A domain name that is in your local language or doesn’t use English alphabets or has some special characters is called Internationalized domain name. Earlier you learned about registering domain names in your local language. Once you do that, you will need to add it to your hosting so you can make a website over it.
The process of adding an Internationalized Domain Name is different from adding a general domain name. This lesson gives you an easy step-by-step process of adding such domains to your cPanel hosting.
To add a domain with international characters (IDN – Internationalized Domain Name) in cPanel, follow these steps:
- Convert the domain to Punycode: International domains with non-ASCII characters need to be converted into a format called “Punycode” to be compatible with the Domain Name System (DNS).
- Use Punycode Converter: Use an online converter like Punycoder or any other tool to convert your international domain (e.g., täst.com) into its Punycode equivalent (e.g., xn--tst-qla.com).
- Log in to cPanel: Access your cPanel dashboard by logging in through your hosting provider.
- Navigate to Domains Section: In cPanel, go to the “Domains” section and click on Addon Domains or Aliases, depending on how you want to manage the domain.
- Enter the Punycode Version of the Domain: In the “New Domain Name” field, enter the Punycode version of the domain (e.g., xn--tst-qla.com). cPanel will handle the domain using its ASCII representation.
- Complete the Process: Fill in the necessary details, such as the subdomain or document root, and click Add Domain.
- DNS Configuration: Make sure your domain’s DNS is pointed correctly to your hosting server by updating your domain’s DNS settings at your domain registrar.
Once you’ve added the domain, you’ll be able to manage it just like any other domain in cPanel. The international version of the domain (with the special characters) will still function properly, even though cPanel recognizes it in Punycode.