How to Configure Domain Redirection and DNS Settings for CraftedStays Properties
Proper domain management ensures your property domains redirect effectively to the correct pages on CraftedStays or consolidate traffic under one primary domain. Below is a guide to help you configure these settings.
Redirecting Custom Domains to Specific Pages
To redirect individual property domains to their respective CraftedStays pages, follow these steps:
Obtain Property-Specific URLs Retrieve the unique URL for each property from your CraftedStays account (e.g.,
https://yourcraftedstayssite.com/property/example).
-Go to Properties
-Click View
-Copy the full URL in the browser
Access Domain Settings in Registrar If you're using Namecheap as your registrar, perform the following: - Log in to your Namecheap account. - Navigate to the domain management dashboard.
Set Up a URL Redirect Configure a permanent (301) redirect so the domain points to the property page: - Go to the 'Advanced DNS' settings of the specific domain. - Delete any existing
AorCNAMErecords that may conflict with the redirect. - Add a new record: - Type: URL Redirect Record - Value: Direct the domain to your property page (e.g.,https://yourcraftedstayssite.com/property/example).
Save and Verify Save your changes and verify the redirection is functioning after propagation.
Note: No additional DNS records (e.g., A, AAAA, CNAME) are required for basic URL redirection. Ensure there are no conflicting entries in your DNS settings.For example, if an A record points to an old IP address, it should be removed to avoid conflicts. Verify the redirection from multiple devices and browsers to ensure it is functioning as expected.
Setting a Primary Domain and Redirecting Secondary Domains
If you have multiple domains and want to unify traffic under one primary domain, here is the process:
Define Your Primary Domain Connect this domain to your CraftedStays account following the platform’s instructions.
Configure Secondary Domains for Forwarding In your domain registrar’s settings: - Select the secondary domains. - Set up forwarding or redirection to point all traffic to the primary domain (URL Redirect Record type).
This allows users accessing your secondary domains to be immediately directed to the main site.
Additional Tips
For Namecheap users, refer to Namecheap's URL Redirect Setup Guide for specific instructions.
For Godaddy users, refer to Forward my GoDaddy domain for instructions.
Redirection changes may take a few minutes to propagate. Test periodically. If HTTPS redirection is essential, consider using a third-party domain forwarding service that supports HTTPS or setting up custom web hosting to manage the redirect with HTTPS enabled.
Ensure that both 'www' and non-'www' traffic are redirected correctly by verifying and adjusting DNS records in your registrar's dashboard.
FAQs
Can I use these methods with other domain registrars?
Yes, the process is conceptually the same. Refer to your registrar’s support documentation for the exact steps.
Is it necessary to delete A or CNAME records for forwarding?
Yes, conflicting DNS records can lead to redirection issues. To avoid this, please ensure that any conflicting records are removed when adding a URL Redirect record. Specifically, this involves removing the A and CNAME records for both the www and non-www versions of the website.Additionally, ensure that the URL Redirect record is the only active record for the domain to prevent conflicts. Test the redirection after making changes to confirm it resolves correctly.
Why does my domain work with 'www' but not without it?
This issue may arise due to improper DNS settings. Verify that both 'www' and non-'www' traffic are redirected correctly in your domain registrar's dashboard. Adjust DNS records as needed to handle both HTTP and HTTPS traffic effectively.