Sub Domain Problems

[ChrisKendall]

I have a website hosted at SmugMug (chriskendall.smugmug.com) set up as Chris-kendall.com. This seems fine.

My blog (thechriskendall.wordpress.com) I will need to set up as a sub domain.

I have set up a forward, and added two A records for the IPs which WordPress told me I would need.
It currently works (blog.chris-kendall.com).
But my Wordpress tells me I need to configure dns still (do I need to add a cname? If so how? It won’t let me).

Also, the ssl on my Wordpress doesn’t seem to be working, as it says not secure. How can I resolve this?

Thanks in advance.
Chris

[PL281]

@ChrisKendall 

can you post a screen capture of what you have setup at https://dcc.godaddy.com/manage/chris-kendall.com/dns

It looks like there is an issue that you may have both a forward and the A records for WordPress

[ChrisKendall]

Hey! 

Hope this helps. If there is anything else I can provide, I'd be more than happy to... 

Some background info... The main site domain, I set up using 'GoDaddy Connect', so all of this has been done automatically with GoDaddy's API(?).  It seems to be working fine. 

I'm not actually sure if the blog sub domain is working right now, as it is working for me on some browsers (albeit labelled as 'not secure') but not at all on others.

I spoke to GoDaddy support about adding a CNAME for blog with the value blog.chris-kendall.com, but they added a CNAME with the value 184.168.131.241 - which relates to the smugmug site, not the wordpress blog. This seemed to take me backwards, rather than forwards.

If I've made a mess of it and need to disconnect the subdomain and start from scratch, I'd be happy to do this. The 'advice' I get from support is that it is not possible to have a sub domain to a site hosted somewhere different than the main smugmug site, but I've seen so many people doing this (and similar) that I don't buy that! 

Hope someone can help! 

[PL281 · Accepted solution]

@ChrisKendall

The issue is the sub domain under forwarding. You can’t use this with the regular dns settings for the same thing. So if you remove blog from the bottom and just leave the 2 IP records you should be good to go

[ChrisKendall]

Thank you! That seems to make perfect sense. I've done it and my WordPress
looks happier, as it is no longer asking me to configure my DNS. Which is
good!

2 short questions:
1) Do I need to add a CNAME record? The wordpress guide I saw said I do.
They also say they can change their IPs sometimes... Would using a CNAME
rather than an A record prevent issues with this?

2) Is there anything I can do to make the URL show as secure? The website
has an SSL with the WordPress site. But it is showing as not secure.

Thank you again for your help.

[PL281]

@ChrisKendall 

1) You wouldn't have an A record and a CNAME for the same thing it wold be one or the other - I personally prefer A records - but the CNAME would prevent issues if there is an IP change

2) The not secure is something you'll need to follow up with WordPress about - now that the domain is pointing they should be able to active the SSL

[ChrisKendall]

Thanks so much for all your help! Have a great Christmas and new year 🙂