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Configuring a CNAME Record for Domain Mapping
Before setting up domain mapping in your Printfection account, you need to configure a CNAME record at your registrar. After you set up a CNAME record at your registrar, you then configure the Domain Mapping feature inside your Printfection account. This article describes how to setup a CNAME record at your registrar. Setting Up Domain Mapping describes the overall process of domain mapping, including how to configure domain mapping inside your Printfection account.
What is a CNAME Record?
A CNAME Record is a domain alias. It points a host name to another host name. We use a CNAME record to point your domain to our servers.
Printfection offers domain mapping via a CNAME Record because it’s the easiest way to point your Printfection store to your own domain, and it doesn’t require intimate knowledge of DNS Settings. The only thing you need to know is the URL of our domain mapping servers, store.printfection.com
Finding out if your registrar supports domain mapping
In order to setup domain mapping, your registrar must support modifying the CNAME Record. To find out if your registrar supports this, you can search their knowledge base/ help area, search google, or send them an email similar to the example below. If your registrar does not support modifying the CNAME Record, you will not be able to configure domain mapping. We recommend tranferring your domain name to a different registrar that does support CNAME modifications, such as GoDaddy.com
Example Email to Registrar
I’m using Printfection (http://www.printfection.com) to host my online merchandise store. Printfection supports a feature called domain mapping, where my domain can be pointed at their servers. In order to use this feature, my registrar must support custom DNS services. I need control over the DNS records for my domain, specifically the ability to create and modify A, MX, and CNAME records. Do you offer such a service? Please send me details as to how it works and how I can turn it on for my account.
Modifying the CNAME Record
1. Find your DNS management area
Your registrar’s documentation (knowledge base, support center, etc) should explain how to manage and modify DNS records including the CNAME record. If you can’t find this information on their website, consider sending them an email as described above. If you’re not sure what to look for, try to find something similar to: Advanced DNS, Custom DNS, Host Management, or DNS Management.
2. Find the CNAME records
Some registrars have different areas for different types of DNS records so each can be modified separately. In this case, look for the area called something like: CNAME Records, Aliases, or Host Aliases.
Other registrars have a single area for managing DNS records. Typically you select the type of record from a drop-down menu. Make sure to select CNAME as the type.
3. Set up your CNAME record for domain mapping
There will usually be two fields where you can enter information for the CNAME record. These may be called: (1) Alias and Point to or Other Host; (2) Host Name and URL; or (3) Name and Value.
Most of the time, you should enter www for the first field (Alias, Host Name, Name, etc). If you are mapping a subdomain like store.example.com then you would enter store instead of www. Pay attention to any special instructions your registrar may have for this field.
For the second field (Point to, Other Host, URL, Value, etc) enter store.printfection.com making sure to *NOT* include http:// at the beginning and making sure to *NOT* include your store URL after store.printfection.com
If you want to point your domain name to a specific store within your Printfection account, this is handled within Printfection, *NOT* at your registrar. You should always enter store.printfection.com no matter which store you want to point your domain to.
Some registrars may require you to enter store.printfection.com in a certain way, such as adding a dot at the end, so look carefully for any instructions on the page about doing this. After you’ve entered the information for your CNAME record, save your changes.
Waiting for the DNS changes to propagate
It usually takes 24-48 hours for the DNS change you made to propagate across the internet. The changes must propagate before you configure domain mapping in your Printfection account.
