Point domain at your server
Last updated
Last updated
Now that you have a server on which your Misago site will run, you will also need to set up a domain name under which it will be accessible to your users.
You don't have to use DigitalOcean to purchase a domain for your site. Any domain registrar will do.
Once you have purchased a domain, you should point (or "delegate") it to the DigitalOcean name servers (NS):
ns1.digitalocean.com
ns2.digitalocean.com
ns3.digitalocean.com
Most domain registrars provide a simple web panel to manage and point your domains, so we will not show any screenshots or provide detailed instructions on how to do it.
When you are finished, return to the DigitalOcean cloud control panel and select "Networking" from the menu on the left.
In the "Enter domain" field, enter your domain name and confirm the action by clicking on "Add domain":
After your domain name appears on the "Domains" list, click on it to access the domain editor:
Make sure that the "A" tab is active in the menu. Enter @ into the "HOSTNAME" field, and select your droplet from the "WILL DIRECT TO" dropdown menu. Then click on "Create Record":
Now repeat the same action, but this time enter www in the "HOSTNAME" field:
Warning: It is required that both the
wwwand non-wwwdomains are configured. An HTTPS certificate will be issued for both domains, and a redirect will be set up from one domain to the other based on your intended domain for the site.If you skip this step, the HTTPS configuration will fail, and NGINX will display an error 500 page instead of your site.
Two DNS records should now appear for your domain, one without "www" and the other with "www":
Note: Your DNS records list may include additional entries of the "NS" type pointing your domain to nsX.digitalocean.com. - this is okay.
On your computer, open the terminal (Linux, Mac, etc.) or cmd.exe (Windows) application, and run the ping command followed by your domain name:
This will allow your computer to see where your domain is pointing. You will know your domain is ready when you see your server's IP address in the command's output:
I see from the ping result that the python-forum.pl domain I am using is pointing to the IP address 46.101.186.11, which is the DigitalOcean server I've created for my Misago site.
Note: If you want to stop the
pingcommand, press theCtrl + C(orCmd + Con Mac) key combination while your terminal/cmd window is focused. This will send a message to the program to stop its execution.
Next guide: Setup Misago on your Server
