Use Third Party DNS Servers, For Domains Registered By 1And1, And Similar Registrars

Not all registrars are able to support the new Blogger domain ownership verification requirement.

Some registrars won't allow a second "CNAME" in the same subdomain - and others can't handle the excessively long target address. Ever since Blogger added domain ownership verification, we've been seeing complaints from some blog owners, who have purchased domains directly from registrars who can't provide the required DNS addresses on their servers.

Even though not all registrars have DNS servers that will provide the right DNS address entries, most registrars will allow us to use third party DNS servers. The use of publicly available DNS servers, which can provide the required DNS addresses, will eliminate the need to transfer domain registration - when the registrar is unable to provide the right DNS addresses, using their own servers.

If you're trying to setup your domain, purchased from 1And1 or a similar registrar, you need only to setup a suitable third party DNS server.

Use of a third party DNS host will also help victims of the eNom DNS Infrastructure problem - and those who purchased Name Registration, directly from the registrar.

Marc Ridey, of Blogger Engineering, provides How to setup your Blogger blog with a custom domain from 1and1.com, and adds three simple steps to the normal third party registrar domain setup process.

1. Setup a (free) ClouDNS account.
2. Setup your normal DNS addresses (including the required domain ownership verification "CNAME") in ClouDNS, using the ClouDNS Domain Manager wizard.
3. Setup your domain, using your registrar's domain manager wizard, pointing to the ClouDNS DNS servers.

When you update DNS addresses, such as adding additional hosts, and ownership verification, you use the ClouDNS Domain Manager wizard.

If you are using your third party registrar because you have non Blogger services (a web site, email, files, or other service) hosted by the registrar, please note the warning by Marc!

Warning: If you are using 1and1 hosting services to display a website as well as a Blogger blog, these instructions will disable the website. Please post a comment with your website address and I'll check how these instructions must be updated. If you're using eMail, remember to complete the optional eMail step.

Note that ClouDNS, when setup, may offer the option to redirect the domain root (aka "naked domain") to the "www" alias (or whatever DNS address you may setup). For best results, ignore that option, and use the Blogger or Google Apps redirect. There are still only three acceptable DNS models - use of ClouDNS, or any similar third party DNS host, will not change that.

This may not be an ideal solution for the problem - it introduces a bit of complexity into the domain setup process - but it will allow owners of newly purchased domains from 1And1, Network Solutions, and others to get their domains verified, and get their blogs online again. And, since this starts with blog owners who elected to purchase their domain directly from a registrar - and setup the domain themselves - maybe it's not too much, technically.

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No Immediate Solution For 1And1 Customers With Unverifiable Custom Domains

Since Blogger restored Custom Domain Publishing last month, with the new domain ownership verification requirement, there have been a few complaints from customers of some registrars who just can't provide the required DNS address record for ownership verification.

My registrar says that I can't have two "CNAME" records in the same subdomain.

and

My registrar's domain manager wizard displays an error saying "Address too long.", when I try to add the "CNAME".

Blog owners contacting the registrar, and asking for help, are generally told

That's Blogger's problem!

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(Update 2012/11): Blogger Engineering has provided a workaround for this problem, with any uncooperative registrar, such as 1And1 - use of a (free) third party DNS host.

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What not all blog owners realise is that the new "CNAME" must be just that - there is no substitute here.

Some of the more patient blog owners have made various suggestions, to get us moving towards a solution.

1. Blogger Support needs to work with the problem registrars, and convince them to improve their service.
2. Blogger Support needs to provide an alternate ownership verification procedure - maybe equivalent to the Google Webmaster Tools meta tag verification procedure.
3. Blogger Support needs to clean up their "CNAME" setup instructions, and remove mention of the problem registrars - so future blog owners won't choose these registrars to host their domains.

About 3/4 of the problem reports have come from customers of 1And1. Using that registrar as a starting point, I contacted Blogger Support and suggested the 3 alternatives, outlined above. The Blogger Engineer responding seemed to think that only suggestion #3 - cleanup of the per registrar "CNAME" addition instructions was immediately possible.

It's possible, then, that we will eventually see less problem reports from 1And1 customers - and hopefully others - as Blogger Engineering cleans up their domain setup instructions. The current customers of uncooperative registrars, unfortunately, are unlikely to see relief, for the near future.

This is an unfortunate situation for these 1And1 customers. The best solution for them is to move domain registration to another, more helpful, registrar. Unfortunately, most registrars don't allow domain registration transfers immediately after initial purchase - waiting periods of 30, or even 60 - days are normal. And domain registration fees are not refunded.

This leaves new 1And1 customers, and similar victims, with several options - none of them good. First, publish the blog back to BlogSpot, so the blog can be accessed by existing readers.

• Wait 30 - 60 days, with the domain dead, then transfer domain registration to a more helpful registrar and activate.
• Purchase a second domain, from a more helpful registrar.
• Forget about custom domain publishing.

The latter alternative has motivated several victims to choose a fourth alternative.

• Move their blog hosting to a different service.

None of this can be good for Blogger's reputation.

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