How do I set-up URL redirection?
Firstly, login to the Account Manager and select 'Manage Domains & Services'
Next select the domain name you wish to manage.
You can enable URL redirection under the 'Configure URL Redirection' link of the Domain Manager.
URL Redirection will forward your URL to an existing web site address. This is ideal for redirecting domain names to free personal ISP web hosting accounts.
Redirection Options
There are two URL redirection options to choose from:
URL Redirection
This is a standard 301 Redirect to another web site address. After a person types in your domain name, they are redirected to your target address and the target address is shown in the users browser address bar.
URL Redirect with Cloaking.
URL Redirection with Cloaking (also known as masking) allows you to redirect your URL whilst keeping your domain name active and visible in the users browser address bar. This is particularly useful if you host with a free provider and do not want your visitors to see the actual URL of your site.
As an example, if cloaking were enabled, a user would see this in the address bar:
http://www.mydomain.co.nz
Instead of this:
http://www.freehost.com/users/freehosting/index.html
Configuring URL Redirection
Enter an existing web site address into the 'Forwarding Address' box and click update. Your domain name will now redirect to this web site.
Configuring URL Redirection with Cloaking
Enter an existing web site address into the 'Forwarding Address' box.
Optionally enter a Site Title for your web site. This will show in the visitor's title bar of their web browser when they visit your domain name.
Optionally enter a Meta Description Tag and Keywords Tag. A Meta Description should be a keyword dense description of your web site. Keywords should describe your web site. These fields are sometimes used by search engines to index and rank your web site, however these have limited effect for redirected domain names.
Click update and your domain name will now redirect to your target web site, whilst keeping your domain name in the address bar.
Can't See the 'Configure URL Redirection' Link?
If you wish to use our services you will need to park your domain name with 1st Domains. NOTE: Parking your domain name will transfer the DNS for your domain name to 1st Domains and may effect services you had set-up with your previous host.
Parking your domain name
1) Login to the Account Manager and select 'Manage Domains & Services'
2) Select the domain name you wish to manage from the list
3) Click on 'Park Domain Name'
4) Turn the parking status slider to 'On' and approve the confirmation message.
5) You can now return to the domain manager, and configure your URL Redirection under the 'Configure URL Redirection' link.
NOTE: Please note that many browsers and search engines now require that redirects are made via HTTPS. Our free URL redirection service doesn't support this as we have no way currently to request an SSL certificate for your domain on our redirection server.
You may wish to consider an alternative like:
1) check with the destination host to see if they can give you some DNS records to connect the domain.
2) You can purchase hosting through 1st Domains, which comes with a free SSL certificate and then you can implement a 301 redirect from there.
