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Setting Up Your Domain

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If you registered your domain name with HostGator, your domains are automatically configured to point to the new DNS setup. If you are migrating an existing website to a new hosting account, the DNS change needs to happen after the site's content has been moved over, not before. This is so that site visitors can continue to see the website while it is being migrated. When starting a new site, the DNS needs to be changed first so people can see the new site sooner. The steps you need to follow depend on where you bought your domain:

  • Domains Purchased from HostGator ⤵
  • Domains Purchased from Another Registrar ⤵
  • Connect your Domain to your Website, Email, or Hosting Plan ⤵
  • Map your Domains to your Websites ⤵
  • Accessing your account after configuring your domain ⤵
  • Managing your domains ⤵

Important Note: Once your name servers have been updated, there will be 24-48 hours of DNS propagation time, during which your website and email may not be available.

Domains Purchased from HostGator​

While domains registered with HostGator are automatically configured to point to the new HostGator DNS setup, you can still update your name servers or DNS records. Please visit the following article for more information.

  • How to Change Name Servers with Other Registrars to Point to HostGator

Domains Purchased from Another Registrar​

If you purchased your domain from a different registrar, you might be interested in transferring it to HostGator to keep management of both your domain and your hosting in the same place. For information about transferring your domain, please see our following article:

  • How Can I Transfer My Domain to You?

If you do not wish to transfer over your domain to us, you can still point your domain to HostGator by adding it as an addon domain to your HostGator control panel. There are several steps you need to take before you can use your domain to host your website or emails here at HostGator. Please visit the following article to learn how to add your domain as an addon domain.

  • How do I Create and Remove an Addon Domain?

Here are some articles that can guide you in pointing your domain to different registrars. Please note that the steps may have changed, and HostGator cannot guarantee their accuracy. These are generic guides intended to help you navigate your registrar's control panel.

  • 1&1
  • Bluehost
  • Domain.com
  • Enom.com
  • FastDomain
  • GoDaddy
  • Hover
  • LaunchPad
  • Name.com
  • Network Solutions
  • Public Domain Registry (PDR)
  • Register.com
  • Registry Rocket (Enom Resellers)
  • Tucows
  • Wild West Domains

Connect your Domain to your Website, Email, or Hosting Plan​

Your domain is vital to your online identity, whether you use it for your website, email, or both. This guide shows how to link your domain to a website, email, and hosting plan, turning it into a powerful online hub.

  • How to Connect Your Domain to Website, Email, and Hosting

Map your Domains to your Websites​

Domain mapping allows you to link multiple domain names to your website, creating a strategic network for improved user experience and SEO benefits. HostGator provides tools to enhance your hosting experience, and the upgraded Customer Portal allows you to connect your domain(s) and manage their DNS records efficiently.

  • Customer Portal - How to Map Domains to Websites

Accessing your Account after Configuring your Domain​

After the domain name has been propagated to the correct DNS records and server, you will be able to use domain-based URLs to access the various parts of the hosting account. cPanel URL To access the cPanel on a hosting account, please refer to the following article:

  • How to Log into cPanel

Webmail URL To access webmail for a hosting account, please refer to the following article:

  • How to Log into Webmail

Website URL To access your website, simply use the domain name. It should look like the following:

The yourdomain.tld should be the actual domain name you purchased, such as hostgator.com , etc. If you have not purchased a domain name, then your hosting account will not work correctly. In order to purchase a domain, please go to your Customer Portal or to our front-of-site https://www.hostgator.com/domains or contact our Support team via phone or chat for assistance.

Managing your Domains​

Here are some of the basic functions you can do with your domain name.

  • How to Register a Domain Name with HostGator - Trying to register a new domain? We can definitely help you with the process!
  • How Do I Renew My Domain Name? - Time to renew your domain? Take a peek at this guide.
  • How Can I Transfer My Domain to HostGator? - Using your Customer Portal, you have the option to transfer your domain to us anytime.
  • How to Update WHOIS Information - Want to update your domain's personal or business contact information? Good thinking! You can definitely do so within your Customer Portal. Please check out this article for the instructions.

Please check out the article Using the Domains Tab in Your Customer Portal for a quick walk through of the Customer Portal's Domains tab. For a consolidated guide about domain management, visit our Managing Domains - HostGator article. You may also check our Knowledgebase if you're looking for other domain-specific topics!