How do I use domain forwarding via CNAME?

Forward your domain using a CNAME forwarding to make use of features like email accounts through your external domain host.

To connect your domain, begin by adding it to your Jimdo website. Following this, go to your domain provider to do the CNAME adjustments and to create a 301 Redirect. 

 

1. Adding your domain 

Before setting up the CNAME forwarding, make sure to add your domain to your Jimdo website first. To do this, simply follow the steps below: 

  1. Login to your Jimdo account and choose the desired website
  2. Click on Website Builder > Domains in the left menu
  3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Forward button
  4. Enter your domain and click on Next
  5. Copy the information shown under CNAME

For more information, take a look at the following help article: How do I forward a domain to my website 

 

2. Setting up the CNAME at your domain provider 

Go to your domain's provider platform and paste the information that you copied in the previous step. The CNAME forwarding should have the following structure:

www.yourdomain.xx CNAME web.jimdosite.com.

* Replace yourdomain.xx with your own domain data

 

The CNAME record should always end with a dot (.). This is added automatically with most domain providers, but verify that the dot is present and make sure that it appears as web.jimdosite.com. before saving the changes.

Example: 

CNAME-example.png

In the previous example, the target of your redirect has to be web.jimdosite.com. web.jimdosite.com is not a placeholder.

 

3. Create a 301 Redirect 

Set up a 301 redirect so that visitors can access your website if they don’t type in "www." in front of your domain name. Do it as follows (exchange the placeholders):

 

Source     : yourdomain.xx
target address : www.yourdomain.xx

 

The 301 redirect may be named differently, depending on the domain provider. For instance, it could be displayed as "domain redirect".

Important : If you have problems setting up the CNAME or 301 Redirect, please contact your domain provider's support team and provide them the information above. Our Support Teams are unable to offer assistance with external tools.

 

Notes

  • After setting up the domain forwarding, it can take up to 24 hours for the changes to take effect
  • Some providers may require a separate activation of an SSL certificate to enable access to the domain via HTTPS, and this may result in additional costs.  However, if you decide to transfer your domain to Jimdo, this service would come at no additional charge.

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