Overview
This article describes how to create and use a free dreamhosters.com subdomain to host your website content.
Background
This type of subdomain is free to add in the DreamHost panel for all customers and allows you to host your website without having to purchase a domain registration. You can also use it to test an existing website before making any live changes to your actual domain.
DreamPress sites have their own staging site you can use as a temporary domain. See this article for further information.
FAQs
How do I create a dreamhosters.com subdomain?
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See this article for instructions on how to create a subdomain.
When adding this subdomain, you choose what appears before it. For example, if your domain is named example.com, you could create a subdomain named example.dreamhosters.com
When should I host a website on this type of subdomain?
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Use this type of subdomain if you do not require an official domain name that's been registered.
This is only recommended for small, informational websites. It should never be used for a business site since the .dreamhosters.com part of the URL may not be suitable for professional websites.
When should I purchase a custom domain name?
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If you want to create a site to promote a business or service, you should always purchase a unique domain name. This provides a more professional appearance and allows you to create custom email addresses and DNS entries for your site which are not possible using a dreamhosters.com subdomain.
How can I use a dreamhosters.com subdomain to view my site before pointing my DNS to DreamHost?
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See this article for details on how to use this type of domain to view and test your website.
Can I enable SSL on my dreamhosters.com subdomain?
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SSL certificates are automatically added to these types of domains.
Other ways to use a dreamhosters.com subdomain
A dreamhosters.com subdomain can also be used in other ways. See the following articles for more examples:
- Viewing your site before pointing DNS to DreamHost overview
- Access a database before pointing DNS to DreamHost