Guide: Point a Custom Domain (HNS or DNS)

Learn how to decentralized your presence with host.limo

1 Choose a DNS Operator

You need a DNS operator that supports Handshake (HNS). Some options include:

  • hdns.io (Namebase DNS) - Easiest for beginners.
  • NextDNS - With HNS enabled.
  • Self-hosted - Run your own HNS resolver + authoritative DNS.

Recommended for Namebase users:

In your HNS name's manager, delegate NS to:

ns1.hdns.io
ns2.hdns.io

2 Add Records for Your HNS Name

Configure your DNS records to point to host.limo:

Root Domain (@)

If you want http://yourname/ or http://yoursite.com/ to work:

Type: CNAME
Name: @
Value: my.host.limo

Note: For some registrars (like Namecheap/GoDaddy) on standard domains, you might need to use an A Record for the root (@) if CNAME isn't supported. In that case, ping my.host.limo to get the IP.

Subdomain (www)

If you want http://www.yourname/ or http://www.yoursite.com/ to work:

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: my.host.limo

3 Configure host.limo

  1. Log in to your host.limo dashboard.
  2. Click Manage on the site you want to link.
  3. In the Site Settings section, find the Custom Domain / HNS Name field.
  4. Enter your HNS name (e.g., myname) or domain (e.g., myname.com).
  5. Click Save Changes.

4 HTTPS & Accessibility (Optional)

To make your HNS site accessible to everyone (even without an HNS resolver):

  • HNS Gateways: Users can visit your site via gateways like hns.to (e.g., https://yourname.hns.to).
  • ICANN Mirror: You can also buy a standard domain (e.g., yoursite.com), point it to host.limo, and use it as an alias.

Ready to go?

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