Below are detailed instructions for setting up a CNAME in 1&1 IONOS. For a general overview of CNAMEs, head over to Setting Up Your CNAME.
Setting Up a CNAME with 1&1 IONOS
1. Log into your 1&1 IONOS account.
2. Navigate to the domains section of the account. Next to your custom domain, click on the gear symbol and choose "manage subdomains."
3. Click on the option to "Add record."
4. Choose "CNAME" from the list of records.
5. In the "Host Name" field, enter "www" (unless you prefer to use a different alias, like archive.yourdomain.com). In the "Points to" field, enter in "custom.photoshelter.com" - exactly as written.
6. Click the "Save" button and confirm the change on the next screen.
7. Next, navigate back to DNS and click the "Redirect" option next to "CNAME."
8. Fill in the requested fields with the following details:
- "Type" should be "Your domain"
- "Redirect to destination" should be https://www.yourdomain.com (replacing "yourdomain" with your custom domain).
- "Redirect type" should be "HTTP redirect."
9. Click the "Save" button. It may take some time for the changes to propagate, so if you receive an error in the next couple steps, wait a few hours before trying again.
10. Now, log into your PhotoShelter account and navigate to "Website" > "General Settings."
11. Enter your custom domain into the "Custom Domain (CNAME)" field (including the "www").
12. Click the "Save Settings" button. If it saves successfully, it may take a few minutes for the SSL certificate to generate (that's what makes your website show as secure). Once that's done, your custom domain should load successfully to your PhotoShelter website.