Connecting a Third-Party Domain

If you purchased your domain from an external registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or Google Domains, you can connect it to your CartOS store by updating DNS settings. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for popular registrars.

What you'll need

  • Access to your domain registrar account
  • The DNS records from CartOS (we'll get these first)
  • 15-30 minutes for setup, plus wait time for propagation

Step 1: Get your DNS records from CartOS

Before touching your registrar, get the records you'll need:

  1. In your CartOS admin, go to Settings › Domains
  2. Click Connect Existing Domain
  3. Enter your domain name (e.g., yourstore.com)
  4. CartOS displays the DNS records you need:

You'll typically see:

Type Name/Host Value
A @ (root) 76.76.21.21 (example—use the IP shown in your admin)
CNAME www shops.cart-os.com

Keep this tab open—you'll reference these values when configuring your registrar.

Step 2: Configure DNS at your registrar

Find your registrar below for specific instructions.

Namecheap

  1. Log in to Namecheap
  2. Go to Domain List and click Manage next to your domain
  3. Click the Advanced DNS tab
  4. In the Host Records section, remove any existing A or CNAME records for @ and www (click the trash icon)
  5. Click Add New Record:
    • Type: A Record
    • Host: @
    • Value: The IP address from CartOS
    • TTL: Automatic
  6. Click Add New Record again:
    • Type: CNAME Record
    • Host: www
    • Value: shops.cart-os.com
    • TTL: Automatic
  7. Save changes (they save automatically as you add)

GoDaddy

  1. Log in to GoDaddy
  2. Go to My Products and find your domain
  3. Click DNS (or Manage DNS)
  4. In the Records section, find existing A and CNAME records for @ and www
  5. Edit the A record:
    • Click the pencil icon next to the A record with Name @
    • Change Value to the IP address from CartOS
    • Set TTL to 1 Hour
    • Click Save
  6. Edit or add the CNAME record:
    • If a www CNAME exists, edit it
    • If not, click Add and select CNAME
    • Name: www
    • Value: shops.cart-os.com
    • TTL: 1 Hour
    • Click Save

Cloudflare

  1. Log in to Cloudflare
  2. Select your domain
  3. Click DNS in the sidebar
  4. Delete any existing A or CNAME records for @ (root) and www
  5. Click Add record:
    • Type: A
    • Name: @
    • IPv4 address: The IP from CartOS
    • Proxy status: DNS only (click the orange cloud to turn it gray) — Important!
    • Click Save
  6. Click Add record again:
    • Type: CNAME
    • Name: www
    • Target: shops.cart-os.com
    • Proxy status: DNS only (gray cloud)
    • Click Save

Important for Cloudflare: Set proxy status to "DNS only" (gray cloud icon). Cloudflare's proxy can interfere with CartOS SSL provisioning. Once SSL is working, you can optionally enable the proxy, but it's not necessary and may cause issues.

Google Domains

Note: Google Domains was sold to Squarespace. If your domain was transferred, see Squarespace instructions.

  1. Log in to Google Domains
  2. Select your domain
  3. Click DNS in the left sidebar
  4. Scroll to Custom records
  5. Click Manage custom records
  6. Add an A record:
    • Host name: Leave blank (for root domain)
    • Type: A
    • TTL: 3600
    • Data: The IP address from CartOS
  7. Add a CNAME record:
    • Host name: www
    • Type: CNAME
    • TTL: 3600
    • Data: shops.cart-os.com
  8. Click Save

Squarespace Domains

  1. Log in to Squarespace
  2. Go to Domains
  3. Click your domain, then DNS Settings
  4. Under Custom Records, add:
    • Record Type: A
    • Host: @
    • Data: The IP from CartOS
  5. Add another record:
    • Record Type: CNAME
    • Host: www
    • Data: shops.cart-os.com
  6. Save your changes

Hover

  1. Log in to Hover
  2. Click your domain
  3. Go to the DNS tab
  4. Edit or add an A record:
    • Hostname: @
    • Record Type: A
    • Value: The IP from CartOS
  5. Edit or add a CNAME record:
    • Hostname: www
    • Record Type: CNAME
    • Value: shops.cart-os.com
  6. Click Save

