CNAME/Custom hostname with 1&1 question...

Free Range Otter

Hi all,

I am trying to follow the instructions at this page but have a question. I registered four similar domain names at 1&1. One I consider my "main" page and the others are variations of that. For three of the pages, I can switch the domain from DNS to CNAME if I want to, but for the "main" domain the option is not even available to me. The Domain Data screen shows me the Domain Name, the link for DNS Check (same as the screenshot in the linked instructions) but no radial buttons for DNS or CNAME.

The other difference I see between that domain and the other three is that the Destination for the other three all say "Web space (/.)" whereas the "main" one says "Web space (/wsb5427...)" with a long number after the wsb. When I select that domain the Destination menu is grayed out, so I can't edit that.

I'm not very technical and I've been trying to figure out how to fix this.

DrDavid

1&1 doesn't do proper DNS.. You'll want to transfer to GoDaddy or something similar. Sorry.

If it's a new domain, you won't be able to transfer it right away.. BUT.. you WILL be able to transfer the nameservers to somewhere else. Trouble is, it's not super-easy.. Sorry for the bad news.

Free Range Otter

DrDavid wrote:

1&1 doesn't do proper DNS.. You'll want to transfer to GoDaddy or something similar. Sorry.

If it's a new domain, you won't be able to transfer it right away.. BUT.. you WILL be able to transfer the nameservers to somewhere else. Trouble is, it's not super-easy.. Sorry for the bad news.

Dang, I was really hoping that wasn't the answer. I think when I signed up for 1and1 I signed a contract that goes through July. I checked the cancellation screen for 1and1 just in case that was the answer and that's what it looked like to me... I'd hate to keep paying 1and1 each month while also paying GoDaddy.

Andy

We have some tricks, I think - please write our Support Heroes ATTN: Doc, and let us help you directly from the help desk. Thanks!

docwalker

Sadly, my trick for 1and1 is to transfer to a new host. As David indicated, they do not do proper DNS. They do have some convoluted way of setting up an htaccess file on their end to forward the A record traffic to the CNAMEd version of the domain. I have not had any luck setting that up so I no longer recommend that.

The other problem is that if you use one version, (I cannot remember if its the CNAME or the A record) it kills your email. They are the only domain host that I know of that do that. There is no reason why you could not have email with CNAME and A records. All other domain hosts do that correctly using MX records.

In the long run you will be happier with your domain at a host that allows you full control over the DNS.

circlemgraphics

Free Range Otter wrote:

Hi all,

I am trying to follow the instructions at this page but have a question. I registered four similar domain names at 1&1. One I consider my "main" page and the others are variations of that. For three of the pages, I can switch the domain from DNS to CNAME if I want to, but for the "main" domain the option is not even available to me. The Domain Data screen shows me the Domain Name, the link for DNS Check (same as the screenshot in the linked instructions) but no radial buttons for DNS or CNAME.

The other difference I see between that domain and the other three is that the Destination for the other three all say "Web space (/.)" whereas the "main" one says "Web space (/wsb5427...)" with a long number after the wsb. When I select that domain the Destination menu is grayed out, so I can't edit that.

I'm not very technical and I've been trying to figure out how to fix this.

Another 1&1 + smugmugger here, try this.

Probably the reason your domain is pointed to a folder called wsb23432.... is because it appears you might had set it up to use their "WebsiteBuilder". If you're wanting to point your domain towards the smugmug and not use websitebuilder. Go into the WebsiteBuilder tab of your control panel and see if there is a way to delete a project. Doing so should point you back to the root and give you DNS control.

circlemgraphics

docwalker wrote:

Sadly, my trick for 1and1 is to transfer to a new host. As David indicated, they do not do proper DNS. They do have some convoluted way of setting up an htaccess file on their end to forward the A record traffic to the CNAMEd version of the domain. I have not had any luck setting that up so I no longer recommend that.

The other problem is that if you use one version, (I cannot remember if its the CNAME or the A record) it kills your email. They are the only domain host that I know of that do that. There is no reason why you could not have email with CNAME and A records. All other domain hosts do that correctly using MX records.

In the long run you will be happier with your domain at a host that allows you full control over the DNS.

doc,

1&1 + smugmugger here and this is what I've ran into. With 1&1, editing the *CNAME* record will disable your email. A records and MX records can be edited separately. Here is a scenario, and maybe you can shed light into how it actually worked. I'm still perplexed.

DISCLAIMER: I know it is totally unorthodox, but it worked.

Our company started out with two sites. www.circlemgraphics.com and circlem.smugmug.com. To make the smugmug site easier for people to remember, we edited the CNAME of photos.circlemgraphics.com to point to domains.smugmug.com. Everything works PERFECTLY. Since CNAME of top-level domain circlemgraphics.com was NOT edited, email still worked.

Fast-forward a couple of months, we have moved to strictly photography. Now we want the top-level domain to point to smugmug account but NEED to keep our email. Editing the CNAME of the top-level will kill the email. In a last ditch effort to circumvent this, I tried just pointing the A record to domains.smugmug.com IP address. Viola, it worked. I still have email AND it points to smugmug account. On a sidenote, it actually says photos.circlemgraphics.com (which is what is set for external domain in the Smugmug Control Panel) when you visit www.circlemgraphics.com. All in all, it still works and I have email.

Can you explain this?

DrDavid

Ultimately, no matter what you do, you can NOT do proper DNS with 1&1. That's pretty much just the final word.. If you want to do custom hostnames correctly, with an A, CNAME and also have MX records working, SPF, etc.. you just simply can't use 1&1. They suck. Sorry.

If you're unable to change your registrar to something like better like WolfSnapDomains.com, SmugMugDomains.com or GoDaddy.com, etc.. I can help. Basically, I can host your DNS on my servers (and do the work needed to make it work)--but, there is a cost. Sorry.