1. Customize Site With Astra
2. Customize Page With Spectra
3. Add A Blog
4. Built-In Features
5. How to Enable Branded Site URL in WPAI

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How to Connect Your Domain and Go Live with WPAI Cloud? What is WPAI Cloud? Understanding the WPAI Cloud Dashboard Connecting a Custom Domain to Your Site (Nameserver vs. CNAME) Why is My WordPress Site Not Loading? (Common Causes & Fixes) Disk Usage & File Limits (Inodes) Explained AI Troubleshooter

/ Documentation / WPAI Cloud / Connecting a Custom Domain to Your Site (Nameserver vs. CNAME) Connecting a Custom Domain to Your Site (Nameserver vs. CNAME) When you are ready to take your website live on WPAI Cloud, you will need to connect your custom domain (e.g., yourbusiness.com) to replace the temporary staging URL. WPAI Cloud supports two methods: Nameservers and CNAME .. This article explains both methods, when to use each one, and how to set them up. What is a Nameserver Connection? A nameserver connection points your entire domain to WPAI Cloud. Once updated, WPAI automatically manages all DNS records for your domain. Benefits Simplest setup — just update your nameservers once and you are done. Faster propagation No need to manually configure additional DNS records. Fully secure and safe When to Use Choose this method if you want WPAI Cloud to handle all your DNS needs. It is the recommended option for most users. Already have existing DNS records? No problem. If you currently use email hosting, TXT verification records, or other DNS settings, simply copy those records before switching nameservers. Once your domain is connected to WPAI, you can re-add them directly in WPAI’s DNS manager so everything keeps working smoothly. How to set up Simply copy your existing records before switching nameservers Log in to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains). Navigate to the DNS or Nameserver settings for your domain. Replace the existing nameservers with: ns1.wpaicloud.com ns2.wpaicloud.com Save your changes. Return to your WPAI dashboard and click Verify Domain . Once your domain is connected to WPAI, you can re-add those records directly in WPAI’s DNS manager. This way, you keep everything working smoothly without giving up the convenience of managing your site in one place. What is a CNAME Connection? A CNAME connection points only your website to WPAI Cloud, while your domain’s nameservers remain with your current provider. All other DNS records (email, apps, third-party tools) continue to be managed where they are. Benefits Keeps all your existing DNS management in place. Ideal if your domain is tied to services like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Cloudflare. When to Use You already have complex DNS configurations. You prefer to keep DNS management outside WPAI. How to set up Log in to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains). Go to the DNS settings or DNS management section. In your WPAI dashboard, click on the domain you want to connect. This will display the unique CNAME record values specific to your site. Add a new CNAME record with the values shown: Hostname → (your root domain, depending on what WPAI shows) Points to → (the unique value generated by WPAI, e.g., xxxxxx.wpaicloud.com ) TTL → 300 (or leave the default if your registrar does not allow changes)

Save your changes. Return to your WPAI dashboard and click Verify Domain to complete the connection. Note: The Hostname and Points to values are unique per site and only appear in your WPAI dashboard once you click on the domain. Always copy those exact values to avoid errors. Verifying Your Domain Once you have updated your DNS settings, WPAI Cloud handles the rest automatically. Your domain is verified, SSL is provisioned, and your site goes live. Nameserver method — Everything is handled automatically after the nameservers are updated. CNAME method — Verification is automatic once the CNAME record is correctly added. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally, though they often complete much sooner. Troubleshooting If your site is not live after 48 hours, try the following: Check your DNS records — Make sure the values match exactly what is shown in your WPAI dashboard, and remove any conflicting A or CNAME records Check propagation status — Use a tool like WhatsMyDNS to confirm your records have updated globally. Still not working? — Reach out to WPAI Support and we will be happy to help. Summary We hope this guide helped you out and made connecting your custom domain to WPAI Cloud a little easier. Whether you choose the simplicity of Nameservers or the flexibility of CNAME, connecting your domain to WPAI Cloud is a straightforward process. Both methods are secure and fully supported. If you run into any issues or have questions along the way, do not hesitate to contact WPAI Support. We are always here to help.