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How to Point Your Domain to Namecheap

This guide shows you how to make a domain open a website hosted at Namecheap. You can change nameservers or edit the A record.

Domains and DNS2 min read11 steps

What does "point a domain" mean?

A domain is your website's address. DNS is like a phone book for the internet. It turns that address into a number that computers understand. Pointing a domain means telling the phone book to send visitors to Namecheap's servers.

Namecheap sells domains and hosting. Use this guide when your domain is managed in a Hostvento account, or elsewhere, and your site is on Namecheap hosting.

Before you start

  • Find the nameservers and server IP address in your Namecheap hosting welcome email or account. An IP address is the number address of a server.
  • Copy them exactly. Do not guess.
  • Save your current DNS records. A wrong change can break your site or email.

Method 1: change nameservers

Nameservers are the computers that answer questions about your domain. This gives Namecheap control of your DNS.

  1. Log in where the domain is registered. For a Hostvento domain, use https://secure.hostvento.com/clientarea.php.
  2. Click Domains and then My Domains.
  3. Choose the domain. Open Management Tools and then Nameservers.
  4. Pick custom nameservers.
  5. Enter the Namecheap hosting nameservers.
  6. Click Change Nameservers.

Method 2: edit the A record

Use this to keep email or other services in their current place. An A record points a name to a number address.

  1. Open the DNS zone editor where your nameservers currently point.
  2. Find the A record with host @. It stands for the bare domain.
  3. Change its value to the IP address of your Namecheap hosting.
  4. Make the www record a CNAME to your bare domain. A CNAME record points one name to another name.
  5. Save.

Add the domain in Namecheap hosting

Your hosting must also know the domain. Inside your Namecheap hosting panel (cPanel), add the domain as an addon domain. Pick the folder for its files.

Tip: Changes take time to spread. This is called propagation. It may take minutes, or up to a day or more.

Need help? Open a ticket at https://secure.hostvento.com/submitticket.php.

Quick recap

  • Get nameservers or an IP from Namecheap.
  • Change nameservers, or edit the A record.
  • Add the domain in the hosting panel.
  • Wait for propagation, then test.