Connecting a Network Solutions domain to your Squarespace site

Connect your Network Solutions domain to your site using Nameserver Connect or DNS Connect.

Last updated December 30, 2024

If you purchased a domain from Network Solutions and want to keep it registered with them, you can connect it to your site using Nameserver Connect or DNS Connect. Network Solutions offers multiple ways to edit your domain. If the steps in this guide don’t match what you see in your Network Solutions account, follow the steps in their guide to edit your domain's records.

Before you begin

  • Ensure you're starting the connection process with Namecheap’s default nameservers intact. If you remove them before starting the domain connection process, you'll see an error message
  • Review our requirements for connecting a third-party domain. 

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.

Connect your domain

There are two setup options available to connect a Network Solutions domain to Squarespace: Nameserver Connect and DNS Connect. Nameserver Connect is the recommended setup. 

Tip

Before beginning the connection process, double-check your DNS settings on your domain provider's end. If you have custom DNS records attached to your domain, like email records or ad blockers, or you've enabled DNSSEC on your domain, opt out of Nameserver Connect and use DNS Connect instead. This ensures your custom DNS records carry over along with your domain. 

The steps below explain how to connect your domain using either Nameserver Connect or DNS Connect. 

  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.

  1. In the "Let's Connect Your Network Solutions Domain" panel, select Get Started
  2. In the "Sign in to Network Solutions" panel, follow the prompts to log into your Network Solutions account. Then click Next to open the "Update your Nameservers" panel.
  3. From your Network Solutions account, open your domain dashboard

  4. Open Advanced Tools and select Nameservers

  5. Click Manage.

  6. Highlight and delete each of the default nameservers in the Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 fields.

  7. Copy and paste the two Squarespace nameserver records below into the Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 fields in Network Solutions:

    • connect1.squarespacedns.com

    • connect2.squarespacedns.com

  8. Click Save.

  9. Go back to the "Update Your Nameservers" panel on your site and click Finish
  10. In the "Your domain connection is in progress" panel, click Done.
  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.

  1. In the "Let's Connect Your Network Solutions Domain" pop-up message, select No, use DNS records
  2. Click Connect domain.
  3. Select Network Solutions from the drop-down menu, if it’s not already selected.
  4. In the "Network Solutions Sign In" panel, log into your Network Solutions account.
  5. Click Connect.
  6. In the "Connection in progress" pop-up message on your site, click Continue.

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.

Troubleshooting

Manually connect a Network Solutions domain to your Squarespace site

If a Network Solutions error message appears in Squarespace, try the following steps to reset your nameservers and adjust the DNS records manually to connect your domain:

  1. From your Network Solutions account, open your Account Manager.
  2. Select your Domain Name to open the Domain Details panel.
  3. Scroll down to Advanced Tools and click Manage next to Nameservers (DNS).
  4. Delete the Squarespace nameservers and add the default Network Solutions nameserver records from the drop-down menu. For help with this step, visit Network Solutions documentation.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Log out of your Network Solutions account.
  7. Disconnect your domain from your Squarespace site.
  8. Manually connect your domain.

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 Network Solutions account, contact their support team. To help them understand your issue, you can use our sample message. You can also visit their documentation.

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Connecting a Network Solutions domain to your Squarespace site