How to point your domain to Flywheel from MediaTemple

Flywheel provides each site with an IP address to which domains can be pointed. This is useful if you own, for example, thisfinedomain.com, and would like it to resolve to a Flywheel site.

If you’re brand new to the world of domain names, some of the terminologies may seem a little confusing. If you ever feel stuck, feel free to reference our Glossary of DNS terms.

Table of Contents

1. Add the domain to your Flywheel site and note the IP address
2. Log in to MediaTemple’s Account Center
3. Configure A records for apex and www domains
4. Double-check your work
Note: DNS propagation times
Note: Custom nameservers

Add the domain to your Flywheel site and note the IP address

1. From the site’s Overview tab, click the (+) icon in the Domains list to add the domain you’d like to point to Flywheel.
   
2. Fill out the domain information:
   
   • Enter the URL in the Domain field
   • Check the box to set the domain to Primary (if this will be your site’s main URL)
   • By default, the www version of the domain will be added (uncheck the box to skip this step)
   • Select Yes for “Have you purchased this domain?”
   • Click Next

   Note

   In the background, our system will automatically update all appropriate URL references in the database to this new primary domain.
3. Click the site’s IP address to copy it to your clipboard for use in MediaTemple’s DNS editor (instructions below). Clicking Back to site will take you back to the site’s Overview tab.
   

Log in to MediaTemple’s Account Center

1. Click on the domain you’d like to point to Flywheel.
   
2. Select Edit DNS Zone File.
   

Configure A records for apex and www domains

You may see additional records on the Edit Zone page, especially if your domain was pointed to a different host previously. For now, we’re just going to be concerned with the A and www records, since they are the records responsible for pointing your domain to your website.

Be careful about modifying or deleting any other records – especially MX records, which are responsible for email. Also, it never hurts to take a screenshot before you start making changes.

1. Configure the root level A record. Leave the Name field blank, and enter your site’s IP address in the Data field.
2. Configure an A record for www. Enter www in the Name field, then enter your site’s IP address in the Data field.
3. Click the Save Changes button.

For more information, visit MediaTemple’s help article on configuring DNS records.

Double-check your work

1. Check MediaTemple’s Edit Zone page to make sure the record changes have been updated.
2. After propagation, you can also verify your domain is successfully pointed to Flywheel by clicking the Check DNS button.
   
3. Once your site is pointed to Flywheel, the status will switch to ✅ Pointed and the domain registrar will be displayed as well.
   

Still need help?

If you get stuck, or have any questions along the way, we’d love to help! Reach out to our support team with a screenshot of your current DNS records or provide us with your current registrar login for assistance.