A parked domain (also called a domain alias) is an additional domain name that displays the exact same website as your primary domain. This is useful when you own multiple domain variations and want them all to lead to the same site.
Common Uses for Parked Domains
- Protect your brand: Park
yourdomain.netandyourdomain.orgalongside your primaryyourdomain.com - Alternate spellings: Park common misspellings of your domain so visitors still reach your site
- Country-code domains: Park
yourdomain.com.myalongsideyourdomain.com - Old domain migration: Park your old domain name to point to your new website
Parked Domain vs Addon Domain vs Redirect
| Feature | Parked Domain | Addon Domain | Redirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shows same website as primary | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (separate site) | ❌ No (sends to URL) |
| Has its own document root | ❌ No (shares primary) | ✅ Yes | N/A |
| Can have its own email | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| URL changes in browser | ❌ No (stays on parked domain) | N/A | ✅ Yes |
Prerequisites
- An active Cynet hosting account
- The additional domain registered (at Cynet or any registrar)
- The domain's nameservers pointed to Cynet:
ns1.cynethost.comthroughns4.cynethost.com - Access to cPanel
Steps
Step 1: Update Nameservers
Make sure the domain you want to park is pointed to Cynet's nameservers:
ns1.cynethost.comns2.cynethost.comns3.cynethost.comns4.cynethost.com
Skip this step if the domain is registered with Cynet — nameservers are already configured.
Step 2: Log in to cPanel
Navigate to yourdomain.com/cpanel or log in via your Cynet client area.
Step 3: Open the Domains Tool
In the cPanel dashboard, click Domains under the Domains section.
Step 4: Create a New Domain
Click the Create A New Domain button.
Step 5: Enter the Parked Domain
Type the domain name you want to park:
yourdomain.net
Step 6: Share Document Root
Make sure the Share document root checkbox is checked and it points to your primary domain's document root (typically /publichtml).
This is what makes it a parked domain — both domains serve the same files.
Step 7: Submit
Click Submit. The parked domain is now configured and will display your primary website.
Setting Up Email on a Parked Domain
Even though a parked domain shares the same website, you can create separate email accounts for it:
- Go to cPanel → Email Accounts
- Click Create
- Select the parked domain from the domain dropdown
- Enter the email username and password
[email protected] and [email protected] as separate mailboxes.
SSL Certificate for Parked Domains
Cynet hosting includes free AutoSSL, which will automatically cover your parked domain. To verify:
- Go to cPanel → SSL/TLS Status
- Look for the parked domain in the list
- AutoSSL typically issues within a few hours of adding the domain
SEO Considerations
Important: Having multiple domains serve identical content can cause duplicate content issues in search engines.To avoid SEO problems, set up a 301 redirect from the parked domain to your primary domain:
- Go to cPanel → Redirects
- Select the parked domain
- Set the destination to
https://yourdomain.com(your primary domain) - Choose 301 (Permanent) redirect
- Check Wild Card Redirect to redirect all pages
- Click Add
yourdomain.net should be treated as yourdomain.com, consolidating all SEO value to your primary domain.
Managing Parked Domains
View All Parked Domains
Go to cPanel → Domains. Parked domains are listed alongside addon domains and subdomains. They are identified by sharing the same document root as your primary domain.
Remove a Parked Domain
- Go to cPanel → Domains
- Find the parked domain
- Click Manage → Remove Domain
Troubleshooting
Parked domain not loading
- Verify nameservers are set to
ns1.cynethost.comthroughns4.cynethost.com - Allow 2–24 hours for DNS propagation after changing nameservers
- Clear browser cache or try an incognito window
Parked domain shows a different website
The document root may not be set to share with the primary domain. Go to cPanel → Domains → Manage the domain → ensure it shares /publichtml.
Parked domain shows "not secure"
AutoSSL may not have issued yet. Go to cPanel → SSL/TLS Status → select the domain → click Run AutoSSL. Wait up to 24 hours.