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How to Connect Your Custom Domain to Your Wander Site (Manual DNS Instructions)

This article provides the manual instructions for connecting a custom domain (like yourbrand.com) to your Wander Site, which is often required for registrars like GoDaddy or Namecheap that have limitations on CNAME records.

Updated over 2 months ago

Preferred Method: Always try the automated "Connect" flow in the Wander Dashboard first. These manual steps are for troubleshooting or for providers where the automated connection fails.

Step 1: Locate the CNAME Target Destination

Before logging into your registrar, you need the unique CNAME target for your site.

  1. Log in to your Wander Dashboard.

  2. Navigate to Site Settings.

  3. Locate the specific CNAME target (it will look something like [your-project].pages.dev).

Keep this address handy; you will use it in Step 2.

Step 2: Update DNS Records at Your Registrar

Log in to your domain provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.) and navigate to the DNS Management or Advanced DNS section.

A. Cleanup

  • Delete any existing A records or CNAME records for the @ (root) and www entries.

B. Add New Records

Add the following three records exactly as shown below. This setup uses our partner, Entri, to handle the root domain connection because many registrars do not allow CNAME records on the root.

Type

Name / Host

Value / Target

TTL

Purpose

A

@ (Root)

13.248.221.243

Default / 1 Hour

Wander Load Balancer 1 (Entri Proxy)

A

@ (Root)

76.223.74.74

Default / 1 Hour

Wander Load Balancer 2 (Entri Proxy)

CNAME

www

[your-project].pages.dev

Default / 1 Hour

Points www directly to the Wander Site. (Use your specific target from Step 1)

Step 3: Setup Domain Forwarding (Recommended)

While the A records often handle the root domain resolution, some registrars require an explicit forwarding rule for a clean user experience. This ensures anyone typing just example.com is smoothly redirected to https://www.example.com.

  • For GoDaddy: Look for the Domain Forwarding option. Ensure it is set up to redirect http://[domain.com] to https://www.[domain.com].


Troubleshooting

Why are there A Records for the Root Domain (@)?

  • Root Domain (@): GoDaddy and many other registrars do not allow CNAME records on the root domain. We use the two specified A Records to point your root domain to our Entri reverse proxy, which then resolves your site.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue

Cause & Solution

Domain is not loading after setup.

DNS Propagation: DNS changes can take up to 24-48 hours to fully update across the internet, though they often resolve within minutes.

Site loads but shows a "Not Secure" warning.

SSL Provisioning: The SSL certificate (managed automatically by Entri/Cloudflare) may still be provisioning. Check again in an hour.

Cannot edit DNS or records are locked.

Domain Parking/Website Builder: Ensure you have removed any "Parking" or "Website Builder" products associated with the domain in your registrar's dashboard, as these often lock or override the DNS records.

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