What is the Difference Between Addon Domains, Parked Domains, & Subdomains?
Adding new domains: Addon Domains, Parked Domains, and Subdomains
In this F60 Host article, we’ll discuss the difference between addon domains, parked domains, and subdomains.
If you’ve recently registered a new domain or pointed to an existing name, you’ll need to add it to your cPanel as an addon domain or a parked domain in order to host the site here. To create a separate region within your site, you do not need to register a completely new domain name; a subdomain may suffice in some circumstances.
How do I set up another domain?
The answer to this question is determined on how you want to use the domain.
- Will your domain have its own website (distinct from your main domain)? If so, it should be an addon domain.
- Do you want your new domain to show (refer to) the same website as your primary domain (for example, if you bought the.org or.net in addition to the.com you currently own)? It should be a parked domain in such an instance.
- Do you just want to create a distinct section of your website for a blog, store, or other purpose (e.g., blog.yourdomain.com, store.yourdomain.com, etc.)? If this is the case, you may quickly create a Subdomain of your site without having to register a new domain name.
What is an Addon Domain?
An addon domain is a fully working domain that you may set up from your control panel. This addon domain is a new, distinct website housed in a new subdirectory on your account, allowing you to host several domains from a single control panel. You may provide email addresses, forwarders, and other services to an addon domain in the same manner that you can to a principal (main) domain on the account.
When you create an Addon domain, 3 things happen:
- In the public_html‘ directory, a folder is created.
- A subdomain for the principal domain is created and linked to the new subdirectory.
- The new domain name is linked to the subdomain.
For example, if the primary domain was ‘abc.com’ and the Addon Domain ‘123.com’ was assigned to the subdirectory ‘123,’ the following routes (URLs) would be true:
- abc.com/123
- 123.abc.com
- 123.com
All three of these routes would navigate to the same directory and display the same website. However, there is no sign that your website’s visitors are being routed through 123.abc.com, and everything will continue to work normally.
What is a Parked Domain?
A parked domain is an alias for your principal domain, pointing to the same website. The same webpage, over many domains.
For instance, if cars.com is your primary website, you may buy cars.net and use it as a parked name. If a visitor typed cars.net into their browser, they would see the same webpage as if they had typed cars.com. In other words, both primarydomain.com/index.htm and parkeddomain.com/index.htm will redirect to the same page, “index.htm.”
What is a Subdomain?
A subdomain is a prefix that is appended to your original domain name, similar to a domain inside a domain, and often takes the form subdomain.example.com. They function similarly to addon domains and are frequently used to divide distinct portions of your website, such as blog.example.com or store.example.com.
In box 1, enter your preferred subdomain, then select one of your Domain Names from the drop-down list. Then, in box 3, enter the Document Root (this is the folder that contains the website you want to show). We recommend that you name this folder the same as your subdomain. Finally, press the Add subdomain button.
What is a Primary Domain?
A primary domain is a principal domain with which your account is linked or identified. This is usually the first domain you utilize in your account. It is also the domain you use to access your hosting account
In a few cases, you can rename your account’s principal domain. In most circumstances, a renaming is only a cosmetic modification to whatever domain cPanel displays in the top toolbar. The sole difference in functionality between a primary domain and an addon domain is the structure of their files; a primary domain has no advantages over a parked or addon domain.
