If you already have a domain name that you registered through a 3rd party such as GoDaddy.com or similar you can use it for your course website by following the instructions below.
Select your course from the My Courses screen and then click the Domain Name link from either of the two spots pointed out in the screenshot below. Both of these links take you to the configure domain name screen.
Choose the 2nd option to "Use a domain I already own" and enter it in the field. Then click the Add Domain button.
After your domain is added you'll see a table with a list of Status Checks for your domain's setup along with some instructions on how to update the nameservers for your domain.
To point the domain at your course website you'll need to sign-in to the account where you purchased the domain (i.e. at GoDaddy or wherever you registered it) and update the domain's name servers to the values given in the instructions. See the screenshot below for reference.
GoDaddy is a very popular registrar so we've included an example from their control panel. The screenshot below shows how to find the Change Nameservers button for a domain in GoDaddy.
The process to update nameservers for a domain is very similar for other registrars. We included links below to the help pages at some of the most common domain registrars.
In the GoDaddy control panel choose your domain name, select the DNS tab and then select the option to "use my own nameservers". Then copy/paste and save the 4 values given in our instructions.
Changes in GoDaddy usually take effect in just a few minutes. For other less common domain registrars it can take up to an hour or in some rare cares up to 48 hours.
Here are links to the relevant help pages at some of the most common domain registrars.
- GoDaddy - Change nameservers for a domain. In step 5 choose: Enter my own nameservers (advanced).
- Namecheap - How to Change DNS For a Domain. In step 3 choose the 'CustomDNS' option.
- Google Domains - Mange domain name servers. Follow instructions to 'Add custom name servers'
- Domain.com - How to update nameservers. Look for 'DNS & Nameservers' on the left-side menu.
- Network Solutions - How to update nameservers. Select domain and go to 'Advanced Tools > Mange > Nameservers (DNS).
After you've updated the nameservers for your domain, wait about 10 minutes and then return to your course's Domain Name screen. Click the Check for Updates button.
When your nameservers are verified the setup process will configure an SSL certificate to make your website secure. This process should only take a few minutes. You may have to click the check for updates button a few times before the setup process is fully complete.
When your domain is fully configured and activated you'll be able to click the "View Website" button pointed out in the screenshot below and view your course website live on the domain.
Please let us know if your domain name isn't fully active within a few hours of updating the nameservers.