How to link an external domain to an LWS hosting or mail service

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Do you own a domain name with another provider and want to use it with an LWS service?
You can do this without necessarily transferring the domain to LWS. Simply change its DNS configuration so that it points to your web hosting, your e-mails, or all of your LWS services.

This help article gives you [PERSON_NAME] possible options: use the LWS DNS servers or modify only certain DNS records at your current provider.

Choose the right method

Before modifying [PERSON_NAME], choose the method best suited to your situation.

If you want to manage the domain’s entire DNS zone from LWS, use the LWS DNS servers. This method lets you centralize management of the site, e-mails, and other DNS records in your LWS customer area.

If you only want to connect a specific service to LWS, for example the website or e-mails, keep the current DNS servers and modify only the required DNS records at your provider.

Before you begin

Make sure you have access to the interface of the provider where the domain is currently managed. This is where you will need to modify the DNS servers or DNS records.

Before pointing the domain to LWS, also make sure the relevant LWS service is ready:

• if you want to display a website, the site files must be present on the LWS hosting account;
• if you want to use [ADDRESS] e-mails, the required e-mail addresses must [PERSON_NAME] ;
• if you want to keep certain services with the former provider, their DNS records should be noted before making any changes.

Method 1: use the LWS DNS servers

This method consists of replacing the domain’s current DNS servers with those of LWS. Once the change is made, the domain’s DNS zone will be managed from your LWS customer area.

1. Retrieve the LWS DNS servers

The LWS DNS servers are listed in the confirmation email received when the service was ordered.

[PERSON_NAME] the email is no longer available, you can retrieve the information from your customer area.

Log in to your LWS customer area, then open the management page for the relevant service.

They usually appear in the following form:

ns1.lws-hosting.biz
ns2.lws-hosting.biz
ns3.lwsdns.com
ns4.lwsdns.com

The exact DNS servers may vary depending on your plan. Always use the values indicated in your customer area or in the email associated with your service.

2. Change the DNS servers at your provider

Log in to the interface of the provider where the domain is registered.

Look for the section related to DNS servers. Depending on the provider, it may be called DNS Servers, Nameservers, Domain DNS, DNS Management, or DNS Delegation.

Replace the current DNS servers with the LWS [ADDRESS] DNS servers, then validate the change.

3. Wait for DNS propagation

After validation, the change is not always visible immediately. Internet service providers and DNS servers may temporarily keep the old configuration.

Method 2: modify only the DNS records

This method keeps the DNS zone with your current provider while directing only certain services to LWS.

It is useful if you want, for example:

• to display only your site hosted at LWS;
• to use only LWS e-mails;
• to keep other services active with your current provider.

Link the website to LWS hosting

To display your LWS site with your external domain, you need to modify the DNS record that points to the web server.

In your LWS customer area, retrieve the IP address of your hosting. [PERSON_NAME] indicated in the DNS Zone section.

At your current provider, open the DNS zone for the domain, [PERSON_NAME] an A type record. [ADDRESS] support service if you need help.

[PERSON_NAME] :

Name: @
Type: A
Value: IP address of your LWS hosting

To make the address with www work as well, also check the www record.

Depending on your provider’s configuration, it may be:

Name: www
Type: CNAME
Value: your-domain.fr

or:

Name: www
Type: A
Value: IP address of your LWS hosting

Replace your-domain.fr and the IP address with the values corresponding to your domain and hosting.

Link the e-mails to LWS

To use LWS e-mails with your external domain, you need to modify the domain’s MX records.

In your LWS customer area, retrieve the MX values indicated for your mail service. Then create the required e-mail addresses before modifying the DNS zone.

You will then need to enter them in the DNS zone of your domain at your current provider. [ADDRESS] support service if you need help.

[PERSON_NAME] the A record for the subdomain mail. It lets you associate the address mail.your-domain.fr with the LWS mail server.

[PERSON_NAME] :

Name: mail
Type: A
Value: IP address of the LWS mail server

Then configure the domain’s MX record. It indicates which server the domain’s e-mails should be sent to.

[PERSON_NAME] :

Name: @
Type: MX
Priority: 10
Value: mail.your-domain.fr

Replace your-domain.fr and the IP address with the values corresponding to your LWS service.

You must also configure the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. These records are necessary for the proper functioning of the mail service and allow mail servers to better identify messages sent from your domain.

[PERSON_NAME] everything works

Once the changes have been made, test the domain after a few minutes, then again after several hours if the change is still not visible.

To check the website, enter [PERSON_NAME]. The site hosted at LWS should be displayed.

To check e-mails, send a test message to an address created at LWS, then check its reception from webmail or your e-mail software.

You can also use an online DNS checking tool to verify that the DNS servers, A records, or MX records show [PERSON_NAME] expected.

Common problems

My site still does not display

DNS propagation may still be in progress. Wait a few hours, [PERSON_NAME] again from another browser or another Internet connection.

Also check that the domain’s A record points to the IP address of your LWS hosting and that the site files are [PERSON_NAME] the hosting account.

My www address does not work

The main domain and the www subdomain may use two different records. Check that www has a DNS record of type A or CNAME pointing to your LWS hosting.

I am not receiving my e-mails

Check that the e-mail addresses were created at LWS before modifying the MX records.

Then check that the domain’s MX records correspond to [PERSON_NAME] indicated by [ADDRESS]. [PERSON_NAME], DNS propagation may still be in progress.

I can’t find where to change the DNS at my provider

Each provider uses a different interface. Look for a section called DNS, DNS Zone, DNS Servers, Nameservers, or DNS Delegation.

[PERSON_NAME], [PERSON_NAME] your current provider’s documentation or contact its support team to find out where to modify your domain’s DNS.

I want to transfer the domain to LWS

DNS linking lets you use an LWS service with an external domain, but it does not transfer administrative management of the domain to LWS.

If you want renewal and management of the domain to also be handled from LWS, you must start a domain name transfer.