You’ve got your shiny new website hosted with Sprint by Four Gears, and now you’re ready to connect your domain to Sprint Website. Whether you’ve purchased a domain from a registrar like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains, the process of connecting it to your website is straightforward. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps needed to link your domain to Sprint Website using A Records.
Step 1: Gather the Required Information
Before you begin, you’ll need the static IP address provided by Four Gears for your Sprint website. This IP address is essential because it tells the internet where your website is hosted.
Step 2: Access Your Domain’s DNS Settings
Log in to your domain registrar’s website (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains) and locate the DNS settings or DNS management section. This is where you’ll be able to create A Records for your domain.
Step 3: Create Two A Records
To ensure that your website is accessible whether users type in “www.yourdomain.com” or just “yourdomain.com,” you’ll need to create two A Records. Here’s how:
1. A Record for the Root Domain (Non-WWW)
- Type: A
- Name: @ (This represents the root domain, e.g.,
yourdomain.com) - Value: [Your Sprint Website’s IP Address]
- TTL: Leave it at the default or set it to a lower value like 300 seconds during the setup phase for quicker propagation.
2. A Record for the WWW Subdomain
- Type: A
- Name: www (This represents the
www.yourdomain.com) - Value: [Your Sprint Website’s Static IP Address]
- TTL: Similar to the root domain, keep it default or at 300 seconds.
Step 4: Notify Four Gears
Once you’ve added the A Records, the next step is to let us at Four Gears know that you’re ready. We’ll update the server to recognize and support your new domain. This step is crucial as it finalizes the connection between your domain and your Sprint website.
Step 5: Wait for DNS Propagation
DNS propagation is the process where the changes you made to your domain’s DNS records spread across the internet. This can take some time, depending on various factors, including your registrar’s TTL settings and your internet service provider.
- Typical Propagation Time: While DNS changes can sometimes propagate within minutes, it’s common for it to take up to 24-48 hours for the changes to fully take effect worldwide. During this time, some users might still see your old website or a “site not found” message.
Step 6: Test Your Domain
After allowing some time for propagation, test your domain by typing both yourdomain.com and www.yourdomain.com into your browser. If everything was set up correctly and propagation has completed, your Sprint website should load under both URLs.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Still Not Working? If after 48 hours your site isn’t loading, double-check the A Records in your DNS settings to ensure they’re pointing to the correct IP address. Also, verify that you’ve notified Four Gears to update the server configuration.
- Flushing DNS Cache: Sometimes, your local DNS cache might prevent you from seeing the changes. You can try flushing your DNS cache or testing your domain from a different network.
- Check for DNS Record Conflicts: Sometimes, previous DNS configurations or conflicting records (like old CNAMEs or A Records) can cause issues when setting up your domain. Ensure that there are no conflicting records pointing to different servers or IP addresses. If there are, remove or update them to point to the correct IP address for your Sprint website. This helps avoid any confusion or misrouting of your domain traffic.
Linking your custom domain to your Sprint website is a straightforward process that involves adding two A Records and allowing time for DNS propagation. Once the records are set and you’ve informed Four Gears, your website will be accessible under your custom domain. Should you encounter any issues along the way, our support team is always here to help you troubleshoot and get your site live as quickly as possible.
