Domain vs Hosting vs Website
Published
People use the words domain, hosting and website as if they are the same thing. They are not.
Domain: This is the name people type to reach you. Example: metrolux.net. A domain by itself does nothing, it is just a name that needs to point somewhere.
Hosting: This is the computer (server) that is online 24/7 so anyone on the internet can access your site. If you only have your website files on your own computer, the link will show as "localhost", and as you might guess, localhost is only local to your computer, so other people can't access it.
Website: This is the actual content. Your pages, images, scripts, forms, and any logic behind them. These files live on the hosting server.
How it works together: Someone types your domain, DNS translates it into an IP address, the browser connects to that IP (your hosting), and the hosting serves your website files.
What do you pay for? Domains cost money because you are renting that name from a registrar. Hosting costs money because you are renting server resources (storage, bandwidth, CPU/RAM, maintenance). Website design can cost money because someone has to build the site, not because the internet charges you to "have a website".
Quick checklist when your site is "down":
1) Did the domain expire? (common issue)
2) Did DNS records change or get deleted?
3) Is the hosting server down, or the plan got suspended?
4) Did the website code break after an update?
Bottom line
A domain is the address, hosting is the server, and the website is the content. If you know which one is failing, you can fix issues faster and avoid paying for random "addons" you don't need.