Help Centre
AI WEBSITE BUILDER

Connect Your Custom Domain

Connect a domain or subdomain you already own, with simple DNS steps for popular registrars.

Got a domain already? Lovely. Let's point it at your new website.

A domain is the address people type to visit you, like example.com. A domain registrar is the company where you bought or manage that address. DNS is the little address book that tells browsers where your website lives.

The good news: you do not need to become a DNS person. You mostly need to copy the records from AI Website Builder and paste them into the right boxes.

The Simple Version

  1. AI Website Builder gives you DNS records.
  2. You open the place where your domain's DNS is managed.
  3. You add those records.
  4. The internet updates.
  5. Your domain opens your website.

That is the whole thing. The rest of this page is here to help you find the right buttons.

Tiny Glossary Before We Start

WordWhat it means
DomainYour website address, like example.com.
RegistrarThe company where the domain was bought or managed, like GoDaddy or Namecheap.
DNSThe address book for your domain. It tells browsers where to send visitors.
DNS recordOne instruction in that address book.
NameserversThe signposts that say which company controls your active DNS records.
Root domainThe plain domain, like example.com. Many tools call this @.
wwwThe www.example.com version of your domain.
SubdomainA word before your main domain, like blog.example.com, app.example.com, or keepersolutions.northstaros.com.

Keep AI Website Builder open

Before opening your registrar, keep AI Website Builder open in another tab. The DNS records shown there are your source of truth.

First: Find Where DNS Is Managed

Your registrar and your DNS provider are often the same company, but not always.

Example:

  • You bought the domain at GoDaddy.
  • Later, you moved the nameservers to Cloudflare.
  • That means you edit DNS in Cloudflare, not GoDaddy.

If your registrar says you cannot edit records, or the records you add do nothing, check the nameservers. They tell you who is really in charge.

Universal Steps

Use these steps for any registrar.

  1. Open your website: In AI Website Builder, open the website you want to connect.
  2. Choose your custom domain: Open the domain setup flow and choose I already own a domain.
  3. Enter the domain: Type the domain exactly as you want people to visit it, like example.com, www.example.com, or keepersolutions.northstaros.com.
  4. Copy the DNS records: AI Website Builder shows one or more DNS records. Copy the Type, Name or Host, and Value exactly.
  5. Add the records at your DNS provider: Open your registrar or DNS provider and add the records there.
  6. Wait for verification: Return to AI Website Builder and wait for the domain status to update.

A calm DNS note

DNS changes are not always instant. If you copied everything correctly and it does not work right away, you probably did not break anything. The change may just still be travelling around.

Connecting A Subdomain

A subdomain is a smaller address that sits in front of a domain you already own.

Example:

  • Main domain: northstaros.com
  • Subdomain: keepersolutions.northstaros.com

Subdomains are handy when you want to keep your main website where it is, but publish a separate page, client site, campaign page, lead magnet, or presentation on a tidy address.

You do not buy a subdomain

If you already own northstaros.com, you can create keepersolutions.northstaros.com from DNS. You do not need to buy it separately.

To connect a subdomain:

  1. Pick the full subdomain: Decide the exact address visitors should use, like keepersolutions.northstaros.com.
  2. Add it in AI Website Builder: Enter the full subdomain in the custom domain setup flow.
  3. Open DNS for the main domain: Go to the DNS records for northstaros.com, not a separate page for keepersolutions.northstaros.com.
  4. Add the records AI Website Builder gives you: Copy the Type, Name or Host, and Value exactly.
  5. Use the short subdomain name when asked for Host: For keepersolutions.northstaros.com, the Host or Name is usually keepersolutions.
  6. Save and verify: Go back to AI Website Builder and wait for the subdomain to connect.

If AI Website Builder gives you a different Host or Name, use that exact value instead. The app is the boss here.

Subdomain Host Cheat Sheet

For the example keepersolutions.northstaros.com, open DNS for northstaros.com and use:

ProviderHost, Name, or Record name
GoDaddykeepersolutions
Namecheapkeepersolutions
Squarespace Domainskeepersolutions
Cloudflarekeepersolutions
Network Solutionskeepersolutions
Porkbunkeepersolutions

The Value, Target, Content, Answer, or Points to field should be copied from AI Website Builder. Do not guess it.

If there is already a record for keepersolutions, edit or remove the old one before adding the new record. DNS does not like getting two different sets of directions for the same address.

Registrar Quick Map

RegistrarWhere to goRoot domain hostwww hostWatch out for
GoDaddyDomain Portfolio -> Domain Settings -> DNS@wwwOnly works there if GoDaddy manages active DNS.
NamecheapDomain List -> Manage -> Advanced DNS -> Host Records@wwwHost Records only show when Namecheap manages DNS.
Squarespace DomainsDomains dashboard -> domain -> DNSBlank or @wwwDNS may still be managed elsewhere for connected domains.
CloudflareDomain -> DNS -> Records@ or rootwwwUse DNS only if verification struggles behind the proxy.
Network SolutionsDomains -> domain -> Advanced Tools -> Advanced DNS Records@wwwAdvanced DNS may require Network Solutions nameservers.
PorkbunDomain Management -> DNSLeave Host blankwwwCNAME Host cannot be blank.

GoDaddy

Use this if your domain is managed in GoDaddy.

  1. Log in to GoDaddy.
  2. Open Domain Portfolio.
  3. Select the domain you want to connect.
  4. Open Domain Settings.
  5. Select DNS.
  6. Choose Add New Record.
  7. Pick the record type shown in AI Website Builder.
  8. In Name, use:
    • @ for the root domain, like example.com
    • www for www.example.com
    • keepersolutions for keepersolutions.northstaros.com
  9. Paste the Value from AI Website Builder.
  10. Leave TTL at the default unless AI Website Builder tells you otherwise.
  11. Save the record.
  12. Repeat for every record shown in AI Website Builder.