Bluehost

  1. Log in to Bluehost
  2. Go to Domains
  3. Click your domain, then DNS
  4. Find the A record for @ and edit it:
    • Points to: The IP from CartOS
    • TTL: 4 hours (or lowest available)
  5. Add or edit the CNAME for www:
    • Host Record: www
    • Points to: shops.cart-os.com
  6. Save changes

HostGator

  1. Log in to HostGator
  2. Go to Domains in your dashboard
  3. Click Manage next to your domain
  4. Click DNS Records
  5. Edit the A record:
    • Name: @
    • Type: A
    • Address: The IP from CartOS
  6. Add a CNAME record:
    • Name: www
    • Type: CNAME
    • Address: shops.cart-os.com

Network Solutions

  1. Log in to Network Solutions
  2. Go to Account Manager › My Domain Names
  3. Click Manage next to your domain
  4. Click Change Where Domain Points
  5. Select Advanced DNS
  6. Edit IP Address (A record):
    • Enter the IP from CartOS
  7. Add a CNAME record for www pointing to shops.cart-os.com
  8. Save changes

1&1 IONOS

  1. Log in to IONOS
  2. Go to Domains & SSL
  3. Click your domain, then DNS
  4. Click Add Record:
    • Type: A
    • Host Name: @
    • Points to: The IP from CartOS
  5. Add another record:
    • Type: CNAME
    • Host Name: www
    • Points to: shops.cart-os.com
  6. Save

Other registrars

The process is similar for any registrar:

  1. Find DNS settings (sometimes called "DNS Management," "DNS Records," "Zone File," or "Name Server Management")
  2. Add an A record pointing @ (or root/blank) to the IP address from CartOS
  3. Add a CNAME record pointing www to shops.cart-os.com
  4. Save and wait for propagation

If you can't find DNS settings, your registrar may require you to use their name servers. Check their help documentation or contact their support.

Step 3: Verify connection in CartOS

After adding DNS records, return to CartOS:

  1. Go to Settings › Domains
  2. Find your domain and click Verify
  3. CartOS checks if DNS is configured correctly

If verification fails, wait longer—DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours (usually much faster). Try again in an hour.

Step 4: SSL certificate

Once DNS is verified, CartOS automatically provisions a free SSL certificate. This usually takes a few minutes. You'll see the status change from "Pending" to "Active" in your domain settings.

If SSL fails, see Troubleshooting SSL.

Common issues

Existing website on the domain

If your domain currently points to another website, changing DNS records will take that site offline. Plan accordingly:

  • Set up your CartOS store completely before switching DNS
  • Switch DNS during low-traffic times
  • Consider a subdomain (shop.yoursite.com) if you want to keep an existing main site

Domain is using custom name servers

If your domain uses name servers other than your registrar's default (common if you previously used a web host), you may need to either:

  • Add DNS records in the system managing those name servers, OR
  • Change back to your registrar's default name servers, then add records there

DNSSEC is enabled

DNSSEC can interfere with DNS changes. If you have issues, try temporarily disabling DNSSEC at your registrar while setting up, then re-enable after everything works.

CAA records blocking SSL

If you have CAA records restricting which certificate authorities can issue certificates, add an entry allowing Let's Encrypt:

0 issue "letsencrypt.org"

Registrar-specific quirks

  • GoDaddy: May take longer to propagate than others
  • Cloudflare: Must disable proxy (orange cloud) for SSL to provision
  • Some budget registrars: May have limited DNS options—consider transferring to a better registrar if you hit walls

Keeping your domain at a third-party registrar

You don't need to transfer your domain to CartOS. Benefits of keeping it at your current registrar:

  • Consolidated billing if you have multiple domains
  • Familiarity with the interface
  • Advanced DNS features some registrars offer
  • No transfer fees or waiting periods

The only downside is manual DNS setup (which you've now completed).

Need help?

If you're stuck, contact CartOS support. Include:

  • Your domain name
  • Your registrar
  • Screenshots of your current DNS records
  • Any error messages you're seeing

We can help diagnose configuration issues and get your domain connected.

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