This article details how to point a domain to Finalsite, including creating the A record and the CNAME record in the domain registrar's DNS management interface.
💡 Quick answers
-
What two DNS records are needed to point a domain to Finalsite? An A record (pointing the base domain, e.g.,
yourschool.org, to Finalsite's server IP address) and a CNAME record (connecting the domain to the specific Finalsite site). - Where are DNS records created? In the domain registrar's DNS management interface (e.g., GoDaddy, Network Solutions, Name.com). Domain registrar accounts are managed by the school.
- Who provides the Finalsite IP address for the A record? Finalsite Support. Contact Support to look up the correct IP address for the site's A record.
- Who purchases and manages domain names? The school. Finalsite hosts the site's content and software, and domain names are the property of the school, purchased and managed through a registrar of the school's choice.
In this article
Domain Name Service (DNS) is a system that allows computers to use human-readable addresses, like www.finalsite.com, and translate those into the IP addresses (i.e. 192.168.1.1) that a network needs to actually navigate to that site. For a primer on DNS, watch the YouTube video DNS as Fast as Possible.
Name servers: Registering a domain includes specifying the name server that holds the DNS records for that domain, including the A and CNAME records described below. A browser asks that name server where the site lives before it connects to Finalsite. If the name server is offline or misconfigured, the site is unreachable even though Finalsite's servers are running. To tell whether this is happening, see Site not loading or showing errors: How to troubleshoot.
1. Purchase the domain name
A domain name for the site (i.e. yourschool.org) is purchased from a registrar. While Finalsite hosts the contents and software for the site, the domain name is the property of the school, so the school purchases and manages it.
Common registrars include:
Once a domain name is purchased, it can be set up to point to the Finalsite site.
2. Configure domain settings
Two records created in the DNS settings point the domain to the site: an A record, which points the base domain to Finalsite servers, and a CNAME record, which connects the domain to the specific site. The table shows an example of each, plus the CNAME record used for a subdomain.
| Record type | Host name | Points to | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| A record |
yourschool.org (base domain, without www) |
The IP address provided by Finalsite Support | Points the base domain to Finalsite servers |
| CNAME record | www.yourschool.org |
yourschool.finalsite.com |
Connects the domain to the specific site |
| CNAME record for a subdomain | admissions.yourschool.org |
yourschool.finalsite.com |
Directs a subdomain to the site; a Finalsite Support ticket sets the landing page |
Create an A record
To point the name to Finalsite, create an A record for the base domain, without the www or anything else preceding it. For example, for the address http://www.yourschool.org, the A record is created for yourschool.org. The A record points to an IP address that Finalsite provides. Contact Finalsite Support to look up the address.
Here is a step-by-step instruction set for updating A records in Network Solutions. For a different registrar, see the registrar's help center for instructions on performing this action.
Create a CNAME record
While the A record connects the domain name with Finalsite servers, the CNAME record (also known as a Host Alias) connects the name to the specific site.
Set up a CNAME record that connects the www subdomain to [school's keyword].finalsite.com. The table above shows an example.
If the site's keyword is unknown, contact Finalsite Support.
Here is a step-by-step instruction set for updating CNAME records in Network Solutions. For a different registrar, see the registrar's help center for instructions on performing this action.
⚠️ Important Note
DNS settings take time to propagate throughout the Internet. Changes can take anywhere from 1-48 hours to take effect, usually around 2 hours in many cases. After a DNS change, allow time for the update to take effect.
Subdomains
A subdomain breaks down a domain with additional prefixes, replacing the www. portion of the domain. For example, admissions.yourschool.org is a subdomain of yourschool.org. Subdomains can be directed to specific pages on the site, so admissions.yourschool.org can go directly to the Admissions page.
To set up a subdomain, set up a CNAME record for the prefix and point it to [keyword].finalsite.com, like the base domain. The table above shows an example.
Once the CNAME is created, create a ticket with Finalsite Support. Include the subdomain and the page it should land on. Finalsite takes care of the steps on its end to get that set up. (This involves creating a new Domain in Composer, which Finalsite admins handle.)