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Connect your Porkbun.com custom domain name

Updated

When your Porkbun custom domain name is set up correctly, yourdomain.com will load your Format site with https://www.yourdomain.com shown in the web browser address (URL) bar.

This guide uses jane-dovercourt.format.com, janedovercourt.com and yourdomain.com as EXAMPLES ONLY. You will replace these with your own unique Format Address and Custom Domain Name.

Format Domain settings

  1. Navigate to Settings
  2. Navigate to the Domain and Email panel
  3. Scroll down to the Format Address area
  4. Replace the auto-generated Format Address with your own unique Format Address. It is best to match this as closely as possible to your actual custom domain name; in this example jane-dovercourt without the .com or other .tld (top-level-domain extension)
  5. Website Domain: your website can always be accessed through your Format address (in this example https://jane-dovercourt.format.com ), even if your custom domain is not connected
  6. Click Connect Your Domain to access and enter your existing custom domain name (see screenshot below)

Add your existing Custom Domain Name

  1. Add your own domain: Add the domain name you want to use in this field. If you have previously used this domain name with another Format site, you may see an error message. If you need help with this, you can reach out to our Success Team.
  2. Follow the instructions to update your domain registrar/provider's DNS settings to connect to your Format site. You will need to log in to your domain registrar for this.
  3. Click Save Changes

Sign in to Porkbun

Once you sign in to your Porkbun account, you'll be brought to an overview page of all the domains on your Porkbun account.

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  1. Click the Details button in-line with the custom domain name you want to connect to your Format site

Access your DNS panel

Clicking the Details button in the previous step will open up a panel with many options:

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  1. Click the edit icon next to DNS Records to open up the DNS panel

External Nameservers Configured

If you have your domain's Nameservers set to an external service, like ns1.wix.com, or nsXXX.domaincontrol.com, please check with one of our Success Team before making any changes, as you may lose access to any pre-configured services like emails that are managed outside of the Porkbun control panel if the Nameservers are reset.

Add a CNAME Record

You'll need to add two custom DNS records, the first of which is a CNAME record.

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  1. Select the CNAME - Canonical name record option
  2. Input www in the Host field
  3. Input your Format address into the Answer field. Do not use our example of jane-dovercourt.format.com
  4. Set the TTL to 3600 (1 hour)
  5. Add the record

If there was an existing CNAME record on the www subdomain, you will not be able to add a second one, and will get an error message. Instead, edit the existing record, replacing the fields following the steps above.

Add an A record

You'll need to add one more custom DNS record, this time an A record.

  1. Select the A - Address record option
  2. Leave the Host field blank
  3. Input 199.181.197.21 in the Answer field
  4. Set the TTL to 3600 (1 hour)
  5. Add the record

If you already have an existing A record with a blank Host field in your DNS records list, you can instead edit the existing A record and update its values so that it matches the screenshot above.

It's possible that you may run into an error message like the one below when attempting to Add your A record:

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If you see this error message, you will need to scroll down to your domain's list of existing DNS records, and delete any CNAME or ALIAS record with a blank Host field (this will appear as yourdomain.com without any subdomain before it). Ensure that you do not delete the www CNAME record you created in the previous step.

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  1. Delete the conflicting ALIAS record
  2. Deleting the * CNAME record (if present), is also recommended

Once you've deleted any conflicting records, you can now reattempt adding the A record.

Add an AAAA record

This is the final step in connecting your domain name. Adding an AAAA record follows the same process as adding the A record in the previous step.

Once you have added a new record, you can input the following values into the record fields:

Type: AAAA
Host: leave blank
Answer: 2620:78:200f::cf:f21
TTL: 3600

Once you've added the above values to your new record, Save the record. You can now log out of Porkbun, as there are no further steps to take.

Check domain connection

Changes made in your domain registrar are not usually instant. They may take between 24 to 48 hours to fully propagate.

It is best to check your domain's connection after 1 - 2 days.

You will know that your domain connection is working when you enter yourdomain.com and your Format site loads with www.yourdomain.com in the address bar.

Be sure to check that www is visible in the address bar along with a 'secure padlock' icon.

Custom Domain Connection Confirmed

  1. Status updated to show as Connected

Your custom domain should connect within 48 hours once all Format settings and DNS records have been set correctly.

Still have questions? Reach us on our live chat or email us at info@format.com. We’re here to help!

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