Redirecting a new domain to an existing site

[amythepoet]

Let's say I have an existing site called widgets.net

then I purchase a new domain called widgetsandtools.com

I want to redirect widgetsandtools.com to widgets.net

It does go through but at the top where you put in the name of the site, should it say widgetsandtools.com or should it say widgets.net?

or does it matter for search engines?

thanks

[humhum]

>> I want to redirect widgetsandtools.com to widgets.net

Forward widgetsandtools.com to widgets.net. DO not use the masking option. The final destination is widgets.net. However, if you use masking option the the display will be widgetsandtools.com with the contents from widgets.net.

Best wishes,

Hum

[amythepoet]

Hi and thank you

What is masking?

At the top, should it say widgets.net?

[amythepoet]

Yes, I would like the content to be from widgets.net as you have just said.

[Jon_King]

This is certainly easy enough using htaccess but that means I need to pay for hosting for just the htaccess file?

Is there a way to do a permanent redirect without htaccess? ... directly at the registrar?

[Gshaughn]

I am trying to forward several domains to my primary domain, and found out you can forward them to the server of the primary domain, and within the .htaccess of the primary, destination, domain specify a 301 redirect for requests for the domain name(s) to be redirected.

The idea is you wouldn't need to pay for hosting, because the requests would be 301 redirected by the .htaccess of the primary, destination site.

My issue: I can't seem to figure out how you point a domain at the registrar to the server of the primary, destination domain? I tried to just type in the server IP address as the name server in the dns settings and the registrar won't allow it.

I have been poking around old posts but can't find anything. Any help?

Thanks,
Greg

[mankman]

2 ways I can think of off the top of my head

Some registrars, either for free or for fee, offer a forwarding service.

The way I'd do it...Many hosting companies will allow you to have numerous 'add on' domains, so you just point 'widgetsandtools.com' to the same web hosting as 'widgets.com'. You'd set a 301 redirect in .htaccess for 'widgetsandtools.com' to point to 'widgets.com'. Same deal if you're running your own server.

[mankman]

My issue: I can't seem to figure out how you point a domain at the registrar to the server of the primary, destination domain? I tried to just type in the server IP address as the name server in the dns settings and the registrar won't allow it.

You would point to the same nameservers that the primary domain is configured to point to.

Is this a hosted solution or are you running your own server?

The nameserver machines need to be configured to direct the domain traffic to the correct destination

[g1smd]

Point all of the domains at the one hosting plan.

Have one big .htaccess file on that server that sorts out which requests get sent a redirect and which get sent the proper content.

[Peejay74]

If you want to redirect one site to another here is a VB script I use with asp pages.
Create a page called default.asp and as the only source code type the following;

<% @Language=VBScript %>

<% Response.Redirect "http://www.****.co.uk" %>

It will redirect the page to the new website and show the address that is in the above script.