieldappeal.org.au

.org.au domain names are intended for Australian non-commercial organisations.

These domain names can only be registered by Australian non-profit organisations and registered charities. Commercial organisations and individuals are not eligible for .org.au.

The chosen domain name(s) must also meet one of the following requirements:

1. the domain name is an exact match or abbreviation of the name of the registrant’s name; or
   
   
2. the domain name has a close and substantial connection to the organisation.

Note that the "close and substantial" connection is interpretted quite broadly and can include for example the name of a program or event run by the organisation, the name of a product or service provided and so on.

Organisations can hold multiple org.au domain names, so it is easy and cost-effective to have domains for various different projects, special events, fundraisers and so on.

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.asn.au

General information for .asn.au names

• A special name ending available only to registered Australian associations, clubs, sporting groups, political parties and close equivalents.
  
  

• The applicant organisation must have an ABN (quickest and easiest), or registration or incorporation number.
  
  

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.com

General information for .com names

• By far the world's most popular domain name ending.
  
  
• Originally used by companies based in the US or companies with an multi-national presence, but now widely used by individuals and organisations around the world.
  
  
• If a reasonable portion of your business comes from overseas - or might in the future - .com can make this easier, simply because of the perception that most .com companies are big and probably based in the US.
  
  
• Added advantage of being the "default" domain name in most web browser software, i.e. if someone types in just yourcompany in their web browser, it will automatically look first for yourcompany.com.
  
  
• Because there are so many .com names registered, finding a name you want that isn't already taken can be difficult.
  
  

• None - just be the first to request and pay for a name that is still available and it's yours.
  
  

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.net

General information for .net names

• The world's second most popular domain name ending (after .com).
  
  
• Originally used by companies based in the US or companies with an multi-national presence, but now widely used by individuals and organisations around the world.
  
  
• Added advantage of being the second "default" domain name tried by most web browsers, i.e. if someone types in just yourcompany in their web browser, it will first check for yourcompany.com and if it doesn't find anything it will then try yourcompany.net.
  
  
• While there's not as many .net names registered as for .com, there's still a lot, so finding a name you want that isn't already taken can be difficult.
  
  

• None - just be the first to request and pay for a name that is still available and it's yours.

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