Subdomains are an essential part of any website, and when they fail to deliver, the consequences can be dire. From lost pageviews to broken links, a subdomain not working issue can cause frustration and confusion for users.
Fortunately, cPanel provides an easy-to-use interface to help you troubleshoot these issues quickly and efficiently. This article will provide an in-depth guide on how to resolve subdomain not working issues in cPanel.
It will teach you the basics of cPanel, examine the DNS records associated with your subdomain, check that it’s enabled in cPanel, create a new subdomain if necessary, and offer strategies for troubleshooting other possible issues.
By the end of this article, you should have all the tools you need to solve any problems related to your subdomain in cPanel!
Understand the Basics of cPanel
An understanding of the fundamentals of cPanel is critical in order to facilitate successful operations.
The basics include setting up a subdomain, and managing Domain Name System (DNS) via cPanel.
Subdomains are used for segmenting website content into distinct areas that are associated with the main domain.
For example, a company may use a subdomain like ‘blog.example.com’ or ‘support.example.com’ for their blog or support page respectively, allowing them to keep these areas separate from the rest of their website without needing multiple domains or hosting accounts.
Managing DNS allows users to point their domain name to an IP address where they can host their website files and email services on the same server using cPanel’s built-in web hosting tools and Mail Transfer Agent system (MTA).
With this knowledge, users can additionally configure custom settings such as redirects and domain aliases, enabling them to further customize how visitors access their site through different URLs.
Having an understanding of these core concepts is necessary when troubleshooting issues related to subdomains not working in cPanel environments.
Check the Subdomain’s DNS Records
Investigating the DNS records of a subdomain is essential to identify any potential causes for malfunction. A recursive lookup of the domain is necessary to find out if the domain has been registered in cPanel and all its associated DNS records are properly propagated.
The most common cause for a subdomain not working is that it has not been added in cPanel or its DNS records have not yet been propagated. It is important to ensure that all required DNS entries, including an ‘A’ record, ‘CNAME’ record, and ‘MX’ record (if applicable) are present in the cPanel account’s zone file.
If these entries are missing or incorrect, they must be updated before they can be successfully propagated. To check whether the domain name server (DNS) propagation process has completed correctly, there are multiple online tools available which can be used to trace the journey of requests from their source to their destination.
It may take up to 72 hours for this process to complete but it typically takes 24 hours or less for changes made in a cPanel account’s zone file to propagate across the internet due to caching techniques implemented by ISPs around the world. In some cases however, where there is an issue with ISP level caching techniques or other technical problems with domains and/or hosting providers, this process may take longer than anticipated.
Make Sure the Subdomain is Enabled in cPanel
Ensuring that a subdomain is enabled in cPanel is an essential step to ensure it functions correctly. To accomplish this, users must first map the domain they are attempting to add as a subdomain via the DNS management tool. This will propagate the DNS records for the subdomain and make them available for use within cPanel.
After this process has been completed, users can then log into their cPanel interface and navigate to the ‘Subdomains’ section to create the new subdomain. Within this section of cPanel, users can specify which domain name should be used as the primary source for their newly created subdomain. Additionally, they can also choose which folder within their web host’s root directory that all data related to their new subdomain should be stored in.
Once these settings have been specified, users simply need to click ‘Create’ and wait for confirmation that their new subdomain has been added successfully before continuing further with any other configuration steps or tests. Having now created a new subdomain via cPanel, users may then wish to test its functionality by accessing it directly from a browser or testing its connection via some external application or service (e.g., email).
If successful, then they can rest assured knowing that they have successfully resolved any issues related to why their original attempt at resolving a given sub-submain failed due to not being enabled in cPanel beforehand.
Create a New Subdomain if Necessary
If a desired subdomain cannot be accessed, it may be necessary to create a new subdomain.
The process of setting up a new subdomain involves the following steps:
- Identifying the domain setup and ensuring that the domain is registered with an appropriate name server.
- Creating the subdomain in cPanel, which requires entering its name and selecting from available domains.
- Updating any DNS records associated with the domain or other related settings.
