A question about domain names
 

This is a little question that I have about domain names. I know that a domain name is basically just the same thing as the server IP address. Instead of using the IP address, you use the domain name, because it's easier. Right???

But the question is, where does these domain names are stored in the internet? When you type a domain name in the browser, where does the browser look up for the name? Because I've seen many people running web servers at their homes, but they pay for the domain name in another web site. Why is this? Why can't you just host your own domain name just like hosting you'r own files?

Inshort, you have to register the name, you can't just simply take one. When you lookup a domain name, it first looks at the registrar and your registrar then has your particular DNS information you've provided that points to your webserver.

ICANN controls domain names and numbers, etc.

http://www.icann.org

There are many registrars to choose from. The first ever and at once the only one was www.networksolutions.com to my knowledge.

That's what the Domain Name Service (DNS) is for.

When the browser starts loading a page after you entered an address it asks the DNS server provided by your provider or the one you have set up manually, for an IP for the domain you entered.

Each toplevel (com, org, net, us, de, info .... ) domain has their own so-called root server where the root of all domains are stored. Usual DNS Servers from internet providers mirror this information. That's why it takes a little time to get to a website shortly after they have changed the provider.

You just can't do that on your own because you don't own the internet ;) Imagine if every 1337 hacker would host their webspace under "morpheus.matrix" or something like that. It wouldn't work.