A few questions about domain pointers and start points

Discussion in 'DNS/Domain names' started by condado, Jan 17, 2011.

  1. I'm hosting my first domain, say Domain1, with Winhost. I'm considering (at least temporarily) pointing my second domain, Domain2, to a subdirectory of Domain1 (thereby paying one fee, at least until both domain websites ramp up).

    My questions are :

    1) Is this the process I need to follow if I wanted to achieve this goal:

    A. Upload Domain2 files to a folder called Domain2Folder on Domain1 root.
    B. Designate Domain2Folder as an Application Start Point
    C. Creater a subdomain called Domain2.Domain1.com.
    D. Go to the website where I registered Domain2, and point it to the subdomain Domain2.Domain1.com (and the IP address of Domain1.com)

    2) If I do this, when someone types www.Domain2.com, will the first thing they see onscreen be the Default page of Domain2 (as per my intent)?

    3) Also, when they typed www.Domain2.com, will they get redirected to a URL address that will contain "Domain1" somewhere in the URL address?

    Thanks.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2015
  2. Ray

    Ray

    Actually you will need to setup a redirect script so that the second domain name is redirected to its own page.

    This is what you will need to do.

    1. Add the additional domain name as a domain pointer.
    http://support.Winhost.com/KB/a696/details-on-domain-pointer-service.aspx

    2. Create a folder using FTP and upload your second site to that folder.

    3. In IIS 7 Manager setup a redirect/rewrite rule so that the domain pointer redirects to the specified subfolder.
    http://support.Winhost.com/KB/a628/using-the-microsoft-iis-70-manager.aspx
    http://forum.Winhost.com/showthread.php?t=3802
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2015
  3. Thanks Ray...I will try that now...one other question: will someone who is typing in the address for the second domain (ie www.Domain2.com) at any point in the redirect seconds see the name the name of Domain1 ---or will it be completely seamless/invisible? Thanks.
     
  4. Ray

    Ray

    No they shouldn't. The URL will remain on the first original call unless in your code you have a redirect to domain1.com.
     
  5. Ray, I followed all of your instructions, but still couldn't get it to work (right now, when I input the address of my second site (Domain2), it pulls up my first site---Domain1.com)....As you instructed, I created the Domain Pointer "Domain2.com", and then I created a folder for that second site on my FTP space (and uploaded the files belonging to Domain2 to that folder).....But where (I assume somewhere within the Add Rule dialog box in IIS7) or how do I link that FTP location and/or folder (eg, ftp://ftp.Domain1.com/Domain2) with the URL www.Domain2.com? I missed that step. Thanks.
     
  6. Ray

    Ray

    That's when you are going to need to setup teh URL Rewrite/Redirect rule. Try looking at this forum posting. It will have some links to help you understand about URL rewrite and redirects.

    http://forum.Winhost.com/showthread.php?t=4545
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2015
  7. Ok Ray..I'm going to try one of those examples.

    To assist me in doing that, could you please help me to get the following path nomenclature right (for my files that are on the Winhost servers). How exactly should I construct and replace each of these 2 placeholders? Thanks.

    HTTP_HOST

    PATH_INFO [should this be my FTP address??]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2015
  8. Ray

    Ray

    I'm not sure I understand wht you mean. Can you elaborate on it a little further?
     
  9. Thanks for your reply Ray; sorry for the delay.

    In the examples of code needed to redirect to a subfolder (examples contained in the last link you provided), those 2 "placeholders" are listed presumably as directory or path addresses (see example below)...but I don't know what nomenclature to use to represent the path or HTTP_host address to refer to my subfolder on my Winhost FTP area:


    <conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll" trackAllCaptures="false">
    <add input="{HTTP_HOST}" pattern="^(www\.)?site1\.com$" />
    <add input="{PATH_INFO}" pattern="^/site1($|/)" negate="true" />
    </conditions>
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2015
  10. Ray

    Ray

    Try this and see if this works for you...

    <add input="{HTTP_HOST}" pattern="^www.site1\.com$" />
     
  11. Ray,

    This process is not working for me. Although I've implemented some pretty complex code on my site in the past, I'm having trouble "combining" the different sets of instructions in the various links (above)--and I'm finding many of the instructions in those links confusing.

    Do you know if Winhost has plans to make the process of redirecting a second domain to a subdirectory of a first domain more turnkey in the future (as evidently other hosts do)?

    Thanks.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2015
  12. Ray

    Ray

    The underlying issue is IIS. The way IIS is designed specifically when you set it up as a shared hosting environment does not have a feature inside itself to automatically setup a redirect. Some other hosting providers as you pointed out can, that is because they are using Apache which has that capability. In IIS it simply does not and it leaves the customer to perform and code their own redirect script and redirect rules.
     

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