Can a URL go somewhere else specific? (1 Viewer)

[MarkHastings]

If I have something like "mark.com" and want it to go to a URL like "mydomain.com/markspage.htm" - is this possible?

I ask because I have an old domain name that I was just going to let expire, but if I can somehow hook it into another site, that would be cool. I can log into my URL management and change the DNS, so if I know the new servers IP addresses, can I make it go to a specific location (i.e. a directory off the main site) or can you only make names go to the route folder of the web site?

Again, I want to know if it's possible to have someone type in 'www.mark.com' and have them directed to a completely different URL and into a specific directory - i.e. 'www.mydomain.com/markspage.htm'???

 

[Will_B]

Yes, that's called setting up a "virtual URL". Look around for those words on the panel, they are bound to be there. Many registrars such as GoDaddy provide free virtual URLs with the purchase of a domain name.

 

[MarkHastings]

Is it legal (or even ethical) to point somewhere without contacting an admin of the site? or do you have to contact them??

For example, Let's say I registered "MarksDVDCollection.com" and I wanted my URL to go to my DVD profiler page....do I need to contact the people at DVD profiler? or does this 'virtual link' work like an automatic redirect - or as if someone clicked on a link from your web site???

 

[Chris]

You can also do this with a META REFRESH tag, which will autoforward a URL once it's loaded.

 

[MarkHastings]

since I only have the URL registered (i.e. no hosting), then is it still possible? Can I accomplish this with the DNS service? or do I need to first have a place to put my site?

 

[Chris]

Mark-

Yes, get a DNS service like ZoneEdit, http://www.zoneedit.com/ who will auto-forward, or you can use a Dynamic DNS client and then setup a forwarder on that host...

 

[JohnRice]

Mark, the best way to do this is to forward the domain. This is the same as what Will_B referred to as a "virtual URL". It doesn't really make sense to use the meta tag refresh approach, since there is no reason to have hosting. How you forward the domain will differ with the domain registration service, but with GoDaddy, you log into your account, go to your domain names, check the box to the left of the domain you want to forward, and click "Forward" at the top of the page. You get a area to enter the full (http:// and all) URL of the site you want to forward to, and check OK. Bingo, whenever anyone goes to your domain, it is forwarded to the one you indicated. This essentially bypasses the whole DNS part, so no DNS is needed.

Here is an example. This link to westernskyphoto.com actually takes you to westernskyphotography.com. In this case, it is just a way to lock up multiple, similar domains and have them all point to one place.

If your domain registration doesn't allow this, look into transferring it to one which does, like GoDaddy.

 

[JohnRice]

BTW, I wouldn't worry about contacting DVDProfiler. What you are doing is essentially what they are there for. On the other hand, if you registered scumoftheearth.com and had it forward to, I don't know, Rush Limbaugh's site, you might be asking for trouble.

 

[MarkHastings]

Thanks guys, I looked into my DNS hosting utility and saw the domain forwarding section - I didn't realize you could forward to a completely different URL with this, so I never looked into it. I'll play around with it and see what happens.

Thanks again.

 

[MarkHastings]

OK, I'm not sure if I have to wait a bit, but I have the forwarding turned on (with the new URL), but since I don't have web hosting, I am unsure what to put for DNS?

I tried the default, but it's just taking me to a temp DNS page off my DNS host site. Well, maybe I'll wait to see if the forwarding just needs a day to kick in.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Do you have the Nameservers selected as "Default Parked Nameservers"? If I leave it as such, my forwarded domain #2 URL just goes to a Godaddy park page, and not the actual domain #1 URL I want it to forward to, though I have the domain #2 URL forwarded to the domain #1 URL in the settings.

 

[MarkHastings]

Yeah, I've tried "Default Parked Nameservers" as well as the "Default Hosting Nameservers" and they both go to my URL name registrations default page (I use Bravenet).

Should the forward actually work if the site is parked?

 

[MarkHastings]

Well, according to the help pages:Hmmm, mine's parked and it's not working - forwarding is definitely on, so maybe I do need to wait for propagation....

 

[JohnRice]

I'm going from memory here, but I think you may have to set the DNS to the default parked server for forwarding to work. It may depend on the service. And, yes, it is certainly possible it will take a little while for it to propagate. Just set it and leave it for a day to be sure.

 

[MarkHastings]

Well, it looks like it worked - unfortunately I changed the forwarding URL so many times, to make sure it had nothing to do with the server (that I was forwarding it to) blocking the incoming forward, that I accidentally left it with a URL that doesn't work LMAO!

But it does go to that (non available) URL, so I guess I'll just need to wait a little longer for total propagation even though my DNS service says the forwarding went through within 2 minutes of the change.

 

[Patrick Sun]

My forwarding finally worked after letting some time pass for the propagation to take effect. Yay!

 

[MarkHastings]