If GoDaddy says your domain uses different nameservers, stop there. It means DNS is probably managed somewhere else.

Namecheap

Use this if your domain uses Namecheap DNS.

  1. Log in to Namecheap.
  2. Open Domain List.
  3. Click Manage beside your domain.
  4. Open the Advanced DNS tab.
  5. Find Host Records.
  6. Click Add New Record.
  7. Choose the record type shown in AI Website Builder.
  8. In Host, use:
    • @ for the root domain
    • www for the www version
    • keepersolutions for keepersolutions.northstaros.com
  9. Paste the Value or Target from AI Website Builder.
  10. Leave TTL as Automatic unless instructed otherwise.
  11. Click the save checkmark.
  12. Repeat for every record shown.

If you cannot see Host Records, your domain may be using custom nameservers. In that case, add the records wherever those nameservers point.

Squarespace Domains

Use this if your domain is managed by Squarespace Domains.

  1. Log in to Squarespace.
  2. Open the Domains dashboard.
  3. Click the domain you want to connect.
  4. Click DNS in the side panel.
  5. Scroll to Custom records.
  6. Add the record type shown in AI Website Builder.
  7. Enter the Host or Name from AI Website Builder.
    • For the root domain, Squarespace may show this as blank or @.
    • For a subdomain like keepersolutions.northstaros.com, use keepersolutions.
  8. Paste the Value, Data, or Target from AI Website Builder.
  9. Save the record.
  10. Repeat for every record shown.

Squarespace may call DNS records "resource records" in some help screens. Same thing, slightly fancier coat.

Cloudflare

Use this if your domain uses Cloudflare nameservers.

  1. Log in to Cloudflare.
  2. Select your domain.
  3. Go to DNS, then Records.
  4. Choose Add record.
  5. Match the record type from AI Website Builder.
  6. Enter the Name from AI Website Builder. For keepersolutions.northstaros.com, this is usually keepersolutions.
  7. Paste the Content or Target value exactly as shown.
  8. Leave TTL on Auto unless instructed otherwise.
  9. Save the record.
  10. Repeat for every record shown.

Cloudflare has a proxy setting for some records. If the domain does not verify, edit the record and set it to DNS only while verifying.

Network Solutions

Use this if your domain is managed in Network Solutions.

  1. Log in to Network Solutions.
  2. Select Domains from the left menu.
  3. Select the domain you want to connect.
  4. Scroll to Advanced Tools.
  5. Click Manage beside Advanced DNS Records.
  6. Choose +Add Record.
  7. Select the record type shown in AI Website Builder.
  8. For A records, choose whether the record refers to @, www, or another host such as keepersolutions.
  9. Paste the Points to, Value, or Target shown in AI Website Builder.
  10. Leave TTL at the default unless instructed otherwise.
  11. Click Add or Save.
  12. Repeat for every record shown.

Network Solutions may show a classic view. If it does, the idea is the same: find the matching record type, add the host, paste the value, and save.

Porkbun

Use this if your domain is managed in Porkbun.

  1. Log in to Porkbun.
  2. Open Domain Management.
  3. Find your domain.
  4. Click DNS, or open Details and choose the edit icon under DNS records.
  5. Click Add Record.
  6. Choose the record type from AI Website Builder.
  7. In Host, use:
    • blank for the root domain
    • www for www.example.com
    • keepersolutions for keepersolutions.northstaros.com
  8. Paste the Answer, Value, or IPv4 Address from AI Website Builder.
  9. Leave TTL at the default unless instructed otherwise.
  10. Click Add.
  11. Repeat for every record shown.

Porkbun changes the destination field name depending on the record type. It may say Answer, Value, or IPv4 Address. Put the AI Website Builder value there.

How To Check If It Worked

In AI Website Builder, your domain setup screen refreshes while it checks DNS.

When the domain is verified:

  • The domain shows as connected.
  • The live site opens on your custom domain, as long as your website has been published successfully.
  • The version you published is what visitors see.

Verifying DNS only points the domain at your website. The site opens on that domain once a publish has succeeded.

Connected still shows 404?

A domain only serves pages after a publish has succeeded. If the domain shows as connected but visitors see a 404, your website hasn't been published successfully yet. See My domain shows Connected but the site shows 404.

If It Still Has Not Connected

Check these four things first:

  1. Did you add the records where DNS is actually managed?
  2. Did you copy the Type, Host/Name, and Value exactly?
  3. Is there an old record with the same Host getting in the way, such as an existing keepersolutions record?
  4. Has enough time passed for DNS to update?

Most domain problems are one of those four. Very unglamorous, very fixable.

When To Contact Support

Contact support if:

  • You are not sure where DNS is managed.
  • Your registrar will not let you save the records.
  • The domain is still not verified after 24 hours.
  • You see an error you do not understand.

Send support:

  • The domain name
  • A screenshot of the DNS records in AI Website Builder
  • A screenshot of the records you added at the registrar

Next

On this page

The Simple VersionTiny Glossary Before We StartFirst: Find Where DNS Is ManagedUniversal StepsConnecting A SubdomainSubdomain Host Cheat SheetRegistrar Quick MapGoDaddyNamecheapSquarespace DomainsCloudflareNetwork SolutionsPorkbunHow To Check If It WorkedIf It Still Has Not ConnectedWhen To Contact SupportNext