A parked domain (also known as an alias domain) is a domain that points to your main website, displaying the same content. It’s often used to redirect additional domain names to your primary domain, helping to secure brand variations or simplify access for users. For example, if your main website is yourdomain.com, you can park yourdomain.net or yourdomain.org so that they all lead to the same site.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to park a domain using OzSpeed’s hPanel.
Step 1: Log in to hPanel #
- Visit ozspeed.com.au and log in to your hPanel Dashboard using your credentials.
- Navigate to the Domains section from the main menu.
Step 2: Add the Domain to Your Account #
Before you park the domain, you need to add it to your hosting account.
- Click on “Domains” > “Add New Domain”.
- Enter the domain name you want to park (e.g., yourdomain.net).
- Click “Add Domain”.
Tip: #
- Ensure the domain you want to park is registered and that its nameservers are pointed to OzSpeed’s nameservers (e.g., ns1.ozspeed.com.au, ns2.ozspeed.com.au).
Step 3: Park the Domain #
- In the Domains section, click on “Parked Domains”.
- Enter the domain name you want to park (e.g., yourdomain.net).
- Select the main domain you want to point it to (e.g., yourdomain.com).
- Click “Park Domain” to complete the process.
What Happens Now? #
- The parked domain (e.g., yourdomain.net) will display the same content as your primary domain (e.g., yourdomain.com).
- Visitors can access your website using either the main domain or the parked domain.
Step 4: Verify the Domain Parking #
- Open a new browser window and enter the parked domain’s URL (e.g., yourdomain.net).
- You should see your main website content displayed.
Tip: #
- DNS changes can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate globally. If the domain does not work immediately, wait for DNS propagation to complete.
Step 5: Set Up Email Forwarding (Optional) #
If you want to receive emails for the parked domain (e.g., info@yourdomain.net), you can set up email forwarding.
- Go to Email > Email Forwarding in hPanel.
- Enter the email address for the parked domain (e.g., info@yourdomain.net) and the target email (e.g., info@yourdomain.com).
- Click “Create Forwarder”.
When to Use a Parked Domain #
- Brand Protection: Secure different variations of your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.net, yourdomain.org) to prevent others from using them.
- Marketing Campaigns: Use a simpler or alternative domain for specific promotions or advertising campaigns.
- Regional Domains: Redirect country-specific domains (e.g., yourdomain.co.uk) to your main website.
How to Unpark a Domain #
If you no longer want the domain to be parked, you can unpark it easily.
- Go to Domains > Parked Domains in hPanel.
- Find the domain you want to unpark and click “Delete” next to it.
- Confirm the action to remove the parked domain.
Tip: #
- After unparking, the domain will still be registered, but it will no longer point to your main website. You can point it to a new hosting plan or leave it unused.
Additional Tips: #
- Enable SSL for Parked Domains: To ensure secure browsing, enable an SSL certificate for your parked domains in the SSL section of hPanel.
- Monitor Traffic: Use Google Analytics or the built-in analytics tool in hPanel to monitor traffic from your parked domains.
- Check DNS Settings: Verify that the parked domain’s DNS settings are configured correctly to point to your main website’s server.
