Setup a Domain You Purchased Elsewhere
If you already own a domain that you purchased somewhere else, you're welcome to use this domain with your site. This is a straightforward, but potentially confusing task, so if you don't already own the domain we recommend that you register it through our service since we automatically set everything up for you.
Connecting an outside domain to your site requires that you change the DNS records to point the domain's "www" and "*" / "@" A-Records to our 199.34.228.100 IP Address. This looks something like the example below:
Connecting an outside domain to your site requires that you change the DNS records to point the domain's "www" and "*" / "@" A-Records to our 199.34.228.100 IP Address. This looks something like the example below:
Make sense? If you're nodding your head, go make these changes and then assign the domain to your site in our editor. But, if you're shaking your head and feeling a bit confused, please continue on.
The first step is to log in to your account with your domain registrar. We have specific instructions for two of the largest registrars. Follow the links below if you use one of them:
The first step is to log in to your account with your domain registrar. We have specific instructions for two of the largest registrars. Follow the links below if you use one of them:
For all other providers, continue reading.
First, the easiest way to point your domain here is to ask your registrar to do it for you. Just send them this email:
I have created a website with Weebly and need to point my domain to their 199.34.228.100 IP Address. Can you either set this up for me or provide me with instructions on how to make the necessary changes? I need to create A-Records for "www" and for "*" or "@". If you need more info on these changes, please see:
http://kb.weebly.com/domain-registrar.html
Note that I want to keep using you as my domain registrar. I am not requesting a transfer and do not have new name servers.
Thanks!
If you'd rather give it a go yourself, though, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Let's look at that example image from earlier again.
First, the easiest way to point your domain here is to ask your registrar to do it for you. Just send them this email:
I have created a website with Weebly and need to point my domain to their 199.34.228.100 IP Address. Can you either set this up for me or provide me with instructions on how to make the necessary changes? I need to create A-Records for "www" and for "*" or "@". If you need more info on these changes, please see:
http://kb.weebly.com/domain-registrar.html
Note that I want to keep using you as my domain registrar. I am not requesting a transfer and do not have new name servers.
Thanks!
If you'd rather give it a go yourself, though, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Let's look at that example image from earlier again.
When you point a domain here to use with your site, you're working with three pieces of information:
That's all fairly straight forward. Where it becomes complicated is that each of the dozens and dozens of registrars have their own interface - an interface which has often been setup in the most user unfriendly way that you can imagine.
But most of them have placed the records you need to change under a section called Edit DNS Records (or some variation of that). Start by trying to find this section of your account.
Can't find it? Please email your registrar the example email noted above. We won't be able to help you find it as we have no way to see your domain account.
Found it? Great, continue on!
You should see something like this (except there's a good chance it'll be even more jumbled):
- The Hostname (i.e. the "www" and "@" records)
- The Record Type (i.e. the type of record is an A-Record. There are other types you can often select as we can see above, but you always want to use A-Record.)
- The Address (i.e. our 199.34.228.100 IP Address, which is the one you should always use.)
That's all fairly straight forward. Where it becomes complicated is that each of the dozens and dozens of registrars have their own interface - an interface which has often been setup in the most user unfriendly way that you can imagine.
But most of them have placed the records you need to change under a section called Edit DNS Records (or some variation of that). Start by trying to find this section of your account.
Can't find it? Please email your registrar the example email noted above. We won't be able to help you find it as we have no way to see your domain account.
Found it? Great, continue on!
You should see something like this (except there's a good chance it'll be even more jumbled):
There are a five records in use on this page and a bunch of blank records. All you care about - and all you need to change - are the records relating to www, @ and *.
Just make sure each of those records is an A-Record and pointed to the 199.34.228.100 IP.
Keep in mind that that your registrar may may not have three settings for www, @ and *. They may only have two: one for www and then one of the others. This works just as well.
Once you've made the changes, make sure to assign the domain to your site in our editor. Click here to see a help article that shows how to do that.
Note that it can take your registrar up to 48 hours to update their servers with a change like this one. It usually doesn't take more than a few hours, but this is something to keep in mind. Nothing is happening on our end when you point a domain here (it's either pointed here correctly and it works, or it is pointed here incorrectly and it doesn't), so we can't speed the process up.
If you've pointed the domain here and things don't seem to be working right, take a look at this help article.
Also, it never hurts to ask for your registrar's help. The change we're asking for is the kind of request they get from other web hosts all day long. So they would be able to make these changes for you with their eyes closed.
Once you've made the changes, make sure to assign the domain to your site in our editor. Click here to see a help article that shows how to do that.
Note that it can take your registrar up to 48 hours to update their servers with a change like this one. It usually doesn't take more than a few hours, but this is something to keep in mind. Nothing is happening on our end when you point a domain here (it's either pointed here correctly and it works, or it is pointed here incorrectly and it doesn't), so we can't speed the process up.
If you've pointed the domain here and things don't seem to be working right, take a look at this help article.
Also, it never hurts to ask for your registrar's help. The change we're asking for is the kind of request they get from other web hosts all day long. So they would be able to make these changes for you with their eyes closed.
