Table of contents
The magic of a website starts with a domain name. Whether you are registering a new domain for your website, or using an existing domain, you will need to choose the correct option for your domain when you sign up for a new hosting package.
Once you've selected a hosting plan from our website (shared, WordPress, cloud etc), you'll be presented with 3 options to choose from;
- "Register a new domain",
- "Transfer your domain from another registrar",
- "I will use my existing domain and update my nameservers".
Register a new domain
If you don't already have a domain name, you'll need to choose "Register a new domain". You can then type in the name of your website, and choose a TLD from the drop down menu. Click on the "Check" button, and our system will do a whois lookup, to determine if the domain name is available for registration.
If the domain is available for registration, you will see a success message. If the domain is not available or is already registered at another registrar, you'll receive a warning and will need to try again.
Note: Skip the next section if you already have an existing, previously registered domain name.
Nameservers
Next, you will need to set name servers for the domain under the "Domains Configuration" section of the order form. Our default nameservers are safe to use, so if you are a beginner and don't know what this means, it's safe to leave the default nameservers in place, and proceed with the rest of the checkout process.
Next, you'll be presented with one of two option for your "Billing Details". Either you are creating a new customer profile with us, or you already have one and you need to log in.
Create a new account
New customers will need to "Create a New Account" by completing the sign up form. Fill in your billing and registrant information so we can process the order.
Proceed to the next step to complete the checkout process.
Note: Skip the next step if you are a new customer.
Already Registered?
If you are a returning customer, select the "Already Registered" toggle at the top of the "Billing Details" section to open the login form.
You will need to login with your existing customer account details. For this, you need the administrative email address on the account, and the password you chose when signing up previously. If you've forgotten your access details, check your emails for correspondence from us, or reset your password before proceeding.
Payment method
Choose a payment method. This is used for registering the domain, adding hosting and as your payment method moving forward. We highly recommend the private cryptocurrency called Monero, which is the first method listed, although we do also accept other cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.
If you'd like to learn more about Monero, contact us and we will arrange a Monero onboarding session with our Monero partners over at noiz.co.za.
You can also choose PayFast and set up automatic recurring payments, or select Bank Transfer to manually transfer funds via EFT.
Note: We require proof-of-payment be sent to admin[at]cloudmatrix.co.za for ALL EFT payments, with the invoice number as reference. EFT payments can take up to 4 working days to reflect, and will only be allocated with a POP.
Complete order
To complete your order, you can optionally add "Additional Notes" in the next section.
NB: You must select the check box next to "I have read and agree to the Terms of Service" before completing your order.
Finally, under the floating "Order summary" box on the right, click on the "Complete Order" button to proceed to payment.
That's it for registering a new domain! Once payment is received, the domain order will be sent automatically to the domain registry with your registrant information and nameservers, and will be associated with the corresponding hosting plan.
Note: Domain registration is subject to propagation time, and can sometimes take up to 24 hours to register.
Transfer your domain from another registrar
If you already have a domain name with another domain registrar, you will want to transfer it to us.
Step 1: Select the "Transfer your domain from another registrar" radio button or tab option.
Step 2: Enter the name of the domain you wish to transfer to us, and select the TLD from the dropdown.
Step 3: Click on the "Transfer" button.
Step 4: If your domain is eligible for transfer, you will see a green success message with an button to "continue". Click it and proceed with the checkout process as shown above.
Note: It is free to transfer a .co.za domain. Other TLD's may incur a transfer fee. Find out more about domain transfer fees.
Note: If your domain is not eligible for transfer, you can check out our domain status knowledgebase article, or contact support to find out the next steps.
Transfer ticket
If you are only transferring the domain name (without website and email concerns), the domain guardian will receive a "Transfer ticket" as soon as the order is processed. which can safely be accepted.
Data transfer
If you are moving other data, such as the website, dns zone records or emails, then there are some additional things to consider, and you should follow our in depth tutorial guides before allowing the transfer ticket to be accepted by the domain guardian;
- How to transfer a domain to Cloud Matrix,
- How to transfer an existing website, and
- How to migrate emails from your previous host to Cloud Matrix
I will use my existing domain and update my nameservers
Sometimes, albeit very rarely, a customer may choose to keep their domain name with the current registrar, and use our hosting services only. This is possible, although not recommended as your DNS records and nameservers will need to be managed manually by a third party. This can sometimes present a security risk, although if you opt to use our nameservers, you will enjoy automated DNS updates.
Step 1: To place an order for hosting, whilst keeping your domain name with another registrar, simply complete your order using the 3rd option "I will use my existing domain and update my nameservers".
Step 2: Type the domain name portion in the first box (marked 'example').
Step 3: Type the TLD in the second box (marked 'com').
Step 4: Click on the "Use" button, and complete the checkout process as above.
Note: Be sure to update your nameservers to ours from the current registrar's control panel. You can find out how to configure your domain to use our nameservers in the knowledgebase article.
Conclusion
This concludes our tutorial on setting up a domain for your website hosting plan.
If you need help choosing the right domain name for you, and checking that it's available for registration, why not check out the following article:
- How to choose the right domain name for your website, and
- Check domain name availability.
Once your website hosting and domain are correctly configured, you'll want to:
- How to create a new website,
- How to add an SSL certificate to your website, and
- How to create a new email account.
As always if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch.
