The DNS Host Is Crucial For A Custom Domain
When you setup your Google Custom Domain, the instruction for the DNS setup is rather basic.
Add one or more "CNAME" records. Point "www.mydomain.com", and / or "mydomain.com", to "ghs.google.com".
Unfortunately, all DNS hosts don't provide "CNAME" referral (to "ghs.google.com"); some only allow for conventional "A" definition (to a single, fixed IP address).
And of those hosts that do support the former
Point "www.mydomain.com" to "ghs.google.com".not all can support the latter
Point "mydomain.com" to "ghs.google.com".
If StartLogic is your DNS Host, you're out of luck. See the note in the top panel?
Primary domains (domain.com) can only be routed to a valid IP address.
StartLogic only allows direction of the primary domain ("root") to an IP address ("A" referral), not to a host ("CNAME" referral).
Yet the ability to refer the primary domain is the key to successful use of the Custom Domain, as many bloggers find out. Some bloggers have, in the past, tried various workarounds like domain forwarding, which is simply not a good idea. It's possible that a server based 301 Redirect, setup properly, may accomplish this for the primary domain, if used as the secondary URL for the blog. It won't substitute for a "CNAME" referral for the "www" alias (or another alias of your choice), when used as the primary URL for the blog, though.
If you don't see any instructions in the documentation provided by your DNS Host, maybe you should contact technical support. Generally when you pay for service, and in many cases when you don't (such as with Blogger), there is a technical support staff somewhere. In many cases, a cooperative and knowledgeable support staff is another essential here.
There is no substitute for a correctly setup CNAME referral, at least for an alias in your domain. If your DNS host won't support the latter, or a server based 301 Redirect, you need a better registrar. You have two and a half alternatives now.
- Stay with this registrar, and use another DNS host, such as ZoneEdit.
- Transfer the domain to another registrar, such as one of the two Blogger partner registrars.
- If your primary URL is setup, and pointing to a domain alias, and the problem is simply not being able to use the primary domain for the secondary URL, maybe you can refer the primary domain through Google Apps.
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12 comments:
do i have to do anything with the A host ip address????? the people at go daddy said i might need to change this to get it to work. do you know what i would change it to?
steve
Steve,
With GoDaddy Total DNS Control, you have 2 lists - "A" and "CNAME". The "A" list needs to be empty, and the "CNAME" for the "www" alias needs to be at the top of the "CNAME" list.
That's how my two domains are setup.
i have this domain www.sexonocinema.com
how to redirect sexonocinema.com to www.sexonocinema
Wilson,
You have to have either an explicit "CNAME" for "sexonocinema.com", or an implied one.
Right now, it looks like you have an "A" record referring "sexonocinema.com" to "208.109.181.91". That won't work.
C:\>ping sexonocinema.com
Pinging sexonocinema.com [208.109.181.91] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 208.109.181.91: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=56
Reply from 208.109.181.91: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=56
Reply from 208.109.181.91: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=56
Reply from 208.109.181.91: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=56
Ping statistics for 208.109.181.91:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 35ms, Maximum = 37ms, Average = 36ms
C:\>ping www.sexonocinema.com
Pinging ghs.l.google.com [66.249.81.121] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 66.249.81.121: bytes=32 time=70ms TTL=246
Reply from 66.249.81.121: bytes=32 time=73ms TTL=246
Reply from 66.249.81.121: bytes=32 time=75ms TTL=246
Reply from 66.249.81.121: bytes=32 time=70ms TTL=246
Ping statistics for 66.249.81.121:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 70ms, Maximum = 75ms, Average = 72ms
hi,
Could this be explained ? i didnt get this right.
With GoDaddy Total DNS Control, you have 2 lists - "A" and "CNAME". The "A" list needs to be empty, and the "CNAME" for the "www" alias needs to be at the top of the "CNAME" list.
That's how my two domains are setup.
Regards,
Jacob.
Jacob,
What you're describing sounds right. What domain and what BlogSpot blog are we looking at?
Thanks chuck !
The answer is make a new record, with only "." !
Proverb, i have a godaddy registration, and you only need create a record with "."
Wilson,
Using the "." is syntactically, and technically, correct. But, it's not consistent for all GoDaddy DNS servers, nor can you find a GoDaddy person to explain this. I believe that customers of other DNS hosting services have experienced the same inconsistency.
Have deleted A records in Godaddy. wayzata.blogspot.com works, cannot get it to work at www.wayzata.com.
Any suggestions or advice?
Dan,
Have you posted already in GBH: How Do I?, and I missed the post? If so, my apologies. But the online forums are much easier to use, then Blogger Blog Commenting, for interactive problem solving.
Hi Chuck,
I have not posted there, but searched for answers for some time. Don't see anything as compelling or informational as what I see at your blog.
Dan,
I'm flattered. But neither "compelling" nor "informational" are the issues. It's simply easier to conduct a 2 way conversation using the forums, which will help us solve your problem quicker.
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