When you purchase a hosting account with DirectAdmin, one of the first steps is to set up your domain name. DirectAdmin provides an easy-to-use interface that allows you to add, configure, and manage domains, subdomains, and DNS records all in one place.
This guide walks you through the domain setup process in DirectAdmin.
Steps to Add and Configure a Domain
Step 1: Log in to DirectAdmin
Open your browser and go to your DirectAdmin login URL (usually yourdomain.com:2222).
Enter your username and password.
Step 2: Navigate to Domain Setup
From the User Level interface, click on Account Manager.
Select Domain Setup.
You will see a list of your existing domains, if any.
Step 3: Add a New Domain
Click on Add Another Domain.
Enter the domain name (e.g., example.com).
Choose additional options:
Bandwidth Limit – Allocate bandwidth usage for the domain.
Disk Space Limit – Specify how much storage the domain can use.
Secure SSL – Check this if you want to enable HTTPS with SSL.
CGI Access / PHP Access – Enable these if the website requires dynamic content.
Click Create to finalize the domain setup.
Step 4: Configure DNS Records
After adding the domain, click DNS Management under Account Manager.
Add/edit records as needed:
A Record – Points your domain to your hosting server IP.
CNAME Record – Maps subdomains (e.g., www) to your main domain.
MX Record – Configures mail delivery.
Save changes to apply DNS settings.
Step 5: Upload Website Files
Go to File Manager or connect via FTP.
Upload your website files into the domain’s public_html directory.
Example: Files for example.com should go into /domains/example.com/public_html/.
Step 6: Set Up SSL (Optional but Recommended)
Navigate to Account Manager → SSL Certificates.
Select Free & automatic certificate from Let’s Encrypt.
Choose your domain (and www version) and click Save.
Your domain will now load securely with HTTPS.
Step 7: Verify Domain Setup
Open a browser and type your domain (e.g., example.com).
If everything is configured correctly, you should see your website load.
Use tools like intodns.com or whatsmydns.net to confirm DNS propagation globally.
Managing Subdomains
Go to Account Manager → Subdomain Management.
Add a subdomain (e.g., blog.example.com).
Upload files to /domains/example.com/public_html/blog/.
DirectAdmin makes it simple to:
Add new domains
Configure DNS records
Upload website files
Enable SSL certificates
By following these steps, you can have a fully functional website hosted on your DirectAdmin-powered server.
Watch the video below for detail: