If you purchased a domain from Dotster and want to keep it registered with them, you can connect it to your site using DNS Connect.

Before you begin, review our requirements for connecting a third-party domain. You may also find Dotster's guide helpful as you work on the connection. 

Tip: If your domain is eligible, we recommend transferring it instead of connecting it. Learn more about the differences between transferring and connecting or get started with a transfer.

Step 1 - Start the connection in Squarespace

To connect your domain, start in the Domains panel:

1. Open the Domains panel.
2. Click Use a domain I own.
3. Enter the full domain name you’re connecting in the Enter domain field, then click the arrow.
4. Click Connect domain.

Note: If you see a message that says "This domain is already connected to another Squarespace site," check your other Squarespace sites to find where the domain is connected. After finding the site, disconnect the domain.

5. Select Dotster from the drop-down menu.
6. Click Connect domain.
7. In the message that appears, click Continue.
8. A new panel will open with the records to create in your Dotster account. Keep this panel open for your reference.

Step 2 - Log into Dotster

Open a new browser window or tab to access your Dotster account:

1. Go to www.dotster.com, then log into your account.
2. Find the domain you're connecting, then click Manage.
3. In the sidebar, click DNS & Nameservers, then click the DNS Records tab.

You'll now copy the records from the DNS Settings panel of your Squarespace site into your domain's settings.

Note: Don't delete MX records during this process. MX Records connect your email address, and deleting them could interfere with your email service.

Step 3 - Add the first CNAME

In the first line of your Squarespace DNS Settings, a unique code appears directly below the Host column. The unique code is a random string of numbers and letters that must point to verify.squarespace.com. In your Dotster account, you'll add a new record with these values:

1. Click the + icon next to Add DNS Record.
2. In the Name field, paste the unique code from your Squarespace panel.
3. From the Type drop-down, select CNAME.
4. In the Content field, enter verify.squarespace.com
5. From the TTL (Time To Live) drop-down, select 1 hour.
6. Leave the Priority field blank.
7. Click Add DNS.

Note: If you don't add this CNAME, or if it's entered incorrectly, the domain will unlink from your site after 15 days. If this happens, you can start over to reconnect the domain.

Step 4 - Add the second CNAME

In the second line of your Squarespace DNS Settings, www appears directly below the Host column. This record must point to ext-cust.squarespace.com.

1. Click the + icon next to Add DNS Record.
2. In the Name field, enter www
3. From the Type drop-down, select CNAME.
4. In the Content field, enter ext-cust.squarespace.com
5. From the TTL (Time To Live) drop-down, select 1 hour.
6. Leave the Priority field blank.
7. Click Add DNS.

Note: If you have an existing CNAME with the Name www in your DNS Records, edit the record so the Content is ext-cust.squarespace.com

Step 5 - Add A records

In the last four lines of your Squarespace DNS Settings, you'll see four IP addresses in the Required Data column. Create four A records in your Dotster account matching these values:

1. Click the + icon next to Add DNS Record.
2. In the Name field, enter @
3. From the Type drop-down, select A.
4. In the Content field, enter 198.185.159.144
5. From the TTL (Time To Live) drop-down, select 1 hour.
6. Leave the Priority field blank.
7. Click Add DNS.

Repeat this process with the following IP addresses:

• 198.185.159.145
• 198.49.23.144
• 198.49.23.145

Note: If you have existing A records, edit any with a blank or * Host value so that Content matches the values above. If the host name is blank, you'll only see your domain name in the Host field. If you see other A records in your account that don’t match what’s shown in this guide, such as Mail or Email records, don't delete them. Deleting other records could interfere with your email service.

Step 6 - Wait for the connection to complete

Now that you've entered the records, it can take 24 to 72 hours for the connection to start working properly. While you wait:

• You can watch the connection's progress. Return to your Squarespace DNS Settings, click Refresh records, and the Current Data column will show green labels as your domain connects. When the domain is correctly linked, it will appear in the Domains panel with a Connected label.
• It’s normal to see errors in the Domains panel or when visiting your domain for up to 72 hours after completing the steps in this guide. If you see any error messages after 72 hours has passed, see our tips below, or visit Troubleshooting domain connections.

Troubleshoot with the DNS record checker

If we detect that your records weren’t set up properly, your domain will appear in the Domains panel with the message Can’t verify domain ownership. To troubleshoot, use the DNS checker tool in the DNS Settings panel to see the exact CNAME and A records to fix.

Getting more help

For more help with settings in your Dotster account, contact their support team. To help them understand your issue, you can use our sample message. You can also visit their documentation.