Illustrated Guide

Using your domain as the address of your website

Gandi provides you with three ways to make your website available via your domain name. Before you can set up your domain so that it sends users to your website, you need to choose which configuration applies to you.

1. Using URL forwarding: forwarding your domain name to a pre-existing website:
   • Advantage: easy to use. All Gandi's domaines come pre-configured for this.
   • Disadvantage: will make your domain name dissapear in the browser's address bar and be replaced by the name of the address you forwarded to. You can also not use your domain for sending e-mails.
   • When to use? For basic forwarding, or for "parking" your domain.


2. Using the DNS of your web host: most common way to link your domain to your site
   • Advantage: easy to update. Your host configures your DNS for you.
   • Disadvantage: your web host controls the configuration of your DNS. If there is a problem with your site being off-line etc. you need to contact your web host.
   • When to use? For linking your domain to a server thus allowing you to send and receive e-mails from your domain name, and conventional website use. This is the most typical configuration.


3. Using Gandi's custom DNS: allows you to have total control over your zone file
   • Advantage: highly configurable and flexible, and may be managed via your domain's control panel at Gandi.
   • Disadvantage: for experienced users only. Any syntax errors will cause your domain name "not to work", both for e-mails or for your website.
   • When to use? If your host only gives you an IP address, or tells you to make a particular "A", "MX", or "CNAME" (etc.) entry. You will also use our custom DNS if you change the URL (name) of your blog from its default name.