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How To Assign A Domain Name - A Record, Name Servers, HTML Page

Summary

Once you have registered your domain name, you will need to assign it. This guide will show you how to assign a domain name to your hosting account.

In order to work correctly on your Bluehost account, your domain will need to point to your hosting account either via Nameservers or the A Record. The Nameservers or A Record should be pointed to Bluehost prior to assigning the domain to minimize update time.

With regards to domain name registration, currently we can register .com .net .org .us .biz and .info domains. All other domain extensions must first be registered with a company capable of registering that extension. From there you should be able to point your nameservers to us so that you can use our hosting services.

Access the Domains tab

To begin, you will need to be logged in to your Bluehost Control Panel.

  • Rock Accounts - Click the Domains tab from the side navigation menu to the left.
  • Legacy Accounts - Click the Domains option from the navigation menu at the top of your screen.

Assigning the Domain Name

  1. Click Assign from the submenu.
  2. Choose if you will assign a new domain to your account, or one that is already associated with your account.
  3. If you are assigning a new domain you must verify ownership of the domain name, there are three ways this can be done:
    • Name Servers: Update your Name Servers to ns1.Bluehost.com and ns2.Bluehost.com.
    • A Record: Point the A record to the IP address indicated on the screen.
    • Create HTML Page: Create an HTML page on your existing host containing the case-sensitive text provided.
    • EPP Code: This will not transfer your domain name, but use the EPP code to verify ownership.
  4. Choose Addon vs. Parked
    • Addon Domain: An addon domain name functions as its own domain and website, separate from your primary domain.
    • Parked Domain: A parked domain name will load the same website as your primary domain.
    • Unassigned Domain: An unassigned domain is attached to your account but does not point to a website or have a dedicated folder. Choose this option if you're not ready to host the domain yet. You can assign the domain as an addon or parked when you're ready.
  5. If you selected Addon domain, choose the folder in your account that the domain will point to.
  6. Choose a Subdomain. The subdomain is only used by the Control Panel for the domain assignment. You will still access your domain name directly.
  7. Click the "Add Domain" button at the bottom of the page to assign the domain.
  8. Once complete you should see the domain is listed in the Domains tab.
 

Troubleshooting

There are a handful of possible reasons you cannot add or assign a domain to your account through the Domain Manager. Let's go through the causes and see which one applies to your situation.

  • The number one reason a domain cannot be added is that it fails to verify ownership. Make sure you have followed one of the required methods to confirm ownership.
  • Have you changed the name servers (NS) or created an A record for the domain you are attempting to assign? If you have changed the NS or A Record, it is possible enough time has not been allowed for DNS propagation. Please give it at least thirty minutes.
  • If you chose to create the page to verify ownership and it's still not verifying, it's possible that our system is blocked from querying that page.
  • It's also possible that the “text” you are supposed to enter is not correct. It is case sensitive. For example, 0e259158 is different from 0E259158.
  • If you chose to send a verification code to the email address and it didn't come through, there is a high possibility that your email service provider is greylisting the email because they think it's spam. There are two ways to resolve this. Change the Admin and Registrant email in the whois or contact us to have a support agent resend the email.
  • If you received an error message that informs you the domain is associated with another account you will need to remove it from the other account. (You will need to contact the account holder). If you recently purchased the domain, either from a new purchase or an auction, and you cannot get the domain removed from their account, you will need to contact support. You will also be asked to provide proof that you own the domain. It can take 3 days or longer to resolve due to legal protocols.

If you have not yet changed the NS record, please change it to point to:

  • Primary NameServer: ns1.Bluehost.com
  • Secondary NameServer: ns2.Bluehost.com

Allow up to 24-48 hours for DNS propagation.