Addon domains
Contents |
What are addon domains?
Addon domains are domains that use the same web hosting account and resources (disk space, bandwidth, databases) as another domain. They typically point to a directory of the main website but are their own sites. They don't have their own control panel, but they have their own site stats and FTP manager. Site visitors and search engines can't detect if a website is the main site or an addon domain for an account.
Some web hosts include unlimited addon domains with their account packages, some include a set number (perhaps only one), some have fees per addon domain, and some don't include addon domains at all.
Difference between addon domains and parked domains
Addon domains and parked domains both share resources. With parked domains, however, the parked domain points to the same page that the main domain does.
Parked domains allow webmasters to direct traffic to the same site via more than one URL. Addon domains allow webmasters to have one web hosting account and more than one site on that account.
Addon domains and control panels
The ability to use addon domains depends on the control panel and the web hosting plan. cPanel and DirectAdmin, for example, include an option for addon domains. This option works only if the web host has it enabled. Some control panels don't have any methods to create addon domains.
First, verify that a web hosting account has addon domains. The next step to set up addon domains with any control panel is to point the nameservers for the addon domain to the nameservers for the main domain. Allow up to 24 hours (sometimes more) for the domain to resolve to the nameservers.
How to create an addon domain in cPanel
- At your cPanel control panel, click on the "Addon Domains" icon and fill in the following:
- The "New Domain Name" field: your addon domain (without www)
- The "Subdomain/FTP Username" field: your domain without the extension (this may be filled in automatically)
- The "Document Root" field: usually /public_html/youraddondomain.com (this may be filled in automatically)
- Your password in each of the password fields
- Click on "Add Domain," and you have your addon domain set up.
How to create an addon domain in DirectAdmin
- At your DirectAdmin control panel, click on the "Advanced Tools" icon, then the "Host Additional Domains" icon, and then the "Add Another Domain" link.
- Fill in your addon domain in all lower-case characters (without www).
- Enter a bandwidth amount for this domain or check the "Same as Main Account" box.
- Click on "Create," and you have your addon domain set up.
See also
External links
Web Hosting Wiki article text shared under a Creative Commons License.
