How to Point Your Custom Domain to Webmarlin (CNAME & A Record Guide)

Connecting a custom domain to your Webmarlin website takes only a few minutes. Whether you bought your domain on Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy, Porkbun, or another registrar, this guide walks you through the exact DNS records to configure.

The Two Core DNS Records

To make sure visitors can find your site whether they type www.yourdomain.com or simply yourdomain.com, you typically configure two records:

Why Can't All Registrars Put a CNAME on @?

A common question is: Why can't I just put a CNAME record on @ everywhere?

Under standard DNS specifications (RFC 1034 / RFC 1912), a CNAME record cannot coexist with other DNS records for the same hostname. Because the root domain (@ or yourdomain.com) requires SOA (Start of Authority) and MX (mail server) records, traditional registrars do not permit creating a CNAME on @.

• Cloudflare is special: it supports automatic CNAME Flattening and internal proxying, allowing you to point @ or www directly to a target hostname like sites.webmarlin.com.
• Registrars that do NOT allow CNAME on @ (like GoDaddy, Namecheap BasicDNS, Squarespace, etc.): You must set an A record pointing @ to 3.19.6.93, while pointing www to sites.webmarlin.com using a CNAME record.

1. Setting Up DNS in Cloudflare

Cloudflare makes DNS configuration straightforward. Because Cloudflare proxies requests and supports CNAME flattening at the root, you can configure both the www subdomain and the root domain easily.

Step A: Add the CNAME Record for www

1. Log in to your Cloudflare Dashboard and select your domain.
2. Go to DNS > Records in the left navigation sidebar.
3. Click Add record.
4. Set Type to CNAME.
5. Set Name to www.
6. Set Target to sites.webmarlin.com.
7. Keep Proxy status enabled (or DNS-only during propagation).
8. Click Save.

Step B: Add the A Record for the Root (@)

If you prefer direct IP routing for the root domain:

1. Click Add record.
2. Set Type to A.
3. Set Name to @.
4. Set IPv4 address to 3.19.6.93.
5. Click Save.

2. Setting Up DNS in Namecheap

Namecheap does not permit standard CNAME records on the bare root domain (@), so you will add a CNAME for www and an A record for @.

Step A: Open Advanced DNS

1. Sign in to your Namecheap account.
2. From the left sidebar, click Domain List, then click Manage next to your domain.
3. Click the Advanced DNS tab at the top.

Step B: Add the CNAME and A Records

1. Under Host Records, click Add New Record.
2. Select CNAME Record:
   • Host: www
   • Target / Value: sites.webmarlin.com
   • TTL: Automatic
3. Click the green checkmark to save.
4. Click Add New Record again and select A Record:
   • Host: @
   • Value: 3.19.6.93
   • TTL: Automatic
5. Click the green checkmark to save.

Pro-Tip: Remove any default Namecheap "parking" records or URL Redirect records on @ or www to prevent conflicting DNS errors.

3. Setting Up DNS in GoDaddy

In GoDaddy, the @ symbol is strictly reserved for A records and cannot be used for CNAME records.

Steps to Configure in GoDaddy:

1. Log in to your GoDaddy Domain Portfolio.
2. Click your domain, then click the DNS tab.
3. In the DNS Records table, click Add New Record.
4. First, add the CNAME:
   • Type: CNAME
   • Name: www (Do not type your full domain, just www)
   • Value: sites.webmarlin.com
   • TTL: 1 Hour (or Default)
   • Click Save.
5. Second, add the A Record:
   • Click Add New Record.
   • Type: A
   • Name: @
   • Value: 3.19.6.93
   • TTL: 1 Hour
   • Click Save.

4. Other Popular Registrars (Porkbun, Squarespace, Hostinger)

Most modern domain registrars follow the exact same logic:

Porkbun:

• Go to Domain Management > click Details on your domain > click Edit next to DNS Records.
• Add a CNAME Record: Host www, Answer sites.webmarlin.com.
• Add an A Record: Host @ (blank/root), Answer 3.19.6.93 (or use Porkbun's ALIAS feature pointing to sites.webmarlin.com).

Squarespace Domains (formerly Google Domains):

• Open your Domains Dashboard > select your domain > click DNS > DNS Settings.
• Scroll to Custom Records and click Add Record.
• Add CNAME: Host www, Data sites.webmarlin.com.
• Add A Record: Host @, Data 3.19.6.93.

Hostinger:

• Go to hPanel > Domains > click your domain > open DNS / Nameservers.
• Add a CNAME for www targeting sites.webmarlin.com.
• Add an A record for @ pointing to 3.19.6.93.

Testing Propagation and SSL Activation

1. DNS Propagation: DNS changes usually update within 15 to 60 minutes worldwide, though some ISPs can take up to a few hours. You can test your records in real time using DNSChecker.org by looking up your www CNAME and root A record.
2. Automatic SSL Certificate: Once Webmarlin detects your DNS records resolving to its servers, a free SSL/TLS certificate is automatically issued and renewed. Your site is instantly accessible via secure HTTPS!