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| Custom Your Domain Name |
A forum, like any other website, is defined by its Internet address (or URL). A Forumotion forum generally has an address that looks like this: http://forum-name.forumotion.com This address is given to your forum at its creation, but is rather difficult to memorize. On the contrary, an address such as http://www.mydomain.com is preferable. The address being easier to remember, the visitor will be more likely to be back to your forum. In addition, the acquisition of a domain name gives a more professional aspect to your forum, more serious and credible, which can be a guarantee of interest for your visitors. Buy a domain name on ForumotionYou have the possibility to choose a domain name for your forum with the extensions .com / .net / .org / .biz but only the founder is able to buy a domain name. Domain name acquisition is only available for forums in  or  package: if this is not the case for your forum, you will need to subscribe a premium package or an advanced package before you can buy a custom domain name (how to?)Once your forum is in advanced or premium package, the domain name can be bought for 1200 credits, a kind of internal currency on Forumotion. Different payment methods are available to obtain credits (for more information:credit management). Go to your Administration panel Misc Credits management - Spend credits, and click on the domain name icon:  Check domain availabilityNote that the maximum length of a domain name purchased on Forumotion is 25 characters, extension included.  Two possible outcomes: a. The domain name you have chosen is already used: this means that another person has already bought the same domain name and that you cannot acquire it. The system then indicates the availability of the domain with the other extensions available. b. The domain name you have chosen is available: this means that the domain you have chosen is free. So you have the possibility to buy it for your forum! Fill in the requested information carefully.Make sure that the given information are correct, they may be asked if you need the support to help you.  Attention, a domain name is reserved for one year. It is neither editable nor modifiable during all its validity period! After this step, your order is registered and you can no longer change your domain name!
Wait until your domain is activated The activation of your domain name requires on average 72 hours (working days), and sometimes more. You will be notified when it is activated. As long as you do not receive confirmation of its activation, do not communicate the domain name that you have retained, malicious people can then buy it before we have been able to do so. Redirection from one address to anotherAfter acquiring your domain name, you do not lose the original address. Indeed, your forum will always be available on its initial address http://forum-name.forumotion.com as well as on the new address http://www.mydomain.com Go to your Administration panel General Forum - Forum Address In the "Personalized domain name" tab, the option Force the URL redirection gives you the possibility to automatically redirect users who will access the forum by its old address to the new one.  Custom domain name renewalA domain name has a validity period of one year, after which it must be renewed in order to continue using it. Renewal is a manual operation, to be performed by the founding administrator. It is never automatic. Prior warnings60 days before the domain name expires, a warning appears in your administration panel:  If the domain has still not been renewed 30 days before its expiration, a warning is sent by email to the founder (at the address used when the domain name was reserved). This warning is repeated by mail 7 days before expiration, then 24 hours before. RenewalThe renewal is done from the administration panel, in the "Misc" tab. As soon as you enter the renewal period, a "Renew" button appears. Note that you can renew the domain before its expiration without losing any days of validity (example: my domain is valid until January 31, if I renew it on January 10, the additional year will start on February 1). Warning: the renewal of a domain name as well as its purchase requires that your forum subscribed to the package or the package: otherwise, you will not be able to renew your domain at the expiration of this one. In certain hypotheses, the renewal of your domain can be offered by Forumotion. This offer then appears on the index of your administration panel. Related topics Creating a mailbox or a redirection with my domain nameAcquiring a domain name via Forumotion allows you to create custom mailboxes and redirections (example : admin@my-forum.org). This tutorial explains how to proceed. Setting up an external domain name to direct to your forumExplanatory topic for members with a domain name acquired outside Forumotion. Domain name transferA custom domain name acquired via Forumotion can be deleted at any time from your administration panel, but cannot be transferred out. |
| This tutorial was written by the Forumotion Team. |
