301 or 302 redirects?

[kasteel77]

Hi, I know this question is not strictly about Xara web designer, but I looking for help on pointing a domain name to a website created in web designer and uploaded to Magix.

I have bought a domain name from 123 reg which I need to point to my website hosted by Magix. I have been told that 302 redirection is the only way to redirect my newly bought domain to my website and have the new domain in the address bar at all times. Is this correct, as I thought 302 masked forwarding was a temporary measure and frowned upon by search engines.

Is there any way to set up a 301 with my new domain name shown in the address bar at all times, using CNAMES for instance, as I don't want to be penalised by the search engines? Thanks

[gwpriester]

Generally this is done by first obtaining a DNS address from Magix then pointing the servers from 123reg to this DNS address (actually it is usually two DNS addresses).

So check the Magix site or contact their tech support to determine the DNS addresses to use then go to 123reg and ask them (or research) how to redirect the Name Servers to Magix.

[kasteel77]

ok thanks, I found the nameserver adresses on the whois directory, but what happens now to my mailbox with 123 reg? All mail will be directed through the magix nameservers. Is it just a case of using the magix webmail instead? is there anythin else I need to do, or should what I've done have the required effect? Should I keep the 301 redirect in place?

[jamesd]

With other hosting providers this is how it worked for me. After pointing your domain to the new nameservers you will need to recreate the mail accounts on Magix servers. Once that is done you may need to get Magix to update the A record for your domain. After that you could get mail split between servers for a day or two until it propogates fully. Depending on your host setup you might need to update the account details on your desktop mail app

[kasteel77]

Hi, I've just been to the Magix website to recreate the mailboxes, but I can't create a mailbox unless I have a domain name registered with them. Will the domain name be registered with them once the new nameserver has propagated?

[gwpriester]

Best to contact Magix support. They will know more about how to go about this than most of us here.

Try this page and look at the FAQs http://www.magix-online.com/us/help-support.219.html This is for the US. But the material covered should be generic to all supported countries.

[kasteel77]

This is the response I got from Magix below. It seems that domain transfer or a 302 framed forward are the only options. I think I might have to host my website with 123 reg to simplify things, as the Magix process is highly restrictive

Dear customer,

Thank you for your message.

The approach of pointing to our DNS address wouldn't work with our solution. There are basically two options you have:

1.) You could move your domain from a different service provider to MAGIX. Please find the domain transfer form that will enable you to do that under the following URL:

http://www.magix-online.com/uploads/...gix_eng_sv.pdf

Please pay attention to the conditions outlined in the form: Currently, this possibility is restricted to only certain top-level domains. Also, you need to cancel the domain with your old provider and they must terminate it before MAGIX can take it over. More info in the help section of our website:

http://www.magix-online.com/uk/domai...sfer.3103.html


2.) Some providers that offer a domain hosting service will offer a feature for URL forwarding/redirection. This will enable you to specify a URL that visitors of your domain should be forwarded to. In this case, you would enter the actual web address of your MAGIX website (published to our free sub domain URL) and everyone visiting your domain will be redirected there. Mostly you have the possibility to activate "URL masking", so visitors will still see your domain name in their browser's address bar, rather than the MAGIX URL they're being forwarded to.

[gwpriester]

If I were you, I would either move your domain to 123reg or find another more flexible web hosting company.

[slavelle]

My suggestion would have been option 2 in this case. You should be able to do the forward at the registrar. This will allow you to keep your mail records at the registrar and point your mail wherever you want (either keep it at 123 reg or point it to a service like Office 365 or wherever) and your website will go where the forward points.

Another option would be to move the nameservers to the hosting company so that you would get the direct name usage, then simple create your MX records so that they point back over to where your mail is.

If you want to have the two in two places like this, you will have to compromise one or the other.

Of course, if you had a "normal hosting company" (i.e. not Magix, where you are working on a subdomain or whatever), you could just create an A record at the DNS location (where your nameservers are) pointing to the IP address of the hosting company where you site is being hosted.

There are a lot of options as long as you are using "normal" services. When you get into subdomain hosting and such it actually makes things more difficult, even though they are "cheaper".

Does that help at all?

[kasteel77]

Hi Slavelle, yes i have asked about moving the nameserver to Magix. I can do this at 123 reg, but Magix said this won't work with their platform - just the two solutions in the reply from Magix are possible. The framed forwarding i can do, but this is meant to impair search engine rankings considerable which I don't want.

I think I'll have to get hosting at 123 reg. Shame though, because I bought MX Premium partly because of the free web hosting space. The Magix hosting site seems to be very simplistic, but at the same time seems to have been designed by people who wanted to be deliberately obtuse