Using a subdomain – confusing documentation

• 

  pokeefe0001 · Member · Jan 19, 2024 at 9:04 pm

  • Copy link
  • Add topic to favorites

  I have a domain name leased from GoDaddy but am using WordPress as my DNS server. I have a WordPress web site at xyz.online but want to “move” it to uvw.xyz.online (obviously fictitious names) while keeping email address abc.xyz.online. I’ll put a different web page – “Under construction” or a private page – at xyz.online

  It’s unclear how I do this. The doc has me going through the “Add a domain” process, but this leads me nowhere (and I think may be unnecessary). The page says I cannot use the “Transfer” function (I assume because the primary domain has already be transferred to WordPress years ago), but the “Connect” says I need verify ownership of the (sub)domain by going to the provider’s site and obtain an authorization code, but this seems to relate to that transfer that happened years ago.

  The WordPress DNS server already has the * CNAME record pointing to xyz.online and <anything>.xyz.online takes me to my WordPress web site.

  Do I just add a new web site using uvw,xyz.online, (somehow) transfer my existing web site to it, and build a new dummy web site at xyz,online? If so, do I need to add uvw CNAME record to the DNS records?

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

• 

  staff-totoro · Staff · Jan 28, 2024 at 3:09 am

  • Copy link

  Hi there,

  If your root domain uses WordPress.com name servers, our system will have already set up the required DNS records for your subdomain. Sounds like you may have already seen that doc, but I’ll add a link to it here just in case: https://wordpress.com/support/domains/connect-subdomain/#step-2-create-the-subdomain

  If I can ask, what were you planning on using the new subdomain on? Were you trying to set up a new (second) site under your WordPress.com account to connect it to? Or did you have another site on outside hosting that you are trying to send your subdomain traffic to?

  Based on what you have described you may be trying to connect your subdomain to your main site (which is already using the root domain) which is not technically possible. Understanding your plans for this subdomain will help us to point you in the right direction. Thanks!