Configuring Your Custom Domain

Using a custom domain for your reseller client portal elevates your brand and gives clients a seamless experience. Instead of accessing a generic URL, your clients visit your own domain (e.g., portal.yourcompany.com or hosting.yourbrand.com) where they manage their hosting services under your brand.

Prerequisites

Before configuring a custom domain, ensure you have:

• An approved Data Mammoth reseller account.
• A registered domain name that you control.
• Access to your domain's DNS management panel.
• Custom branding already configured. See Setting Up Your Custom Branding.

Step 1 — Choose Your Domain

Decide which domain or subdomain to use for your client portal:

A subdomain is the most common and easiest approach.

Step 2 — Add the Domain to Your Reseller Dashboard

Log in to your reseller dashboard.

Navigate to Reseller Settings > Custom Domain or Domain Settings.

Enter the full domain or subdomain you want to use (e.g., portal.yourcompany.com).

Click Add Domain or Save.

The dashboard will display the DNS records you need to configure.

Step 3 — Configure DNS Records

Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider and add the required records:

For a Subdomain (Recommended)

Create a CNAME record:

For a Root Domain

If using a root domain (e.g., yourhostingbrand.com), create an A record:

Some DNS providers support CNAME flattening or ALIAS records for root domains, which may be preferable.

Step 4 — Verify the Domain

After configuring DNS:

Return to your reseller dashboard.

Click Verify or Check DNS next to your custom domain.

The system checks that DNS records are pointing correctly.

Verification may take a few minutes to a few hours, depending on DNS propagation.

Once verified, your client portal is accessible at your custom domain.

Step 5 — Set Up SSL

An SSL certificate is essential for your custom domain to serve traffic over HTTPS:

• Automatic SSL — Data Mammoth may automatically provision an SSL certificate for your custom domain after DNS verification.
• Manual SSL — If automatic provisioning is not available, you may need to provide your own SSL certificate or configure Let's Encrypt.

Check your reseller dashboard for SSL status. Your portal should be accessible at https://portal.yourcompany.com with a valid certificate.

Step 6 — Test the Setup

Open a private browser window.

Navigate to your custom domain (e.g., https://portal.yourcompany.com).

Verify:

- The login page loads with your branding (logo, colors, company name). - The SSL certificate is valid (no browser warnings). - All portal pages function correctly. - Email notifications reference your domain and branding.

Test client registration and login flow.

Troubleshooting

Domain Not Resolving

• DNS propagation — Wait up to 48 hours for DNS changes to propagate fully.
• Check records — Verify the DNS records match what the reseller dashboard requires. Use dig portal.yourcompany.com to check.
• Wrong record type — Ensure you used CNAME for subdomains and A records for root domains.

SSL Certificate Error

• Pending issuance — SSL certificates may take a few minutes to provision after DNS verification.
• DNS not propagated — SSL issuance requires DNS to be fully propagated.
• Contact support — If SSL is not issued within 24 hours after DNS verification.

Branding Not Showing

• Ensure branding is configured in branding settings.
• Clear your browser cache and reload.
• Check that you are accessing the correct domain.

Best Practices

Use HTTPS — Always ensure SSL is active for client security and trust.

Choose a memorable domain — Pick something easy to remember and type.

Keep DNS records simple — Avoid conflicting records for the same hostname.

Monitor uptime — Use an uptime monitoring tool to ensure your portal is always accessible.

Update DNS promptly — If Data Mammoth provides updated DNS targets, apply them quickly.

What to Do Next

• Setting Up Your Custom Branding — Complete your branding setup.
• Managing Your Reseller Clients — Start onboarding clients.
• Setting Up Reseller Pricing & Markups — Configure service pricing.
• API Credentials for Resellers — Automate provisioning.