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How to connect my domain to external hosting? Print

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To connect your domain to an external hosting provider, you typically have two main methods: updating nameservers or creating A records and other DNS records. Here’s a step-by-step guide for both methods:

Method 1: Update Nameservers (Preferred Method)

  1. Get Nameservers from Your Hosting Provider: Most hosting providers provide nameservers like ns1.hostingprovider.com and ns2.hostingprovider.com. Check your hosting account dashboard or contact support to obtain these.

  2. Log into Your Domain Registrar Account: Go to the website where you registered your domain (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap).

  3. Find Domain Settings: Look for "My Domains" or "DNS Settings" and select the domain you want to connect.

  4. Update Nameservers: In the Nameserver settings section, replace the current nameservers with the ones provided by your hosting provider.

  5. Save Changes: Confirm and save. Changes can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate, though often it’s faster.

Method 2: Use A Record and CNAME Records (If You Prefer to Keep DNS with Your Registrar)

  1. Get the IP Address from Your Hosting Provider: In your hosting account, find the IP address for the server where your website is hosted.

  2. Log into Your Domain Registrar’s DNS Management: Go to your domain settings and find the DNS settings or "Manage DNS."

  3. Add an A Record:

    • Host/Name: Enter "@" (or leave it blank, depending on your registrar) to indicate the root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com).
    • Type: Choose "A" for the record type.
    • Value/Points to: Enter the IP address from your hosting provider.
    • TTL: Set to the default or 1 hour.
  4. Add a CNAME Record for the WWW Subdomain (Optional):

    • Host/Name: Enter "www."
    • Type: Choose "CNAME."
    • Value/Points to: Enter your root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com).
    • TTL: Set to the default.
  5. Save Changes: Save these DNS record settings. It can also take up to 24-48 hours for the DNS changes to propagate.

Which Method Should You Choose?

  • Nameservers: Best if you want to manage everything through your hosting provider.
  • A Record: Good if you want to keep your domain management with your registrar.

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