To launch your Spectora website, we need to access the account where you bought your domain, which is called your domain registrar. Many domain registrars have special protocols for safely granting us access to your domain. Below, you'll find instructions for some of our most commonly used domain registrars.
Hosting VS. Domain
Your website hosting and your domain are two interconnected, but different aspects of your website.
Domain:
A domain is the human-readable address of your website on the internet. It's what users type into the address bar on their browsers to access your site.
This is what people use to access your website, and every website has a unique address.
For example, in the URL "www.spectora.com," "spectora.com" is the domain.
Domains are registered through domain registrars, and you need to renew the registration periodically to maintain ownership.
You can purchase a domain for a specific period (usually annually) and choose from various domain extensions like .com, .net, .org, and many others.
Hosting:
Website hosting refers to the storage and maintenance of the actual files and content that make up your website.
These files are what allow your customers to navigate your website.
Without hosting, a domain name is just an empty page, but hosting allows us to fill your domain with the contents of your website (images, layout, etc).
In other words, while your domain is like a street address, your hosting is what fills up the empty lot with a house, furniture, and packages from the post office.
For a website to be live on the Internet, it requires both a domain and hosting. Because of this, you will want to make sure you keep your domain subscription active with your chosen domain registrar!
Domain Delegation Instructions
If you do not see your registrar in the list below, let your designer know and they'll be able to help out!
GoDaddy
To delegate access to your GoDaddy domain, please give websites@spectora.com access to your Products and Domains (See Guide). Make sure to let your designer know what name and email your GoDaddy is listed under!
Keep in mind that this will send a request for us to approve. This request expires after 48 hours, so if you delegate access to us over a weekend, we might not be able to accept it in time.
Inspector's Edge
Unfortunately, Inspector's Edge doesn't allow their customers to host with another company. This means you will have to transfer their domain to another registrar if you want to host your Spectora website. You can do so with the following instructions:
Contact Inspector's Edge and ask them to unlock your domain and provide you with the authorization code.
Transfer your domain to a new registrar. Here are a few popular ones (click for guides):
A domain transfer isn't usually very expensive and will take a couple of days to complete once you start it. After you transfer, be sure to delegate access to your domain with one of the other guides!
Namecheap
Here is a guide for you to delegate access to your domain through Namecheap. Please use the following email: domains@spectora.com
Network Solutions
Log into your account, and from your home page, navigate to Domain Names > Organize > Add account user. Use the following settings and hit 'invite':
Name: Spectora
Email: domains@spectora.com
Role: Tech
Squarespace
Use this guide with the following settings:
Contributor Name: Spectora Websites
Contributor Email: domains@spectora.com
Switch the administrator toggle ON.
Wix
Follow this guide and use the following settings:
Selection: Domain Manager
Email: domains@spectora.com
Frequently Asked Questions
I purchased a domain online, why do I have to pay you for a website?
When you purchase a domain, you're purchasing the name of the site. Without hosting, there is nothing for clients to view when they go to your URL.
Do I have to pay for the domain and the website separately? Why can't you do both?
That is correct. While we do build websites and host those sites on our servers, we do not offer domains nor are we a domain registrar.
Why can't I log into my domain account?
Unfortunately, because we are not the domain registrar, we're not able to see this information. You'll need to reach out to the domain company directly.
I can't log into my website, what do I do?
Don't fret! We have an easy-to-follow article to help! Click here to check it out.
I received a bill for my domain. I thought my subscription with Spectora included that. What gives?
Your website hosting and domain are like two peas in a pod, but they're also separate entities. Even if you have web hosting, you still need to keep up with your domain registration through your domain registrar.
Domains are registered through these registrars and require periodic renewal to maintain ownership.
So, to keep your website accessible on the internet, you'll need to continue paying for your domain separately from your web hosting. It's a bit of a dance, but an important one!
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