How To Add a Custom CNAME DNS Record in NameCheap Dashboard

Introduction

A CNAME (Canonical Name) record is a type of DNS record that allows you to alias one domain name to another. For example, you can use a CNAME record to point your subdomain www.example.com to your main domain example.com.

CNAME records are very useful for setting up subdomains and aliasing domain names. In this article, we will walk through how to add a custom CNAME record in the NameCheap dashboard.

Prerequisites

Before you can add a CNAME record, make sure you have:

• A domain name registered with NameCheap
• Access to the NameCheap dashboard

If you don’t have a domain with NameCheap yet, you can purchase one easily from their website.

Step 1: Log Into NameCheap Dashboard

First, log into your NameCheap account and access the dashboard. You can do this by going to the NameCheap homepage and clicking “Login” at the top right.

Once logged in, you will see the dashboard with a menu on the left side.

Step 2: Click “Domain List”

From the left sidebar menu, click on “Domain List”. This will show you a list of all the domains you have registered with NameCheap.

Step 3: Click “Manage” Next to Your Domain

Find the domain you want to add the CNAME record to and click the “Manage” button on the right side. This will take you to the domain management page.

Step 4: Go to “Advanced DNS” Tab

On the domain management page, click on the tab that says “Advanced DNS”. This tab allows you to manage the DNS records for your domain.

Step 5: Add a New CNAME Record

Under the “Host Records” section, click the button that says “Add New Record”. A form will appear that allows you to add a new DNS record.

Step 6: Fill in CNAME Record Details

From the dropdown select “CNAME Record” as the record type.

Then fill in the following details:

• Host: Enter the subdomain you want to alias here, e.g. “www” or “blog”. Do not include your domain.
• Value/Answer: Enter the domain you want to alias TO here, e.g “example.com”.
• TTL: You can leave this as automatic.

Step 7: Save Changes

Once you have filled in the details, click “Save All Changes” at the bottom to save the new CNAME record.

It may take some time (up to 24 hours) for the changes to propagate. After that your new subdomain should point to the domain you aliased it to.

Common Examples of Using CNAME Records

Here are some of the most common ways that CNAME records are used:

1. Alias www Subdomain

One of the most common uses of CNAME records is to alias your www subdomain to your root domain.

For example:

Host: www
Value/Answer: example.com

This would make www.example.com point to example.com

2. Point to a Third Party Domain

You can also point your subdomain to a completely different domain name. For example:

Host: blog
Value/Answer: blog.wordpress.com

This would make blog.example.com point to blog.wordpress.com

3. Alias Subdomains

You can use CNAME records to alias one subdomain to another.

For example:

Host: shop 
Value/Answer: store.example.com

Would make shop.example.com point to store.example.com

Tips for Using CNAME Records

Here are some tips to keep in mind when using CNAME records:

• You cannot use a CNAME record on the root/apex domain (example.com), only on subdomains.
• Delete any existing A records for subdomains you alias with a CNAME.
• Use a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) in the value, e.g. example.com instead of just example.
• CNAME records take precedence over other record types.

Conclusion

That covers the basics of how to add a custom CNAME record in the NameCheap dashboard. CNAME records provide an easy way to alias subdomains without having to manage multiple A records.

Some common use cases include pointing your www subdomain to the root domain, aliasing subdomains, and pointing subdomains to third party services.

Just remember the limitations with CNAME records and the steps to add them in the NameCheap control panel. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!