Custom domains
Connect your own domain to a HelloBox site with the correct DNS setup.
How custom domains work
A custom domain makes your community feel like part of your own brand. Setup has two parts: add the domain in HelloBox, then create the DNS record with your domain registrar.
Add the domain in HelloBox
- Open your site in the admin panel.
- Go to Settings then Domain.
- Enter only the domain name, such as
community.example.com. - Do not include
http://,https://, or a trailing slash. - Save the setting.
You can use a root domain, a second-level domain, or a subdomain. Subdomains such as
community.example.com are often the simplest to configure.
Create the DNS record
In your DNS provider, create a CNAME record that points your custom domain to the default HelloBox domain shown in the admin panel.
| Type | Name | Value | TTL |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNAME | community.example.com | mysite.hellobox.co | 3600 |
Root domain or www?
Many DNS providers handle subdomains more consistently than root domains. If your provider does not support CNAME
records at the root, use www.example.com or community.example.com as the primary address,
then redirect the root domain to it from your DNS provider.
Troubleshooting
- Confirm the domain in HelloBox exactly matches the DNS record.
- Check that the CNAME points to the default HelloBox domain shown in the admin panel.
- Wait for DNS propagation before testing again.
- Use a DNS checker if the domain works for some people but not others.