Once all of these steps are completed, the newly created subdomain should appear online and be accessible for use. Depending on the specific hosting provider, there may also be additional settings or configurations that need to be adjusted in order for the subdomain to work properly.
It is important to ensure that any such settings are properly configured before attempting to access or use the new subdomain.
Troubleshoot Other Possible Issues
In order to maximize the effectiveness of a new subdomain, it is essential to consider any potential issues that could prevent its successful implementation. Configuring DNS settings and modifying other settings within cPanel can lead to errors if not done properly. Therefore, troubleshooting these issues should be the first step taken when trying to resolve a problem with a subdomain not working in cPanel.
The most common cause of subdomain issues is an incorrect record type being used for the domain. For example, if an A-record is used instead of an AAAA-record for IPv6 addresses, then the connection to the server will fail.
Additionally, if any nameserver information has been added incorrectly or omitted from cPanel’s configuration, this too can cause problems with resolving a subdomain issue in cPanel.
To ensure proper resolution of such problems, all records must be checked carefully and updated as necessary using the correct record types corresponding to each domain name address (IPv4 or IPv6). Furthermore, making sure all nameservers are correctly configured in both cPanel and on any third-party DNS registrars is also important for successful resolution of a subdomain issue in cPanel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a subdomain and a domain?
A domain is an address that identifies a network of computers, while a subdomain is part of the domain.
Subdomains are created to organize and navigate to different sections of a website.
Name servers store the DNS records associated with each domain and subdomain, which include information such as IP addresses and web server locations.
Subdomains also have their own unique DNS records, which may include different IP addresses or other settings depending on the purpose of the subdomain.
Does cPanel support multiple subdomains?
CPanel supports multiple subdomains, allowing users to create separate sites for each subdomain.
Subdomains can be configured with domain forwarding and redirect rules, allowing the user to direct visitors from one website to another.
This feature is especially useful for keeping related content organized within a single domain name.
Additionally, CPanel allows users to control DNS settings for each subdomain so that they can point it to different servers or services.
How do I setup a subdomain in cPanel?
Subdomain setup in cPanel requires the process of subdomain mapping or domain forwarding. According to a study conducted by Weebly, approximately 80% of websites use subdomains for their content management system.
To set up a subdomain in cPanel, the user must first log into their hosting account and then access the cPanel dashboard. From there, they can access the ‘Subdomains’ section under ‘Domains’ where they can map or forward a new subdomain.
The user will then be required to enter the name of the new subdomain as well as its document root directory before clicking on ‘Create’. Once this is done, a new subdomain will be created and ready for use.
Is there a limit to the number of subdomains I can have?
The number of subdomains that can be created is dependent on several factors, such as the hosting provider, the type of domain forwarding used and the DNS records associated with it. Generally speaking, however, there is no limit to the number of subdomains that can be created for a given domain name.
It should be noted that adding an excessive amount of subdomains may affect performance, so it is important to weigh this factor when determining how many subdomains are necessary for a particular project.
How do I find out if my subdomain is working correctly?
In order to determine whether a subdomain is functioning correctly, it is important to check for domain forwarding and DNS propagation.
Domain forwarding involves pointing a domain or subdomain to another address.
DNS propagation refers to the time it takes for changes made in the Domain Name System (DNS) to take effect across the web; this process can take up to 48 hours.
Testing domain forwarding and checking for delays in DNS propagation are both key steps in assessing if a subdomain is working properly.
Conclusion
When attempting to resolve an issue with a subdomain not working in cPanel, it is important to understand the basics of cPanel and check the DNS records associated with the subdomain.
Also, confirming that the subdomain is enabled in cPanel can help determine if further steps are necessary. If needed, creating a new subdomain may be necessary.
Additionally, other potential issues should be troubleshooted as well. Although this process may be time consuming, it can result in successful resolution of the issue at hand.
An objection to this approach could be that it is complex and requires some technical knowledge. This is valid; however, with proper guidance and resources available online, understanding how to resolve a subdomain not working issue in cPanel can become easier over time.
As such, following these steps can assist users in successfully resolving their technical issues quickly and efficiently.
