Changing Custom Domain - Issues to Consider?

NostalgicDad

I plan on making a change to a new custom domain soon. My current custom domain will remain fowarded to ddbimages.smugmug.com with my host, though. Will existing links containing that remain intact or will they break once adding the new domain on smugmug? My assumption is that they will break completely but still wanted to ask the experts. Is there any easy or logical way of going about this that I might not be thinking of?

docwalker

Danny,
I would recommend against forwarding the domain to your SmugMug URL. Setup the new domain correctly using the CNAME and A record instructions we have posted. Then forward the old domain to the new one. Do not use masking. That is the safest method that I have found. Old links will probably break.

If you are using forwarding, I am surprised that you have not had issues yet. I highly recommend that you do not use forwarding to send a domain to your SmugMug site. If you turn on masking, you will have problems. I have other tips here that may help. http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Multiple+Domains

--Doc

NostalgicDad

Doc.....I think I may have misspoke when I said I currently forward my custom domain to smugmug. I set this up quite a long time ago and before godaddy revamped their user interface. I just double-checked and I do have an A record and the CNAME is set to domains.smugmug.com. So, if I understand you correctly, I will set up the new domain with godaddy as I have the current one set up with A Record/CNAME, then change the old domain to forwarding to the new domain without masking.

I looked over your Wiki help info and the redirect page. A couple of questions on that......
1) Is it necessary to make that html redirect page or will I be alright without it based on what we've discussed about the CNAME, etc?
2) Not sure if you can answer this but should I have the ability to create that redirect page somewhere in my existing godaddy account?