Removing Custom Hostname

skylab · June 6, 2011

I started using SmugMug with a custom hostname (http://photography.everywhereconnection.com). I'd like to actually remove it and just have normal smugmug address. I have multiple blogs and websites and would prefer not to link it to any one website. The problem is that I've already used many of the pictures in blog posts and some images have been linked in other peoples blogs. What could I do to delete the custom hostname but not break the images that have been linked?

Thanks,
Mike

jfriend · June 6, 2011

If you have used the custom hostname in the other blog posts, then you're kind of stuck. You have to keep the custom hostname installed in order to keep those images working.

richpepp · June 6, 2011

If everywhereconnection.com is yours as well and you have access to the .htaccess file for it this you may be able to add a RewriteRule to that file to make that redirection for you. I'm not exactly sure of the format in your case as it depends on the number of images that you have already linked. If there are only a small handful then you could use a rewriterule for each incoming URL. If there are more then you will need to be smarter. I use a similar trick to pick up debris from a site move that we made but it isn't exactly the same as yours so I can't give you an example to copy

The key thing though is to make sure you add [R=301,L] to the end to tell search engines that it is a permanent redirect.

If you do a web search for htaccess rewriterule you will find lots of info.

Good luck

Rich

EDIT: I should have course have said that this only applies if your main site is Apache based. The point being that it should technically be possible to do what you want but you might not really want to go through the hassle involved.

Removing Custom Hostname

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