How to Change the Domain Name of a phpBB Forum

What is phpBB?

phpBB is a free program for running a discussion forum. It stores the forum's web address in its settings. If that address is wrong, links, images and emails from the forum can break.

Before you start

Careful: a wrong setting can lock you out of the forum. Take a backup of your files and database first.

Also make sure the new domain already opens your forum files. Point the domain to your hosting account first.

Method 1: Use the admin panel

1. Open your forum and log in as an administrator.
2. Click Administration Control Panel at the bottom of the page.
3. Click the General tab.
4. In the left menu, under Server configuration, click Server settings.
5. Find Domain name. Type the new domain, for example www.newdomain.com.
6. Check Script path. It is the folder where the forum lives. Use / if the forum is in the main folder, or /forum if it is in a folder.
7. Click Submit.
8. Go to Cookie settings in the same menu. Set Cookie domain to the new domain, with a dot in front such as .newdomain.com.
9. Click Submit.

Method 2: If you cannot log in

If the old domain no longer works, edit the settings in the database.

1. Open cPanel from your client area.
2. Open phpMyAdmin. This is a tool to view and edit databases.
3. Choose your forum database on the left.
4. Open the table phpbb_config. The first part of the name may differ.
5. Find the rows named server_name and cookie_domain.
6. Click Edit on each and put the new domain in the config_value field.
7. Click Go to save.

Finish up

1. Clear the forum cache. In the admin panel, go to the General tab and click Purge the cache.
2. Test login, links and images.

Quick recap

• Change Domain name in Server settings.
• Update the cookie domain too.
• Use phpMyAdmin if you are locked out.
• Purge the cache and test.