Connecting a Name.com domain to your Squarespace site

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

Last updated February 20, 2024

Before you begin, ensure your domain meets our requirements for connecting a third-party domain. You may also find Name.com'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.

Note

If you purchased a domain from Dyn or Oracle, Name.com is now your domain host. The steps in this guide will help you connect your domain using Name.com's system.

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.

  1. Select name.com from the drop-down menu.
  2. Click Connect domain.
  3. In the message that appears, click Continue.
  4. A new panel will open with the records to create in your Name.com account. Keep this panel open for your reference.

Step 2 - Log into Name.com

Open a new browser tab or window to access your Name.com account:

  1. Go to www.name.com, then log into your account.
  2. Under My Domains, click the domain you're connecting.
  3. Under DNS, click Manage DNS Records.

Step 3 - Add Squarespace DNS Template

Use a Name.com DNS Template to connect your domain:

  1. Click Show DNS Templates to load Name.com's available preset records.
  2. Click the Preset DNS Templates drop-down menu, then click Squarespace.com.

This will automatically load the Squarespace records required to connect your domain.

Step 4 - Add verification key

In the first line of your Squarespace DNS Settings, copy the unique code that appears directly below the Host column. The unique code is a random string of numbers and letters that must point to verify.squarespace.com:

  1. In your Name.com account, paste the unique code into the Verification Key field.
  2. Click Update DNS Records to save the changes.
Name.com_-_verification_key.png

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 5 - Review the records

Your Name.com domain will now have six records. Review the records to ensure that they were added properly:

Host

Type

Points to

A unique code from your Squarespace DNS Settings panel

CNAME

verify.squarespace.com

www

CNAME

ext-cust.squarespace.com

@

A

198.185.159.144

@

A

198.185.159.145

@

A

198.49.23.144

@

A

198.49.23.145

Note

If you have existing A records, edit any with a Host value of @ so that Answer matches the values above. Delete any other A records that don’t match what’s shown in this guide, except Mail or Email records. Deleting Mail or Email 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 Name.com account, contact their support team. For tips on troubleshooting with Name.com, visit Requesting third-party domain help . You can also visit their documentation.

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Connecting a Name.com domain to your Squarespace site