Knowledge Base

Adding an addon domain to your website hosting

Adding an addon domain to your website hosting allows you to host multiple domains under the same hosting account. Here's how you can add an addon domain, step by step:

1. Log In to Your Hosting Control Panel

Most hosting providers (e.g., cPanel, Plesk, or a custom control panel) offer a domain management section.

• Access your hosting provider’s dashboard.
• Navigate to the control panel interface (e.g., cPanel).

2. Find the "Addon Domains" Section

• In cPanel: Look for the Domains section, then click on Addon Domains.
• Look for terms like Domain Management, Website Management, or Add Domain in other control panels.

3. Enter the Domain Details

• New Domain Name: Enter the domain name you want to add (e.g., example2.com).
• Subdomain/FTP Username: Most systems automatically create a subdomain for the addon domain. You can leave the default or customize it.
• Document Root: Specify the folder where the addon domain’s files will be stored. Typically, this is something like /public_html/example2.com. If not auto-filled, enter a unique folder name for your addon domain.

4. Update the Domain's DNS Settings

To make the addon domain work with your hosting provider:

1. Go to your domain registrar’s control panel (where the domain was purchased).
2. Update the Nameservers to point to your hosting provider’s nameservers. For example:
   • ns1.yourhost.com
   • ns2.yourhost.com
3. Alternatively, if you don't want to change the nameservers, set up an A Record to point to your hosting server's IP address.

5. Verify the Domain

Once the DNS changes propagate (usually within a few minutes to a few hours):

• The addon domain will be linked to your hosting account.
• You can upload files for the addon domain to its document root directory.

6. Configure the Website

Upload your website files for the addon domain into the folder specified as its Document Root.

• cPanel Users: Upload the files using the File Manager or FTP client.
• CMS Installation: If you're installing a CMS like WordPress, run the installer for the addon domain by navigating to http://example2.com in your browser.

7. Test the Addon Domain

Once everything is set up:

• Visit the addon domain (e.g., http://example2.com) in a browser.
• It should display either the default web page or the content you uploaded.

Common Use Cases for Addon Domains

• Hosting multiple websites under one hosting account.
• Creating staging environments or test sites.
• Managing related domains (e.g., variations of the same brand).

With these steps, your addon domain should be fully functional and ready to host its own website.