Post Affiliate Pro Domain parking guide

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Introduction

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for parking a custom domain in Post Affiliate Pro. Follow the steps below to ensure your domain is set up correctly and securely.

Each hosted Post Affiliate Pro account uses a default domain e.g., mycompany.postaffiliatepro.com. For a more professional appearance, you can park your own custom domain, for example, partners.mycompany.com. To do this, your custom domain must be secured with an SSL certificate.

If SSL certificate requirements are an obstacle, see our instructions for generating a temporary free SSL certificate.

 

Creating a CNAME DNS record

To set up your custom domain, you first need to create a CNAME record in your domain management panel. The CNAME record must point from your chosen custom subdomain (e.g., partners.mycompany.com) to your Post Affiliate Pro account domain (e.g., mycompany.postaffiliatepro.com). Each domain management panel is different; consult your hosting provider or server administrator if necessary.

Example:

  • Record Type: CNAME
  • Name/Host: partners.mycompany.com
  • Value/Points to: mycompany.postaffiliatepro.com
  • Proxy: Disabled (not proxied)

The image below illustrates two incorrect examples and one correct example (the last one). Notice that the record is of type CNAME, the domain being pointed to is the default Post Affiliate Pro domain, and the record is not proxied.

 

Checking if the CNAME record has propagated

After setting the CNAME record, verify that it has propagated worldwide. This process can take up to 24 hours, but typically completes within minutes. Use tools like whatsmydns.net to check propagation. Enter your custom domain and ensure that your Post Affiliate Pro account URL appears at all global locations before proceeding.

 

Two Possible Ways to Set Up a Custom Domain

Parking your custom domain also requires an SSL certificate. You can use either a certificate generated specifically for your subdomain (e.g., partners.mycompany.com) or a wildcard certificate (e.g., *.mycompany.com). If you are unsure which type you have, contact your hosting provider, SSL issuer, or server administrator.

Depending on your SSL status, follow the appropriate steps below:

After your CNAME record is propagated,  there are two possible ways to park your custom domain, depending on whether an SSL certificate currently secures your custom domain or not.

1. My Custom Domain Is Already Secured by an SSL Certificate

If your custom domain already has a valid SSL certificate, please note that in Post Affiliate Pro domain settings, you can only upload the certificate, not the private key. To complete the setup, contact the Post Affiliate Pro support team through email or live chat. They will assist with installing your custom domain and SSL certificate.

Required information:

  • Your private key for the SSL certificate
  • The SSL certificate issued for your custom domain
  • Any intermediate/root certificates (often provided by your SSL issuer or hosting provider, typically in a ZIP file or as a CA bundle)

If you did not receive all necessary certificate files, contact your SSL issuer or hosting provider.

2. My Custom Domain Is Not Yet Secured by an SSL Certificate

If your custom domain is not yet secured, you can generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) directly from the Post Affiliate Pro domain settings.

Steps:

  1. In your merchant panel, navigate to Configuration > Domain settings.
  2. Check both the "use custom account domain" and "use custom certificate" checkboxes.
  3. Enter your custom domain in the Custom domain field (without http:// or https://).
  4. Complete all required fields below the "use custom certificate" checkbox.
  5. Click the "Generate" button next to "Your signing request." A .txt file will be downloaded to your computer with content similar to this:
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----
MIIC0zCCAbsCAQAcgY0xCzAJBgNVBAYTAlNLMREwDwYDVQQIDAhTbGscYWtpYTfT
MBEGA1UEBwwKQnJhdGlzbGF2YTEcMBoGfUECgwTUXVhbGl0eVbx
...A LOT OF SIMILAR LINES LIKE THESE...
ggYv2PliL+vf4r+s5OegwSs6ydd0scg/WAJ0v9vk7LLIiX7bdaNcvdsBUAG/sSv6M
KzivY9fRZg==
-----END CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----

Provide this file to your chosen Certificate Authority (SSL issuer) to obtain your SSL certificate. Some issuers may ask for the server type - choose either Nginx or Apache-ModSSL.

After receiving your SSL certificate, insert the certificate content and any intermediate certificates using the "Setup" button next to the "Certificate" field. Do not insert the CSR into the Certificate field—use only your certificate and intermediate/root certificates.

If your certificate chain includes end-user, intermediate, and root certificates, paste them all in order. Incorrect order may cause errors - see troubleshooting if needed.

Your settings and SSL certificate will be applied within several minutes after saving. Once complete, your Post Affiliate Pro mini website, merchant portal, and affiliate portal will be accessible from your custom domain.

By following this guide, you can successfully park your custom domain in Post Affiliate Pro, ensuring a professional and secure online presence. If you require further assistance, please contact the Post Affiliate Pro support team.

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