AmeriHost

Domains & DNS

Domain and DNS Management for Your Online Services

Your domain name connects customers to your website, email, and other online services.

Behind that domain is DNS—the system that determines where each of those services is located.

AmeriHost can help with domain registration, DNS configuration, service migrations, website launches, email-related records, redirects, and ongoing domain management.

Talk to AmeriHost About Domains & DNS

Your Domain Is More Than a Web Address

A business domain can support many different services at the same time.

The same domain may be used for:

  • Your website
  • Business email
  • Subdomains
  • Cloud applications
  • Website forms and transactional email
  • Verification records
  • Redirects
  • Development or client-review websites
  • Other online services

Each service may be hosted by a different provider while still using the same domain.

AmeriHost can help coordinate these connections so changes to one service do not unintentionally disrupt another.

Domain Registration and Management

AmeriHost can assist with the management of business domain names used for websites, email, and other online services.

A domain can remain registered separately from the company hosting the website or providing email.

The important part is maintaining control of the domain and ensuring that its DNS configuration accurately points to the services the business uses.

Depending on the situation, this may include:

  • New domain registration
  • Domain renewal
  • Domain transfers
  • Nameserver configuration
  • DNS management
  • Contact and account coordination
  • Connecting a domain to a website
  • Connecting a domain to email
  • Troubleshooting domain-related issues

What DNS Does

DNS directs Internet traffic associated with your domain.

Different DNS records can control different services.

Common examples include:

  • A and AAAArecords for website and server addresses
  • CNAMErecords for aliases and hosted services
  • MXrecords for email delivery
  • TXTrecords for verification and email authentication
  • SPF, DKIM, and DMARCrecords related to email
  • Records used by cloud platforms and third-party services

Most businesses do not need to administer these records themselves.

AmeriHost can manage the DNS configuration and coordinate changes when websites, email systems, or other services are moved.

Cloudflare DNS and Website Delivery

For appropriate projects, AmeriHost can use Cloudflare as part of the DNS and website-delivery architecture.

This can be especially useful for modern static websites and other projects where DNS, HTTPS, redirects, and content delivery need to work together.

Cloudflare is one available platform rather than a requirement for every project. The appropriate DNS and hosting arrangement depends on the services the domain needs to support.

Depending on the website and configuration, AmeriHost can assist with:

  • Cloudflare DNS configuration
  • Connecting domains to hosted websites
  • Custom domains for static websites
  • HTTPS and SSL/TLS configuration
  • Redirects
  • DNS record management
  • Website migration
  • Development-to-production transitions

Website and Email DNS Must Be Coordinated

Moving a website should not accidentally move or interrupt the company's email.

Likewise, changing an email provider should not interfere with the website.

This is why DNS changes need to be planned around all of the services using the domain.

Website DNS

  • Website hosting
  • Subdomains
  • Cloud applications
  • Redirects

Email DNS

  • Business email
  • Transactional email
  • Verification services
  • Other existing services

Before making significant DNS changes, AmeriHost can review records associated with:

  • Website hosting
  • Business email
  • Transactional email
  • Subdomains
  • Verification services
  • Cloud applications
  • Redirects
  • Other existing services

This allows the required records to be preserved while only the services involved in the project are changed.

DNS During a Website Rebuild

A website rebuild often takes place while the existing site remains online.

The new website can be developed and reviewed separately without changing the production domain.

Once the new site is approved, AmeriHost can coordinate the DNS and hosting changes needed to make the new website live.

A typical transition may involve:

  1. 01

    Reviewing the existing DNS configuration

  2. 02

    Identifying website and email dependencies

  3. 03

    Preparing the new hosting environment

  4. 04

    Testing the new website at a temporary address

  5. 05

    Connecting the production domain

  6. 06

    Configuring HTTPS

  7. 07

    Activating required redirects

  8. 08

    Verifying the website and related services after the change

This helps separate website development from the final production transition.

Domain and Hosting Migrations

Businesses sometimes need to move a domain, website, email service, or DNS provider without moving everything at once.

AmeriHost can help plan these transitions.

A migration may involve:

  • Moving a website while leaving email unchanged
  • Moving email while leaving the website unchanged
  • Moving DNS to a different provider
  • Changing nameservers
  • Transferring a domain registration
  • Connecting a new hosting platform
  • Moving from WordPress hosting to static hosting
  • Consolidating services currently spread across several providers

The objective is to understand the dependencies before changes are made.

Website Redirects

When website addresses change, redirects can send visitors and search engines from an old URL to the appropriate new location.

Redirects are particularly important during:

  • Website rebuilds
  • Page restructuring
  • Domain changes
  • Migration from older website platforms
  • Removal or consolidation of obsolete pages
  • Changes from legacy file extensions or URLs

AmeriHost can review existing website addresses and configure appropriate redirects as part of a migration or rebuild.

This can help preserve useful incoming links and reduce unnecessary 404 errors after a new site launches.

Subdomains

A subdomain allows a business to create additional addresses beneath its primary domain.

Examples might include:

  • portal.yourcompany.com
  • support.yourcompany.com
  • members.yourcompany.com
  • new.yourcompany.com

Subdomains can be used for applications, customer portals, development sites, support systems, or other services.

AmeriHost can configure the DNS records needed to connect subdomains to the appropriate destination.

SSL and HTTPS

Visitors expect business websites to use secure HTTPS connections.

The SSL/TLS configuration for a website is closely connected to its domain and hosting environment.

AmeriHost can help coordinate:

  • Domain connection
  • DNS validation
  • SSL/TLS activation
  • HTTPS configuration
  • Redirects from HTTP to HTTPS
  • Website hostname configuration

When a website changes hosting platforms, these items should be verified as part of the production launch.

Ongoing DNS Management

DNS often receives attention only when something stops working.

In practice, it should be reviewed whenever a business changes its website, hosting, email service, domain provider, cloud applications, or other Internet services.

AmeriHost can provide ongoing assistance with DNS changes and troubleshooting so clients do not have to determine which records should be changed—or which records must be left alone.

Need Help With a Domain or DNS Change?

Whether you are launching a new website, moving an existing site, changing email providers, configuring Cloudflare, or trying to understand an existing DNS setup, AmeriHost can help coordinate the change.

Contact AmeriHost to discuss your domain and DNS requirements.