DNS Setup Guide
DNS Setup Guide
Once you subscribe, Hayden will email you two things:
- Your CNAME target — something like
your-business.satherlabs.com - Your subdomain — almost always
www
You’ll add one DNS record at the company where you bought your domain. It takes about 5 minutes and usually goes live within an hour.
How to add the record (any registrar)
- Log in to your domain registrar and find the DNS settings for your domain. It may be labeled “DNS Management,” “Zone Editor,” or “Advanced DNS.”
- Add a new record with these values:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | CNAME |
| Name / Host | www |
| Value / Points to / Target | the CNAME target Hayden sent you |
| TTL | 3600 or default |
- If an existing record for
wwwis already there, delete it first — two records for the same name will cause a conflict. - Save. DNS changes typically go live within 15–60 minutes, and at most 24 hours.
Quick links for popular registrars
Jump straight to your registrar’s official guide:
| Registrar | Guide |
|---|---|
| GoDaddy | Add a CNAME record |
| Namecheap | How to create a CNAME record |
| Squarespace Domains | Adding DNS records to your domain |
| Cloudflare | Manage DNS records |
| Bluehost | Manage DNS records |
| IONOS (1&1) | Configuring a CNAME record |
| Wix | Adding or updating CNAME records |
| WordPress.com | Add a new DNS record |
Special cases
Wix
If you built your old site on Wix, where you manage DNS depends on how your domain is connected:
- If Wix manages your nameservers (most common): log in to Wix, go to Domains, click the three-dot menu next to your domain, and select Manage DNS Records. Add the CNAME there.
- If you pointed your domain to Wix from another registrar: log in to that registrar instead and add the CNAME there.
Not sure which applies? Email Hayden and he’ll help you figure it out.
WordPress.com
If you bought your domain through WordPress.com, DNS is managed inside the WordPress.com dashboard under Upgrades → Domains → your domain → DNS Records.
If your domain was purchased elsewhere and only pointed to WordPress.com, log in to the original registrar and add the CNAME there.
What about yourdomain.com (without www)?
Most visitors type yourdomain.com rather than www.yourdomain.com. To make the root domain work, you’ll need to set up a redirect from yourdomain.com → www.yourdomain.com. Most registrars have a “domain forwarding” or “redirect” option in the same DNS panel. Hayden can walk you through this step if needed.
Need help?
If you get stuck, email hayden@satherlabs.com with a screenshot of your DNS panel. Hayden can walk you through it or take care of it directly if you share access.