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How to Setup Domain Pointers - Domain Management


Note:Before you proceed, please make sure that you have an active domain associated with your account. You can add one by purchasing a domain or transferring an existing domain. Please see the articles below for the detailed steps:

It is also important to know where your files are located. It will be useful for the next procedures.

Pro Tip: Protect your domain and personal information with Domain Privacy + Protection. It’s the fast, easy, and affordable way to keep competitors, salespeople, and thieves from accessing your domain and personal information.


Once you have an active domain (or if you already have an active domain) associated with your account, please follow the steps below:

Updating Domain Pointers

  1. Log in to your Domains Dashboard.
    Login to your Domains Dashboard
  2. Verify if you are on card view by clicking the Card View icon on the upper right.
    Verify if you are on card view on the upper right
  3. Click the Manage button of the domain where you'd like to set up domain pointers.
    Select your domain
  4. On the left sidebar, click on Pointers & Subdomains.
    Pointers & Subdomains

Pointer Types

Home     Subdirectory     URL Standard     URL Stealth     Park


Home Directory - This setting causes your domain to point to the main directory of your hosting account. This pointer type is best when there are no other domain names on file, and the website files are placed in the home directory.

  • Once you are in Pointers & Subdomains page, on the Pointer Type, select Home then hit Save. It will automatically point the domain to Home Directory. Most of the time the /public_html/ or "/" are used for denoting the Root Folder.
    Home
Subdirectory- This setting allows you to designate a specific sub-directory for your domain to be pointed to. This pointer type is recommended if there are multiple folders and domain names in your Hosting Account.
  • First, You have to know the name of the folder where the file is located. You can check it by going into Hosting Dashboard.
    Login to your Hosting Dashboard
  • On the left pane, select File Manager.
    Click on File Manager
  • Inside the root directory, locate where your file is and note the folder name. Note: Default folder names are in relation with the builder, used and the name of the domain e.g. wb_ is for Website Builder, w_ is for Weebly and wp_ for WordPress. In this case, the builder used is Website Builder, and the user has changed the folder name.
    Subdirectory
  • Then go back to Pointers & Subdomain page and write down the folder name in the given field, then hit Save.
    Folder name in Pointers and Subdomains
URL Standard - This setting allows you to designate an outside URL address to point your domain. Any incoming traffic to this domain will redirect to the designated URL. The URL in your visitor's address bar will change from your domain to the appointed URL. 
  • In the Pointers & Subdomain page, select the Pointer Type as URL Standard and place the full URL of the website you would like your visitors to be redirected. Make sure to hit Save.
    Place your full URL for URL Standard
URL Stealth - This setting behaves exactly like the URL Standard. However, when redirecting to the new URL, visitors will see your domain in their address bar.
  • Go to the Pointers & Subdomain page, select the Pointer Type as URL Stealth and place the full URL of the website you would like your visitors to be redirected. Make sure to hit Save.
    Select the full URL for URL Stealth
Park - This setting points your domain to a generic 'parked' page. This parked page has an 'Under Construction' notice as well as various links generated by a third party (the links generally hold some relevance to your domain name). This will not delete your website files.
  • In the Pointers & Subdomain page, select the Pointer Type as Park then hit Save.
    Select pointer type as Park
NOTE: If you wish to discontinue redirecting your domain to an outside URL, please switch to either Home Directory or Park page pointer types instead. Updating the Domain Pointer takes effect instantaneously. 

Other Terminologies

  • Root directory - is the directory at the highest level of a hierarchy. The topmost folder in the directory
  • Home Directory - is the directory or folder where the user can store all their personal information, files, login scripts, and user information
  • URL address - is the address of a website

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