How do I release a domain I own to get my wordpress blog to point to it?

  • Unknown's avatar
    thewinebird · Member ·

    I have two websites – one moonfruit and one wordpress – and want to get rid of the moonfruit one. The issue is I have is that the domain I want to use for my wordpress one is already attached to my old moonfruit website. How do I release the domain from my moonfruit address? Where do I start? Thanks!

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • Unknown's avatar
    thatrobyn · Member ·

    Hello there!

    Because WordPress.com doesn’t accept in-coming custom domain transfers, my suggestion is to either a) keep the domain with moonfruit if they allow you to do so if you’re not hosting a website there, or b) transfer it to another domain host.

    Once you’ve made that decision, you will adjust your domain’s name servers so they point to WordPress.com. This is done with your Domain Registrar.

    Then you will add Domain Mapping to your WordPress.com site to “connect” your site to your domain name. Here are the instructions:

    http://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/map-existing-domain/

    I hope this helps. Please let me know if I can assist during the process. Cheers!

  • Unknown's avatar
    thewinebird · Member ·

    HI Robyn,

    I don’t understand, I’m afraid. Do you mean to say that you can’t buy a domain name from somewhere other than WordPress and use it? And what does ‘transfer it to another domain host’ actually mean, please?

    Here’s the situation with more clarification:

    I have to choose between my wordpress and my moonfruit sites because having two is confusing. I would much rather keep the wordpress one. It’s vital to my business that I keep the domain winebird.co.uk but the issue is that it’s currently assigned to my moonfruit site.

    Are you sure that wordpress won’t allow me to use winebird.co.uk if I can work out how to release it? Seems very odd to me and that I must have misunderstood!

    Thank you

  • Unknown's avatar
    thatrobyn · Member ·

    Hi there! You can absolutely use winebird.co.uk as the custom domain for your WordPress.com site. That is not a problem at all.

    There is a difference between a domain name and a website. While you have your domain name hosted at moonfruit, you have your website hosted here at WordPress.com. I don’t know if you have any other websites hosted at moonfruit, but I am focusing specifically on your WordPress.com site (thewinebird.wordpress.com) which is mapped to your moonfruit custom domain (winebird.co.uk).

    It is that domain name that we do not allow to be transferred to WordPress.com. Because you registered it elsewhere, it needs to stay on a third-party server. We only host the domain names that were originally registered with us.

    You asked:

    How do I release the domain from my moonfruit address?

    Your domain and your address are the same thing. They are not separable. You need to have your domain housed someplace, and if you’re comfortable with moonfruit, my suggestion is to stay with them. Otherwise, you can transfer your domain name to another domain registrar, but it cannot move to WordPress.com.

    If there is still some confusion about the difference between a domain and a website, take a look at this:
    http://www.mirrorimages.net/mi_faq.php?do=a&cid=3&id=42

    I know it can be rather confusing, so please do let me know if I can help further! We’ll get it ironed out for you :)

  • Unknown's avatar
    thewinebird · Member ·

    Thank you, though I’m still a bit confused.

    All I want is for my WordPress blog to be called winebird.co.uk. You said “You can absolutely use winebird.co.uk as the custom domain for your WordPress.com site. That is not a problem at all” so can you please tell me how to do this? I don’t mind at all which registrar I use!

    Also, I had a play this morning so things may look different. Can you tell me explicitly in layman’s terms what you mean by “thewinebird.wordpress.com which is mapped to your moonfruit custom domain (winebird.co.uk)” ?

    I may even have done it now but the changes haven’t come through…

    Thanks very much :)

    Helena

  • Unknown's avatar
    thatrobyn · Member ·

    Helena! So, it looks like the mapping is working properly. This means, when I go to
    winebird.co.uk/, I see your WordPress.com site (thewinebird.wordpress.com).
    And the reverse happens as well. If I go to thewinebird.wordpress.com, I see your domain as winebird.co.uk in the address bar. If this is what you’re hoping will happen, then…success!

    If it’s not what you’re seeing, could you please try clearing out your browser’s cache and cookies using the guide below?

    Solve Common Browser Issues

    Let me know if you’re seeing your updates! It appears as if you’ve done everything properly, despite any confusion :)

  • Unknown's avatar
    thewinebird · Member ·

    Thanks Robyn,

    I guess I’m not as stupid as I think I am! Ha ha .

    I appreciate the help.

    Helena

  • Unknown's avatar
    thatrobyn · Member ·

    I think you’re intuitive and a technical genius :) Well done!

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