External domain problem

[mtahir]

Hi,

I have a domain name which is being hosted externally to BT. My email for this domain is with one provider and I would like to use the free web space that came with this account. My MX records are pointing to my email provider and my 'A' record is pointing to this address: 209.235.144.9. However, in my 'Manage Services' section, I can't confirm the pending domain because it wants me to change the MX records to point to the BT servers which I don't want to do.

Is there way to solve this? Can I re-direct a name to the free space in this way or do I have a paid account?

Thanks

Mohammed

[Fiona]

Hi

To use your free BTConnect web space, please see our help and support file on How do I activate my free BT Business web space?

If you want to point your externally hosted domain to this, you would need to either set up, or ask your domain provider, to point your domain to your free BTConnect URL. If your Domain Name is with BT Business, please see the help and support file How can I redirect my domain name to my free web space?

Kind Regards

Fiona

BT Business Forum Moderator

[mtahir]

Hi Fiona,

Thanks for the reply.

I don't have any problems doing a 301 re-direct from my current domain name hoster. What I did initially was to change the 'A' record to the one required by BT and then tried to add the external domain but this didn't work:

Ownership confirmation is pending for the external domain 'dreamvalley.net'. Please use the 'confirm ownership for external domain' link in the domains widget to confirm your ownership.

When I tried to take ownership, it says that MX records are not correct. I don't want to change the MX records; all I want to do is have the web hosting at BT, not email. I presume, using this method, instead of a 301 re-direct, the website appears under my domain name rather than the BT name of http://home.btconect.com...

Regards

Mohammed

[mtahir]

Just an idea but would it be possible to add a BT MX record with the lowest priorty in the domains DNS settings  in order to get past this confirmation?

[Fiona]

Hi

Do you purchase domain hosting with us, like the starter webhosting or Smart Hosting. Or are you trying to use your free http://home.btconnect.com webspace and point your domain to that free space? It may help to private mail me your BTConnect account information so i can have a look at what services you have.

Kind Regards

Fiona

BT Business Forum Moderator

[mtahir]

Hi Fiona,

It's the free space that came with Business Broadband package. I thought I might as well make some use of it. I've had the dreamvalley.net name for a long time and at various times had some sort of website up there.

What I wanted to do was use the dreamvalley.net name to point to the webspace but masking the BT url. I can do that from my domain settings but masking kills SEO as well. So, right now, all I'm doing is a forward, which I believe is '301' re-direct - the BT url still shows.

I did try adding the BT MX record and changing the 'A' record to the required setting but I still couldn't confim the domain name in the control panel. I went back to the 301 re-direct described above.

Regards

Mohammed

PS. My pic in the Image Gallery still hasn't been approved and it's been a couple of days. 🙂