First, what is a Custom Domain?
A Custom Domain is a uniquely branded name attached to your website’s IP address - in this case, your own Beacons page! So instead of beacons.ai/yourusername, its anything you want!
You have a couple options for custom domains here with Beacons! You can acquire a domain through us (whom uses name.com), purchase a domain through a domain provider (like Google or GoDaddy), or link your existing domain or subdomain with us! Let me show you all of these options 🙂
Acquiring your domain through us!
On Beacons, you can instantly claim and link a domain to your page once you upgrade to the paid subscription plan.
a) Click on Site Settings
b) Search for your desired domain (one with your own personal flair… like wowilovebeacons.page) to see if your favored name is available.
Please check the domain- yes, the spelling- as well as the annual renewal fee before you grab it since renewal fees tend to be higher than the initial registration fees (by using our toggle stating “auto-renew”!)
c) And just like that! You have yourself a shiny new domain for your Beacons page! No need to do anything on your part - here at Beacons, we help you with all of the difficult leg work and manage this domain for you!
Setting up your existing domain to your Beacons page
If you have an existing domain you’d like to link, edit your DNS records to help direct your domain to your Beacons Page! Let me help 🙂
Now, what ARE DNS records?
DNS, or Domain Name System, records are instructions that live in DNS servers and provide information about a domain including what IP address is associated with that domain and how to handle requests for them.
You can think of a set of DNS records like a business listing. That listing will give you a bunch of useful information about a business such as their location, hours, services offered, etc. All domains are required to have at least a few essential DNS records for a user to be able to access their website using a domain name, and there are several optional records that serve additional purposes.
To set up your domain to your Beacons page, you will be referring to the A and AAAA Records.
Acquire a domain.
If you don't already own a domain, purchase a domain from a domain site!
In your DNS settings, set the following. It helps to copy and paste these values in. Some domain providers may use different names for these values. Check out the screenshots below for some examples of what it should look like.
Set an A record with:
Name of
@IPv4 address of
213.188.192.2Don't worry about TTL, you can leave it alone
Set an AAAA record with:
Name of
@IPv6 address of
2a09:8280:1:9032:60eb:1797:5542:d0dbDon't worry about TTL, you can leave it alone
Enter your custom domain in your account settings. Don't include the https:// part, only enter the mywebsite.com part. And then click submit!
Now we wait for the information you just entered to be sent across the internet and around the world. If you see the error in the screenshot below during this period, it's very normal as we setup the security of your custom domain. This setup typically takes 30 minutes but may take up to 48 hours. If it's been longer than 48 hours and things still aren't working, please contact us!
You can click the "Check status" button for real-time updates and information of your custom domain.
Two examples of setting an A record:
Google domains:
Cloudflare:
Two examples of setting an AAAA record:
Google domains:
Cloudflare:
An error message similar to this one is expected for up to 48 hours after you setup your custom domain:
Setting up a subdomain
Setting up a sub-domain means that you want to use something like bio.mywebsite.com or omg.ilovebeacons.com for an existing mywebsite.com or ilovebeacons.com. Here, I’ll go over how to set this up 🙂
This will only work with another domain site. If you don't already own a domain, you may acquire one from a domain site (we suggest google domains, as they are pretty user friendly). If you already have a domain, great! Let’s go!
Acquire a domain.
If you don't already own a domain, purchase a domain from a domain site!
In your DNS settings, set the following.
Set CNAME with:
Name as the subdomain you want. For example, if you want bio.mywebsite.com then set Name as
bioIf you want page.mywebsite.com then set Name aspageDomain name (may be called Target) of
beacons.fly.dev
Enter your custom domain in your account settings. Don't include the https:// part, only enter the bio.mywebsite.com part. And then click submit!
Now we wait for the information you just entered to be sent across the internet and around the world. If you see the error in the screenshot below during this period, it's very normal as we setup the security of your custom domain. This setup typically takes 30 minutes but may take up to 48 hours. If it's been longer than 48 hours and things still aren't working, please contact us!
You can click the "Check status" button for real-time updates and information of your custom domain.
Two examples of setting a CNAME:
Google domains:
An error message similar to this one is expected for up to 48 hours after you setup your custom domain:
FAQ
Will my website be secured?
Yes! We setup and provide HTTPS automatically for your domain so that your visitors will always know that their privacy is protected with the lock icon 🔒 in the address bar. Advanced users: We provide the SSL certificate so if you already provide your own and run into errors, you should use the one that we issue.
Should I use a domain or a subdomain?
If you own mywebsite.com and don't have anything there yet, like your blog or shop, then we suggest using your domain! On the other hand, if mywebsite.com already points to something like your Wordpress, Blogger, or Shopify, then we suggest using a subdomain like bio.mywebsite.com or links.website.com so that you can use both websites at the same time.
Do you have a specific guide for other domain sites?
If you are transferring from Shopify, Wix, GoDaddy, 1-1-ionos, Namecheap, Hover, or Hostgator, please visit our help center or find these links down below in the descriptions!
If you have any questions, please contact our customer support
team by emailing support@beacons.ai.