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Connect your Dreamhost custom domain name

Updated

Connect your custom Dreamhost domain name using DNS records.

When your Domain.com custom domain name is set up correctly yourdomain.com will display your Format site with https://www.yourdomain.com showing 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

Failed Connection

  1. Failed Connections happen when the correct connection settings have not been set, or propagated (updated) from your domain registrar
  2. BEFORE you click the File a help request link, ensure you have completed the remaining steps in this guide

Sign in to Dreamhost

  1. Manage Websites: navigate to the Manage Websites tab under Websites in the menu sidebar
  2. Manage: locate the domain name you want to connect to your Format site, then click Manage

Set domain name settings to DNS Only

Once you click Manage in the previous step, you'll be brought to the following page:

  1. Settings: after clicking Manage in the previous setting, you'll be redirected to your domain's Settings tab
  2. Set to DNS Only: Under Non-Hosting Options, click Set to DNS Only. Your domain needs to be set to DNS Only in order for you to be able to add the necessary DNS records, and ensure there are no conflicting records present

Add custom DNS records

You'll need to navigate to your domain's DNS tab now, so that you can add one custom CNAME record and one custom A record:

  1. CNAME: from within the record type selector, navigate to the CNAME record option
  2. Add: click Add, which will bring up a new dialogue box
  1. Host: type www in the Host field
  2. Points to: type your Format address in the Points To field. The address shown in the above screenshot is an example only, you should add your own site's Format address
  3. Add Record: click Add Record once you've double-checked that the record values you added are correct

Once you add this record, it will take some time to propagate. While it is propagating you can proceed with adding an A record. From the same record type selector where you chose CNAME, this time you'll choose A.

  1. Host: leave this field blank
  2. Points to: copy and paste 174.129.25.170 into this field
  3. Add Record: click add record once you've double-checked that the record value you've added is correct

View new custom DNS records

Once you've added both of these new records, you should now see that these records appear in your domain name's DNS tab:

  1. New A record
  2. New CNAME record

Please note: Dreamhost is typically slow when it comes to DNS propagation. You may see a progress meter on the DNS page after adding these new records. Please keep in mind that even when this progress meter reaches completion, it may still take up to 24 hours for these records to fully propagate globally.

Check domain connection

Changes made in your Domain.com account are not usually instant. They may take up to 48 hours to fully propagate and connect.

It is best to check your connection after one to two 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.

Please note: Format does not provide an SSL on your root domain (your domain name minus the www.). As such, your site will not load at https://yourdomain.com. Your site will still be accessible from the following URLs:

yourdomain.com
www.yourdomain.com
http://yourdomain.com
http://www.yourdomain.com
https://www.yourdomain.com

As well, your site will always be accessible via its Format address.

Custom domain connection confirmed

  1. Status updated to show as Connected

Your custom domain should connect within 48 hours once all settings here and within the Dreamhost DNS tab 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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