How to Configure a Domain Name Within a DecoNetwork Website

Configuring a custom domain name allows you to use a web address you own (for example, www.yourbrand.com) instead of a default DecoNetwork URL. This guide explains how to point your domain to a DecoNetwork website, secure it with an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate, and optionally configure global subdomains for networks of sites.

In this article

• Prerequisites
• Why configure a custom domain
• Step 1: Configure a custom domain for a single website
• Step 2: Add an SSL certificate
• Step 3: Configure global store subdomains (Premium & Enterprise)
• Step 4: Enable SSL for global subdomains
• Best-practice tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional resources

Prerequisites

Why configure a custom domain

• Use a professional, branded URL instead of a default DecoNetwork address.
• Ensure your website is secure with HTTPS using a free SSL certificate.
• Redirect multiple domains to a single website so visitors always reach the correct site.
• Create cleaner, branded URLs for affiliate or campaign sites (Premium & Enterprise).

Step 1: Configure a custom domain for a single website

1. Log in to your domain registrar and open the DNS settings for the domain you want to use.
2. Update or create an A record:
   • Host / Name: @
   • Value / IP address: Use the IP address provided in the DecoNetwork help article.
   • TTL (Time-to-live): Set to a low value (for example, 600 seconds) if available.
3. Update or create a CNAME record:
   • Host / Name: www
   • Value: Use the CNAME value provided by DecoNetwork.
   • TTL: Set to a low value (for example, 600 seconds).
4. Save your DNS changes. Domain propagation can be instantaneous or may take longer depending on the registrar.
5. In DecoNetwork, go to Websites → Select your website → Domain Settings.
6. Add your domain twice:
   • Once without www (for example, example.com).
   • Once with www (for example, www.example.com).
7. Choose one version as the Primary domain and enable Redirect to primary so all visitors are sent to the same URL.

Step 2: Add an SSL certificate

After adding your domain, you must secure it with an SSL certificate.

1. In Domain Settings, request an SSL certificate for both the www and non-www versions.
2. DecoNetwork provides a free SSL certificate.
3. Wait up to 10 minutes for the certificate to deploy.

Step 3: Configure global store subdomains (Premium & Enterprise)

If you are on the Premium or Enterprise plan and manage a network of sites, you can use your own domain as the suffix for all new websites.

1. Go to Websites → Global Website Settings → Global Store Subdomains.
2. Add the domain you want to use as a suffix (for example, yourbrand.com).
3. In your domain registrar’s DNS settings, add an additional A record:
   • Host / Name: * (asterisk)
   • Value / IP address: Same IP address used for the main domain.
   • TTL: Set to a low value (for example, 600 seconds).
4. Save the record and return to DecoNetwork to confirm the domain is valid.

This allows new sites to be created with URLs like teamname.yourbrand.com instead of a default DecoNetwork suffix.

Step 4: Enable SSL for global subdomains

To ensure every new subdomain is secure, you must configure a wildcard SSL certificate.

1. In Global Store Subdomains, open the SSL section.
2. Create a CNAME record in your domain registrar using the host name and value provided by DecoNetwork.
3. Save the DNS record.
4. Back in DecoNetwork, request the free wildcard SSL certificate.
5. Wait up to 10 minutes for deployment.

Best-practice tips

• Always add both www and non-www versions of a domain and redirect to a single primary URL.
• Use a low TTL when testing DNS changes to reduce waiting time.
• Keep a list of all domains you own and redirect unused ones to your primary site to avoid broken links.

Troubleshooting

• Domain not validating: Double-check that the A and CNAME records match the values provided by DecoNetwork.
• SSL status stuck on pending: Wait at least 10 minutes and refresh. DNS propagation can take longer with some registrars.
• Invalid DNS record error: Check for extra spaces or periods in the record value.

FAQs

• Can I add multiple domains to one website?
  Yes. You can add and redirect multiple domains so they all point to the same site.
• Does adding multiple domains improve SEO?
  No. This setup is for convenience and redirection, not search engine ranking.
• Do I need technical knowledge to do this?
  No. You only need to copy the DNS values provided by DecoNetwork into your registrar.

Additional resources

• Set a custom domain name for your DecoNetwork affiliate store
• Custom website domain DNS Records
• SSL Certificate