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I recently tried to add a domain name to my Netfirms hosting account and had some troubles. This would have given me multiple domain names on one hosting account. Netfirms allows you to have up to 25 domain names on one account so this should be relatively easy to do. Well I found it difficult and came upon an easy solution from one of my co-workers.

How to Host Multiple Domain Names with One Hosting Account

1. First you need more than one domain name which you can get at Netfirms with numerous other hosting companies, just Google “web hosting.” Once you have another domain name you need to make sure that its in your domain names list on your account. Within Netfirms hosting manager go to the Domain Names tab. If you see it then good, if not, click on the add domain name tab and follow the instructions. The instructions for all three choices, registrar transfer, DNS transfer or new registration are very simple but if you have any troubles feel free to contact me.

2. Once you have the domain name added you need to setup your folders within the www file under file manager to accomodate multiple domain names within your one hosting account.

To quickly manage the files within your www folder I suggest using an FTP client like FileZilla if you are using a windows based PC and Fetch if you are using a Mac based computer. Once you have this file downloaded and installed go to netfirms easy ftp client setup for filezilla or their easy client setup for fetch help pages.

3. Once you can view your Netfirms folders on your ftp client you are ready to go. (On mine there was a CGI folder and the www folder) Next click on the www folder in the ftp remote site screen. When there add a folder by right clicking in the white space of the remote site screen (on filezilla its on the right) and name the folder what you would like then hit enter.

4. Now you can add your files. Under the local computer section (left on filezilla) navigate to the correct folder and drag the files you want to the new folder. You must make sure that there is a file called index.htm somewhere within the folders you are dragging.

Warning: You must have the file index.htm lower case. If you don’t this may be your problem. Check it and change it in your file. Rename if need be.

If you have many folders you want to setup just follow the process to create them. Within my www folder I kept the wordpress nfblog folder and index.htm files for my main site within the main www folder. I am unsure if changing this will effect the CGI scripts that are used in the blogs or not. Let me know if you have an answer.

5. Next go back to your Netfirms control panel and click on the Domains tab. Now you must redirect or forward the domain names to the correct folders and index.htm files. Next to the domain name you added the folder for click on the piece of paper and pen icon under the column titled Forwarding Location. This opens a dialog box labeled Enter New Forwarding Location.

6. This is the location within the www folder that you need to direct the new domain name to look for the index.htm (note the lower case) file. Begin this with a / followed by the folder names and ended with another /. So for example, /yoursite/ if you put the index.htm file in the main folder or /yoursite/mainpage/ if you put it in a subfolder. Remember the forward slash after the last folder name.

If you made more folders for your other domain names repeat steps five and six for these other domain names.

There it is! You should now be set to go. If not repeat the steps mentioned.

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