User Guide

Userguide V5

Managing Domains > Bought Elsewhere > Step 2 > NetFirms

NetFirms

There are two big steps to take

Informing HotDoodle about the new domain. See how to do this.
Pointing the domain to HotDoodle

If your domain is registered with GoDaddy, here are the steps to cause your domain to reference towards your HotDoodle site.

Note: NetFirms might change their interface, so these screen shots are simply an example.

Log into your account. Click on the Domains Manager shortcut and then click on the domain you which to point to your HotDoodle site.

Next, there are two ways to keep the name servers up to date

The Easy Way: Use the HotDoodle name servers and we will update these records automatically to work with your site and email.
The Hard Way: Use the name server of the company that sold you the domain and update the Cname, Aname, and MX records by hand.

We strongly encourage the easy way. Besides simplicity, one key advantage is that if we ever need to move to a different internet address we will make the changes automatically.

Doing it the Easy Way: Use HotDoodle Nameservers

Do Not Use Forwarding

There will be an obvious and easy to use screen to set up domain "forwarding" -- do NOT use it, domain forwarding is a last resort that does not work well and is useful only for those who cannot get the domain to really reference where it should.

Setting the HotDoodle Name Servers

Instead, click the "DNS" link.

Now you can set the nameservers.

The values you want are:

n1.hotdoodle.com
n2.hotdoodle.com

Click the OK button and the task of pointing the domain to your Hotoodle site is done!

You Are Done!
(Do not do any of the steps shown below)

Doing It the Hard Way: Adjusting Their Records by Hand

We strongly recommend that you do NOT do things this way and that you use the easy way shown above instead. However, if you insist on using this companies' name servers, here is what you would set.

Do NOT do any of this if you have done things the easy way.
Stop, go home, you are done with the domain side of things!
(But you still have to tell HotDoodle about the domain. See the "Telling HotDoodle" page.)

Finding Your Site's IP Address

At the bottom of the Config Domains screen is a message such as the following:
This site is hosted on 198.66.xxx.xxx
The address you find there is the address you will use in the next step.

Adjusting your Domain Records: You will now be in a domain record edit screen. Adjust your screen to look like the following.

Note that you need to enter your site's IP address found by the above procedure
Note: this is not what you see in the pictures

Save and Wait

It takes time for the change to take effect in the internet. We have seen times range from 20 minutes to 1 day although the internet standard allows up to 4 days for such a change.