A naked domain is a root domain that does not contain a subdomain. It is also known as apex/base/bare/zone domain. In the DNS provider settings, naked domains are sometimes symbolized by an @ symbol.
A naked domain, such as {yourschool}.com, lacks any subdomain parts like www. On the other hand, a domain like www.{yourschool}.com includes the subdomain "www." Essentially, the naked domain refers to the original domain purchased without any additional subdomains like www.
Your naked domain can be connected by using an A Record.
If you want to use your naked domain with an SSL certificate, you will need to add an A Record. This would help to avoid warnings for an insecure site when a user tries to load it because of the browser's security settings. This happens because the SSL certificate is issued for domains initially connected to your school. If your naked domain is not connected with an A record, a warning may appear before the forwarding.In this article, we will show the steps for connecting your naked domain by creating an A record.
The aforementioned steps are based on GoDaddy. The procedure in other providers may vary; however, these are the basic steps you need to take.
A Record
Step 1: Create your A Records
1. Login to your domain provider and navigate to the DNS Settings.
2. Make sure to remove any forwarding feature you may have (if).
3. Add 3 new A records with the following values/IP addresses:
- 104.22.60.249
- 104.22.61.249
- 172.67.36.150
4. The final result needs to be three total A records with the mentioned values/IP addresses.
Notes:
- If a parked A record already exists, you can proceed to delete it.
- Cloudflare has a different procedure, and a CNAME record needs to be created instead. You can find more information here.
- Some DNS providers, such as Google Cloud Platform, allow multiple values/IP addresses per record. In this case, you should add one A record, including all three IP addresses:
Step 2: Check if the A Records are correct
1. Go to Google Admin Toolbox.
2. Insert your naked domain free of https:// or / at the end (e.g. learnworlds.com or mylearnworlds.com).
3. If the A records are properly created, the school's IP will appear in Target.
If you face difficulties in adding the A record, you can contact us to further assist you.
Step 3: Request the Domain's change in your School Settings
If the A records have been successfully created:
1. Navigate to Settings → School Settings → Site email & domain.
2. Type the subdomain you created.
3. Click on Change Domain.
4. A pop-up message will appear confirming that your domain will be ready within the next 5 minutes.
Notes:
- If your A record currently points to another live website, modifying it will affect your live existing site, and it will not be reachable anymore.
- You can have up to two secondary domains, including the naked domain (domains that redirect to your primary domain), apart from the LearnWorlds default domain.
- We highly recommend using both the naked and the www subdomain for your school.
- You can change the primary domain to a different custom domain, as long as the records remain correct.
- You cannot delete the default LearnWorlds URL.
- If you want to use your naked domain along with a subdomain, click here to check the steps.