Custom Domain Binding

WordPress Custom Domain Binding

A custom domain makes a WordPress website ready for production by replacing the default platform-generated address with a domain name owned by the website administrator. The process includes DNS configuration, SSL certificate issuance, and updating the WordPress Site Address.
Custom DNS Point the selected domain name to every public entry point of the WordPress environment.
Trusted HTTPS Issue a valid SSL certificate for the custom domain through the Let’s Encrypt add-on.
WordPress URL Update the WordPress Site Address so both the website and admin panel use the new domain.

Purchase a Custom Domain

1Register the domain

Before binding a custom domain to WordPress, purchase the required domain name from any preferred domain registrar.

The custom domain will become the public address used to access the WordPress website instead of the default domain assigned by the platform.

Create DNS Records

After the domain is registered, create DNS records that point the domain to the public entry points of the WordPress application.

1Find the public IP addresses

Identify the public IP address of every load balancer or application entry point that should receive requests for the custom domain.

2Create A records

At the domain registrar or DNS provider, create an A record for each endpoint and point the custom domain to the corresponding public IP address.

Custom domain A record configuration
Create an A record for each public WordPress entry point.
Standalone WordPress: A standalone package normally requires only one A record pointing to the public IP of the LLSMP or LEMP container that hosts the WordPress application.
  • If load balancers are horizontally scaled, add the public IP address of every newly created load balancer as another A record under the same custom domain.
  • For multi-region WordPress deployments, create A records for all entry points in every region.

Issue an SSL Certificate

After DNS records point the domain to the WordPress environment, issue an SSL certificate so the website can be accessed securely through HTTPS.

1Open the load balancer add-ons

For a WordPress cluster, open the Add-Ons tab for the load balancer layer and locate the Let’s Encrypt Free SSL add-on.

Let's Encrypt Free SSL add-on
Open the Let’s Encrypt Free SSL add-on from the load balancer layer.

2Configure the custom domain

Click Configure, replace the platform-generated domain with the custom domain name, and click Apply to request a valid SSL certificate.

Let's Encrypt custom domain configuration
Enter the custom domain in the Let’s Encrypt configuration and apply the change.
DNS must resolve correctly: Certificate issuance depends on the custom domain resolving to the WordPress environment. Allow sufficient time for DNS propagation before troubleshooting an SSL validation failure.

Update the WordPress Site URL

Once the domain and SSL certificate are ready, update the WordPress site address so WordPress itself uses the new custom URL.

1Open application-server add-ons

At the application-server layer of the WordPress environment, open the Add-Ons tab and locate WordPress Site Address (URL).

WordPress Site Address URL add-on
Use the WordPress Site Address add-on to change the website URL.

2Enter the new Site URL

Click Site URL, enter the new custom domain with the required protocol, and apply the configuration.

Change WordPress site URL
Replace the current WordPress address with the new custom HTTPS domain.
The WordPress Site Address add-on automatically updates both the WordPress configuration file and the WordPress database with the new URL.

DNS Round-Robin Behavior

If several A records point the same custom domain to multiple WordPress entry points, standard DNS resolution returns the registered addresses using DNS Round-Robin behavior.

Resolve WordPress custom domain
The custom domain resolves to all public IP addresses registered for it.
dig your-custom-domain.example +short

203.0.113.10
203.0.113.11
Availability consideration: Basic DNS Round-Robin can return all registered IP addresses, including an endpoint that is temporarily unavailable. For WordPress installations with multiple entry points, consider DNS load balancing so traffic is directed only to healthy endpoints.

After the configuration is complete, use the custom domain for both the public WordPress website and the WordPress administration panel.

What’s next?