How do I choose a registrar through which to set up a domain name? (and other similar questions)

[Bitzer]

The domain name I want is free and I want to get up and register it while it remains that way but:
(a) I've no idea whether there certain registrars are better than other/what the pros and cons are
(b) it seems quite cheap but the lease is only for 2 years, is there a risk of a sudden price hike when I want to renew? And do I just have to live with that risk or is there a way to prevent it?

Thanks v much

Oh, and also, what happens after I've registered the domain name e.g. say I want to use WordPress, how do I do that and link it to the domain name I've set up? This may all be very obvious once I've done it but I don't want to pay for a domain name and then find I can't use it the way I want to...

I don't have much experience, but since nobody else has answered so far...

I ended up going to United Domains, and for the life of me I can't remember how or why. I've not had any cause to complain so far - they send me an electronic bill just before the yearly fee is due, they have a competent telephone hotline service, and the fee has not increased in the five years or so since I joined. That doesn't mean it won't be increased at some point, but I think a radical increase would go down badly with other customers. Occasionally they have special offers for certain domains, eg when .eu first came out it was cheap for a year to get people interested, but that it was an introductory offer was made pretty clear at the time.

I suspect a lot of these providers are much of a muchness, though.

I found the linking to my website pretty straightforward (the UD website has very specific instructions), and I'm by no means a technical geek. I also use a basic e-mail package and managed to link my company e-mail address back to my inbox from their server.

My DH and I run our own web design company and we've always used 123-reg and never had any problems. I think .co.uk is about £7 something for 2 years and has always been that sort of price for as long as I can remember. It is the .com which can be more dear and I think my DH uses godaddy.com for them as they may be cheaper (or he had a special offer!)

As for pointing at hosting - that's his department but I think you get the details from your hosting company and then login to the control panel of 123 reg and input the details under "nameservers" but I would have to check with him ..he does all that side of the work..I just do the coding!

Not sure who's best at the moment sorry, but would say - if you do this again - decide on who you want to use to buy your domain through and then check the name. Then get it straight away if it's free.

I've done this a couple of times before twigging - there seem to be people out there monitoring the domain checkers because you check, it's free and then you go back a few hours or days later - and somebody has bought it but is willing to sell it to you.... It's very very annoying!

FIngers crossed yours won't have gone -- if it hasn't snap it up asap!

A belated thank you for your answers folks. I ended up going with fasthosts (though 123-reg also looked good futurity) - and so far it seems to have worked out fine, I also got a hosting package from them and the phone support has been v good.