sharepa

Namecheap CNAME record: Advanced DNS, Host and Value

Updated:

At Namecheap the records live under "Domain List", "Manage" and the "Advanced DNS" tab. Under "Host Records" you click "Add New Record", choose "CNAME Record", enter the subdomain under "Host" and the target under "Value". For sharepa that is domains.sharepa.page. Unlike most providers, Namecheap offers an ALIAS Record for the root domain, more on that below.

Type    CNAME
Host    www
Value   domains.sharepa.page
TTL     Automatic (30 Minuten)

For sharepa a second record is added in the same menu: a TXT record proving that the domain is yours. The app shows name and value, the name starts with _sharepa-verify.

Type    TXT
Host    _sharepa-verify.www
Value   sharepa-verify=…

The "Host" field takes only the prefix, Namecheap appends the domain name itself.

Steps

  1. Sign in at Namecheap, open "Domain List" and click "Manage" next to the domain.
  2. Choose the "Advanced DNS" tab.
  3. Under "Host Records" click "Add New Record" and pick "CNAME Record" as the type.
  4. Under "Host" enter the subdomain, say www, under "Value" the target domains.sharepa.page.
  5. Leave "TTL" on "Automatic", which is 30 minutes.
  6. Confirm with the green tick and click "Save All Changes".
Control panel
Namecheap-Konto
Path to the DNS zone
Domain List Manage Advanced DNS Host Records: Add New Record CNAME Record Save All Changes
TTL, if asked
Automatic (30 Minuten)
CNAME on the root domain
possible
Redirect for the root domain
Advanced DNS → Add New Record → „URL Redirect Record“ mit Host @
Until the record takes effect
Namecheap says around 30 minutes
Checked
15.09.2026, against the provider's documentation

Where it goes wrong at Namecheap

A CNAME cannot sit next to other record types for the same host at Namecheap. The preset "URL Redirect Record" or an A record for www has to be deleted first, otherwise an error message appears.

The value has to be a full hostname. The form rejects an address with https:// or an IP address.

Host Records are only used when the domain is set to "Namecheap BasicDNS" or "PremiumDNS". With custom name servers the tab has no effect.

Root domain without www

Namecheap explicitly advises against a CNAME for the bare domain (@), because it can break MX records and therefore email. Two clean ways: an "ALIAS Record" with host @ and value domains.sharepa.page, which Namecheap tolerates next to other records, with a TTL of five minutes. Or a "URL Redirect Record" with host @, value https://www.mysite.com/ and type "Permanent (301)". For sharepa we recommend the redirect: one domain, one certificate, no surprises.

What it costs

Advanced DNS and redirects are part of the domain at Namecheap, PremiumDNS is optional. At sharepa your own domain is free for one page and covers five in the one-time plan.

Questions

How long does it take at Namecheap?

Namecheap says around 30 minutes until host records are accepted. It is often faster, sharepa checks every five minutes.

What is the difference between ALIAS and CNAME?

Both point to another hostname. The ALIAS Record may sit on the root domain and next to MX records, the CNAME may not.

Do I need PremiumDNS?

No. BasicDNS is enough for the CNAME and the redirect.

These steps follow Namecheap's documentation as of 15.09.2026, without an account there. Source. Something no longer matches? Tell us and we will fix it.

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