One Fast Hive shared hosting account can serve several websites. cPanel's Domains section is where you add them, create subdomains, and set up redirects. This guide explains the difference between the domain types, how to add each one, and how to avoid the folder mistakes that leave a new site showing the wrong content.
- Primary domain - the main domain the account was created with. It serves
public_html. - Addon domain - a completely separate website, with its own folder and its own content.
- Subdomain - a section under an existing domain, such as
blog.yourdomain.com. - Alias (parked) domain - a second name that shows the same site as an existing domain.
Before you add anything
A domain only works here once its DNS points at Fast Hive. Either set its nameservers to ns1.fasthive.com and ns2.fasthive.com, or point an A record at your server's shared IP address, shown under General Information on the cPanel home screen.
You can add the domain in cPanel before DNS resolves - that is the sensible order, because it lets you upload the site first and switch DNS afterwards, with no gap where visitors see an empty folder.
Adding a domain
- Log in to cPanel from My Products & Services.
- Under Domains, open Domains.
- Click Create A New Domain.
- Enter the domain name without
www- justexample.com. - cPanel proposes a document root, usually
/home/username/example.com. Note this path exactly - it is where the files for that site must go. - Untick Share document root if you want a separate site (leave it ticked only when you want an alias showing existing content).
- Click Submit.
public_html when the domain actually serves /home/username/example.com. The site then shows your primary domain's content, or nothing at all. Check the path in the Domains list and upload there.
Creating a subdomain
Subdomains are free, instant, and do not need separate registration - they belong to a domain you already control.
- Open Domains → Domains and click Create A New Domain.
- Type the full subdomain, for example
blog.yourdomain.com. cPanel recognises it as a subdomain of a domain you already have. - Check the document root it proposes, typically
/home/username/blog.yourdomain.com. - Click Submit.
Common uses: staging. for a test copy, shop. for a separate store, docs. for documentation.
staging. copy gets indexed by search engines and competes with your live site, and usually contains real customer data. Put it behind Files → Directory Privacy the moment you create it.
Redirects
Domains → Redirects sends visitors from one URL to another without editing any files.
- Open Domains → Redirects.
- Choose the type:
- Permanent (301) - the page has moved for good. Search engines transfer ranking signals. Use this for almost everything.
- Temporary (302) - a short-lived diversion, such as a maintenance page. Rankings are not transferred.
- Select the domain, and optionally a path after the slash.
- Enter the destination URL, including
https://. - Choose whether to redirect with or without
www. - Tick Wild Card Redirect to map every path across to the matching path on the destination - the right choice when moving a whole site.
- Click Add.
| Goal | Use |
|---|---|
| Old domain to new domain, whole site | 301 with Wild Card Redirect |
| One retired page to its replacement | 301 on that specific path |
| A short link for a campaign | 301 on a path such as /promo |
| Two domain names, one website | An alias (shared document root), not a redirect |
| Force HTTPS | Not here - use the Force HTTPS Redirect toggle in the Domains list |
Zone Editor and Dynamic DNS
Domains → Zone Editor edits DNS records for domains that use Fast Hive nameservers - A, CNAME, MX, TXT and the rest. There is a dedicated knowledgebase article covering record types in detail.
Domains → Dynamic DNS keeps a hostname pointed at an IP address that changes, which is useful for reaching a home or office machine on a connection without a static IP. It is not needed for normal website hosting.
After adding a domain
- Upload the site to the document root cPanel gave you.
- Check Security → SSL/TLS Certificates → SSL/TLS Status - the free certificate is issued automatically once DNS resolves to us.
- Create any email accounts the new domain needs.
- Check Email Routing if mail for that domain is hosted elsewhere.
- Load the site over
https://in a private window and confirm the padlock.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
| New domain shows the primary domain's website | Either Share document root was left ticked, or you uploaded to public_html instead of the domain's own folder. Check the document root in the Domains list. |
| "Domain already exists" when adding | It is on another account on the server, or a leftover DNS zone remains from a previous setup. Open a ticket and we will clear it. |
| Domain added but does not resolve | DNS still points elsewhere. Check with nslookup yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 and allow time for propagation. |
| Subdomain resolves but shows "Index of /" | The folder exists but has no index file. Upload an index.html or index.php, and consider disabling directory listing in Advanced → Indexes. |
Redirect loops (ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS) |
A cPanel redirect and an .htaccess or plugin rule are fighting, or a domain redirects to itself. Remove all but one rule. |
| SSL not issued for the new domain | Certificates are issued only once DNS resolves to us. Confirm DNS first, then re-run AutoSSL from SSL/TLS Status. |
| Reached the addon domain limit | Your plan's allowance is shown in Statistics. The Ultimate plan is unlimited - upgrade from your service page, applied to the same account with no migration. |
| Removing a domain deleted the site | Removing a domain can remove its document root. Always back up before removing one. |
Frequently asked questions
How many websites can I host on one account?
Depends on your plan. Ultimate is unlimited websites; lower tiers have a fixed allowance shown in your cPanel Statistics panel.
Do I need to buy hosting for each domain?
No. Additional domains on the same account share your existing plan's resources. Buy a second hosting package only when the sites need to be genuinely separate - different owners, or isolation between them.
Alias or redirect for a second domain name?
Use an alias if both names should serve the same site under their own address. Use a 301 redirect if one name should send visitors to the other, which is better for SEO because it consolidates ranking signals on one canonical domain.
Can I host a domain here that is registered elsewhere?
Yes. Registration and hosting are independent. Point the domain's DNS at Fast Hive and add it in cPanel.
Do subdomains get their own SSL certificate?
They are covered automatically by the free certificate once they resolve to your account.
Can each domain run a different PHP version?
Yes. Software → MultiPHP Manager sets the version per domain independently.
