How to Choose and Purchase a Domain Name

If you want to manage your MACE car alarm activity through a Website (MACE-PWS), you will need a domain name.

A domain name is a unique web address (like “example.com“) that is used to access a website.

If you haven’t purchased a domain before, don’t worry—that part is easy. The real challenge is finding a name you like that’s available.

Hoewver, a domain name by itself is like having a phone without service–it’s not useful until it’s’ connect to a phone service. To make your domain name useful, you also need:

• A website hosting provider
• A website

Selecting a hosting provider and setting up a website (MACE-PWS) are covered in separate guides. You can find the website hosting guide here, and the website installation and setup guide here.

Choosing a Domain Name

Picking the right domain can be daunting. No matter how creative you are, chances are the name you want isn’t’ available.

Since this domain is solely for accessing information about your MACE car alarm, not for building a brand or business—you don’t need a flashy or marketable name. Instead, prioritize something short, simple, and easy to remember. Avoid terms like “car alarm” or “moms mini van alarm” that could attract unnecessary attention. Consider choosing an unrelated, neutral name.

Where to Buy a Domain Name

There are plenty of domain registration companies to choose from, nonetheless, we’ve relied exclusively on PorkBun.com since 2016.

As of March 2025, a .com domain costs around $11 per year, significantly cheaper than competitors who charge on average, $20–$30 to renewal.

Why PorkBun.com?

Although PorkBun’s domain prices have risen over the past two years (as of 2024) and they offer fewer first-year discounts, PorkBun is more competitively priced than most registrars. Uniquely, PorkBun’s second-year renewal rate is the same as the first year, unlike many registrars that impose steep price hikes upon renewal.

According to PorkBun, their markup on certain domain extensions is $1 or less, while some extensions are sold at cost. Despite this pricing model, their business remains sustainable—they have been around since 1999 and currently employ around 30 people.

Domain Name Buying Tips

Tip #1: Watch Out for Second-Year Pricing

Many registrars like GoDaddy, NameCheap, and SquareSpace (formerly Google Domains) offer cheap first-year pricing (as low as $0.01 to a $1). The catch? Renewal rates often skyrocket to $20–$30 or more. Always check renewal fees before purchasing.

Tip #2: Beware of “Free” Domains from Hosting Providers

Some website hosting providers bundle a “free” domain name with hosting. However, these “freebies” often have the highest renewal rates.

Read the fine print before committing.

Tip #3: All Registrars Sell the Same Quality Domains

All .com, .net, .org, and most TLDs (Top Level Domains) are managed by ICANN—the global domain authority. This means no registrar offers “better” domain names—only different pricing and service.

Tip #4: Specialty Domains Cost More

TLDs like like.io, .me, and .app have cheap first-year fees with high second-year renewals feew—often around $30 to $70 and higher. Be prepared for higher costs if choosing one of these extensions.

Tip #5: Enable Domain Privacy

TURN ON DOMAIN PRIVACY—or prepare for an onslaught of spam emails and phone calls.

When you register a domain, your ownership details become public information. Anyone can look up this information using a WHOIS search, which can reveal your name, address, phone number, and more.

Most domain registrars offer a privacy protection option that replaces your personal details with anonymized information. This helps protect your identity and significantly reduces—or even eliminates—spam emails and unwanted calls.

Without domain privacy turned on, expect to receive a flood of unsolicited calls and emails—often from overseas businesses—offering to build a website for you as soon as you register a domain.

Domain privacy should be free. Many registrars provide it at no cost, while others use marketing gimmicks to make it seem like a premium feature is being given away for free or for a small fee. If a registrar charges extra for domain privacy, consider using a different company.

Tip #6: Choose the Cheapest Domain

Since all registrars sell the same domains, price should be the deciding factor.. Compare first-year and renewal costs before purchasing

Next Steps

One you have purchased a domain name, follow these steps in order:

1. If you don’t have a hosting provider, refer to the Web Hosting Guidelines to choose one. This guide also explains how to connect your domain name to your hosting account.
2. Next, follow the WordPress Website Installation and Setup Guide to install and configure your website.
3. Once your website is set up, install the WordPress MACE Management Plugin.
4. For full functionality, ensure the MACE Alarm Control Unit (MACE-ACU) and the MACE LTE Cellular Network Module (MACE-LTE-CELL) modules are properly installed and configured.

Final Thoughts

Where you buy your domain doesn’t matter—it’s all about price and renewal costs. Compare rates, avoid marketing gimmicks, and always enable domain privacy to protect your information.