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Account, Plans & Settings

Finish DNS and SSL setup

Read the domain status states, use the right check action, and avoid changing records repeatedly while DNS or certificates propagate.

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Understand the setup states

Open Settings > Website Address to see whether routing and SSL are ready. Pending setup can involve DNS validation, nameserver changes, Cloudflare hostname activation, or certificate deployment. Those are different stages even when the address looks correct in one browser.

Plan availability: Custom-domain connection and managed domain purchase require Pro in the active matrix. SSL and DNS readiness are operational states, not separate plan upgrades. Scale and Legacy Lifetime inherit configured domain access.

Use the status actions

  1. For a domain you own, copy the exact records shown by the dashboard into the authoritative DNS provider.
  2. For a managed purchase, follow the automated setup state; do not replace it with registrar instructions intended for an external domain.
  3. Use Check DNS Status or Check Status after a reasonable propagation interval.
  4. Wait until both custom-hostname routing and SSL show active before sharing the address.
  5. If the page shows pending_cleanup, treat it as provider certificate maintenance rather than a reason to delete and recreate DNS.

What customers see

Before activation, customers should continue using the Cottage CMS address. Redirecting too early can send customers to a hostname whose HTTPS certificate is not deployed yet.

Common problems

  • DNS is pending after a change. Confirm the authoritative nameservers and record hostname, then wait; repeated edits can make diagnosis harder.
  • SSL is pending while routing is active. Certificate validation and deployment can lag behind hostname activation. Keep the domain in setup.
  • The domain shows NXDOMAIN. Treat DNS resolution separately from SSL lifecycle status and check nameserver delegation.
  • Existing CAA or MX records conflict. Read the dashboard warning before replacing records that may serve another website or mailbox.

Next steps

Keywords

DNS, SSL, pending validation, pending cleanup, nameservers, Check DNS Status, Check Status, NXDOMAIN, certificate, custom domain

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