What is a Custom Domain?
When you first create an Eduqat site, it will be given an eduqat.com URL, formatted as follows: yoursite.eduqat.com. You can customize everything that appears before eduqat.com on all plans, but if you want to remove the Eduqat branding, you need a custom domain.
A custom domain is a web address that you purchase from a domain host, such as Namecheap, Bluehost, Hover, GoDaddy, etc. Eduqat does not provide domains, you will need to buy one from a third-party domain host provider. A domain usually costs around $10 per year, and you don’t need a hosting account, as Eduqat has that part covered.
If you already have your own website, then you should already own a domain. If you’re not sure where it is registered, you can use purewhois.com or lookup.icann.org to find out who your domain host is.
Once you have a domain host, you will need to log into your account with them to set up your custom domain. This is done by creating a CNAME record, which is what tells browsers where to find your site when visitors navigate to your URL.
How to Set Up a Custom Domain for Your Eduqat Site
To set up a custom domain for your Eduqat site, you need to follow these steps:
Step 1. Create a CNAME record in your domain host account
A CNAME record is a type of DNS record that maps one domain name to another. For example, you can map www.yoursite.com to yoursite.eduqat.com, so that when someone types www.yoursite.com in their browser, they will see your Eduqat site.
Each domain host will have a slightly different interface for creating a CNAME record, but the general steps are as follows:
Log into your domain host account and find the DNS settings for your domain. This may be under a page or section called something like manage domain, zone settings, zone editor, DNS zone file, or advanced DNS
Look for an option to add a new record or edit an existing one. Select CNAME as the record type.
Enter the name for your CNAME record. This must be a subdomain, which is a word that precedes your main domain name. For example, in www.yoursite.com, www is the subdomain. What you enter here will affect which URL your Eduqat site will be available at. www, learn, or courses are popular subdomain choices. This setting will often be in a field named host, hostname, or alias. Most domains will not require you to include your domain within this field. For example, you can simply add www instead of www.yoursite.com.
Enter the value for your CNAME record. This is your Eduqat site URL, which you can copy from your browser bar. It will look something like yoursite.eduqat.com. Make sure to copy the exact URL, as CNAME records can be case-sensitive. This setting will often be in a field named points to, target, or value.
If possible, set the TTL (time to live) for your CNAME record to the lowest available number, usually 3600 seconds. This is the amount of time it will take your changes to propagate. If you can’t choose a value, skip this step.
Save your CNAME record and wait for it to propagate. This can take up to 24 hours, depending on your domain host.
You can use MXToolBox CNAME lookup to check if your CNAME record has been created successfully and propagated worldwide. Just input your custom domain including subdomain, without http:// or https://, and click CNAME Lookup. If you see your Eduqat site URL in the result, your CNAME record is ready. If you see an error message, you may need to wait longer or check your DNS settings for any mistakes.
Step 2. Add your custom domain in your Eduqat settings
Once your CNAME record is in place and propagated, you need to add your custom domain in your Eduqat settings. This will tell Eduqat to recognize your custom domain and redirect your visitors to your site.
To add your custom domain in your Eduqat settings, follow these steps:
Log into your Eduqat Dashboard and go to Settings > Site Settings
Under Site URL, click Add Custom URL
In the New Custom URL field, input your custom domain including subdomain, without http:// or https://
Leave Set as Primary checked for this URL to be the only URL visible for your site
Click Save
Once your custom domain is saved successfully, you will see a green check mark next to it, indicating that it is connected and working.
Step 3. Test your custom domain and make it primary
The final step is to test your custom domain and make sure it is working properly. To do this, follow these steps:
Open a new browser tab and type your custom domain in the URL bar. You should see your Eduqat site load without any errors. If you see a 404 error page, see I Can’t Access My Eduqat Site after Adding My Custom Domain.
Check that your custom domain is set as primary in your Eduqat settings. Your primary URL is the only URL that will be visible in the browser bar when someone navigates to your site. If your custom domain is set as primary, this means that if someone typed in either your Eduqat URL (ex. mysite.eduqat.com) or your custom domain (ex. www.mysite.com), they will see your custom domain in the browser bar (ex. www.mysite.com). If your Eduqat URL is currently set as primary, you can change your custom domain to primary by clicking the three dots next to it and selecting Make Primary.
Conclusion
Setting up a custom domain for your Eduqat site is a great way to enhance your online branding and credibility. By following the steps in this article, you can easily create a custom domain for your site and access it with a web address that you own and control. If you have any questions or issues, feel free to contact us at [email protected].
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about custom domains for Eduqat sites:
How much does a custom domain cost?
A custom domain is a web address that you purchase from a domain host, such as Namecheap, Bluehost, Hover, GoDaddy, etc. Eduqat does not provide domains, you will need to buy one from a third-party domain host provider. A domain usually costs around $10 per year, and you don’t need a hosting account, as Eduqat has that part covered.
How long does it take to set up a custom domain?
Setting up a custom domain for your Eduqat site involves two steps: creating a CNAME record in your domain host account and adding your custom domain in your Eduqat settings. The first step can take up to 24 hours to propagate, depending on your domain host. The second step can be done in a few minutes. You can use MXToolBox CNAME lookup to check if your CNAME record has been created successfully and propagated worldwide.
What is a CNAME record and why do I need it?
A CNAME record is a type of DNS record that maps one domain name to another. For example, you can map www.yoursite.com to yoursite.eduqat.com, so that when someone types www.yoursite.com in their browser, they will see your Eduqat site. You need a CNAME record to connect your custom domain to your Eduqat site and remove the Eduqat branding from your site URL