This is a detailed guide on how to set up a free .tk domain via
http://dot.tk This is NOT cloaking. Using .tk cloaking on your forum can cause problems with staying logged in as well as a few others. It is not recommended that you use cloaking, but rather follow this guide to get a free domain with DNS Support.
For this guide I will use an example test forum of mine:
http://seldomfail.mysmf.comAnd I will change it's domain to:
http://seldomfail.tk
Getting Started
If you are not the administrator of the forum you are trying to park the domain to, this will not work. There is information that is needed from the Admin CP and also steps that require access to the control panel.
First, you will have to register a domain with .tk. Doing so is not difficult. But with the way their homepage is set up, it can be confusing.
When you get to their homepage, there will be a display box in the middle. And a place to enter a domain. Do NOT use this box for your .tk domain. Rather, see the links directly above the box. There is one called
Web Domain. Click it.
See picture
Registering the Domain
On the page it brings you to (the picture above), you will need to type the domain name you wish to have.
I typed "seldomfail" in the box because my URL will be seldomfail.tk.
After you have typed your desired URL name in the box, click next
Choose
Free Domain and then click next
The page it will bring you to, will ask for your domain and if you want to use DNS support.
Click the button that says
Use DNS for this domain See picture
Nameservers
When you click that button, the page will change and you will see 4 boxes appear.
But there is also a bubble to check next to
Use my own DNS services (check that)
To setup the nameservers you have to set the "Name Server" to ns1.yourdomain.tk and ns2.yourdomain.tk
And then you will need to go to your forum. Go to Admin CP > Domain Manager (
See picture to find IP addresses)
There you will find 2 IP addresses (if you notice, they ARE the same) copy that IP address. The IP address will go in the boxes to the right labeled "IP address"
See pictureAfter you have done this, go down the page.
Put your email address in the box where it asks for your email. It is very important that you can access this email and/or use it frequently because you WILL have to activate your domain through a confirmation email.
Then click next
Account Registration
If you already have an account with the email you provided, it will just ask you for a password.
If you do not have an account, you will be redirected to a page where you can sign up. (don't worry. It's still free)
And then you're done with your domain registration! woo hoo! but.. we aren't done yet
See Picture
Domain Confirmation
You should get the email fairly quickly. Remember to check your spam folder also (Yahoo tags it as spam)
See PictureLike any confirmation, you'll need to copy the confirmation code toward the top of the email you'll be sent. And then go to the link and put the code in the confirmation box.
This will activate your domain. If you do not do this, your domain
will not workAfter you confirm it, you will get a page that says your domain has been activated.
Parking the Domain
Now we go back to our domain manager (Admin CP > Domain Manager)
And we put the domain we registered in the text box for the domain.
See PictureAfter you've entered your domain, click
Park DomainYou will now see more text appear at the bottom of that page.
It will look like this:
See PictureIt will take anywhere from 3 to 48 hours to make the DNS changes. So periodically click
VERIFY URL. When you see a black 1 at the top, you can click
Update Forum URLThe page will look like this:
See PictureAfter you've done that, it will change your domain to the .tk domain you've chosen. Don't worry though, if someone goes to the original longform domain of your forum, they'll be redirected to the new one.
If you have any questions, please post them in this topic.