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Connecting Custom Domains

A how-to article for adding your own custom web and email masking domains.

Updated over a week ago

Your network comes with a custom Honeycommb subdomain (ex. your-subdomain.honeycommb.com). Some networks are fine with this approach while others want to brand their network as much as possible, including applying a custom, branded domain to the network.

Note: To apply a custom domain you must addon either; Custom Domains, or White-label Bundle. Do this in the Control Center by clicking on the "Upgrade & Addon" button in the bottom of the right side menu.

How to Apply a Custom Domain To Your Network

Once the "Custom Domains" or "White Label Bundle" addon has been purchased, this will unlock the capability to enter your custom domain and receive CNAME record information to apply to your DNS settings at your DNS provider. Honeycommb includes an SSL certificate with your purchase.

Steps (once the Custom Domains feature is available)

  1. In Control Center, go to: Community Settings > Custom Domains

  2. In the Custom Web Domains area, Enter the full custom domain in the custom domain name field. The full custom domain must include the subdomain, the primary domain, and the extension: subdomain.primary-domain.extension. Examples;
    www.my-custom-domain.com
    my-custom.domain.net

    community.my-custom-domain.app

  3. Click the "Save" button that appears in the custom domain field once the entire domain name is entered. This will create a custom CNAME record for you to point your domain to.


  4. Copy the CNAME record provided. This CNAME record will be entered at your DNS (Domain Name Service) provider's website when creating a new CNAME.

  5. Navigate to the Domain Name Service provider where the domain was purchased and add a new record. The formatting is going to be:

    TYPE: CNAME

    HOST: www

    POINTS TO: crazy-alligator-12938734.heroku.com (example)
    Honeycommb provides an SSL record for your domain (https://)

    GoDaddy: How to Add a CNAME Record, YouTube How To
    Squarespace: How to Add a CNAME Record
    Namecheap: How to Add a CNAME Record, YouTube How To

  6. Check to see if your custom domain connection is active by viewing the "Status" under the custom domain in Control Center.
    Pending: The CNAME record hasn't connected. Your custom domain is not active.
    Active: The CNAME is connected. Your custom domain is active.

    Note: It can take 30 minutes or as long as 24 hours or more for your new DNS settings to propagate to your new custom domain and become active. Our service checks every 5 minutes to see if your new custom domain is active.

    Note: For the network to have the domain without the "www." (ex. my-custom-domain.com), add a Forward in the domain's DNS settings that forwards the 'naked' domain (ex: domain.com) to the www address (ex: www.domain.com).

  7. Once your domain status is "Active", designate the domain as the "Primary Domain" for the network by clicking the "Make Primary Domain" link. By default, your Honeycommb subdomain is set as the primary domain (your-network.honeycommb.com).

Your Honeycommb network is now connected to your custom domain. The custom Honeycommb URL (subdomain.honeycommb.com) will now forward to your new custom domain.

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