How to Connect a Custom Aveshost Domain to Render (Step-by-Step Guide)

Render is a modern cloud platform for hosting full-stack web applications, Node.js/Python/Go APIs, and static sites. By default, every service deployed on Render is assigned a subdomain ending in .onrender.com (such as https://my-aveshost-app.onrender.com).

Connecting a custom domain registered with Aveshost (such as domain.com and www.domain.com) gives your application a professional brand identity, improves SEO, and activates free, automatically renewed Let’s Encrypt TLS/SSL certificates on Render’s global Anycast network.

In this comprehensive step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to add your custom domain in the Render Dashboard, configure Render’s Anycast A Record (216.24.57.1) and CNAME Record in either the Aveshost Client Area or DirectAdmin, verify your DNS settings, and activate free HTTPS encryption.

Prerequisites

• A custom domain name registered with Aveshost (see How to Register a Domain Name).
• Access to your Aveshost Client Area (or your DirectAdmin control panel if your domain is connected to an Aveshost web hosting plan).
• An active Web Service or Static Site deployed on Render.

Quick Reference: Official Render DNS Records

To connect both your root/apex domain (domain.com) and your www subdomain (www.domain.com) to Render, you will configure the following two DNS records:

Step 1: Add Your Custom Domain in the Render Dashboard

First, register your custom domain inside your Render service settings so Render knows which application should serve your domain:

1. Log in to the Render Dashboard and select your Web Service or Static Site.
2. In the left navigation sidebar, click Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Custom Domains section and click the + Add Custom Domain button.
4. Enter your root domain name (for example, domain.com) and click Save.
5. Render will automatically add both domain.com and www.domain.com (and configure www.domain.com to redirect to domain.com automatically).
6. Note your service’s .onrender.com address (e.g., my-aveshost-app.onrender.com) displayed in the instructions.

Step 2: Configure Render DNS Records on Aveshost (Choose Your Scenario)

Depending on how your domain is managed at Aveshost, follow either Method A (Domain-Only) or Method B (Shared Hosting / DirectAdmin) below:

Method A: Using Aveshost Client Area DNS Management (Domain-Only)

Follow this method if you purchased a domain name from Aveshost without a shared web hosting package:

1. Log in to your Aveshost Client Area and go to Domains > My Domains.
2. Click Manage next to your domain name.
3. Click Nameservers in the left sidebar and verify that your domain is using Aveshost’s default nameservers (ns1.globaldomaingroup.com and ns2.globaldomaingroup.com).
4. Click DNS Management in the left menu.
5. Remove any existing default parking A, AAAA, or CNAME records for @ and www.
6. Click + Add New Record and add the two Render records:
   • Record 1 (Root / Apex Domain):
     Host Name: @ | Record Type: A (Address) | Address / Value: 216.24.57.1
   • Record 2 (www Subdomain):
     Host Name: www | Record Type: CNAME (Alias) | Address / Value: my-aveshost-app.onrender.com (replace with your actual Render service URL)
7. Click Save Changes.

Method B: Using DirectAdmin DNS Management (Shared Hosting / Subdomain)

Follow this method if your domain is connected to an Aveshost Shared Hosting plan (DirectAdmin) or if you want to point a specific subdomain (such as app.domain.com or api.domain.com) to Render while keeping your emails on Aveshost:

1. Log in to your DirectAdmin Control Panel (see How to Login to DirectAdmin Control Panel).
2. Navigate to Account Manager > DNS Management.
3. If you are pointing the entire domain to Render, select the existing A record for domain.com. and the existing A/CNAME record for www, then click Delete. (Do not delete your MX or mail records if you use Aveshost email!)
4. Click the green + ADD RECORD button in the top-right corner and add the records:
   • Record 1 (Root Domain A Record):
     Record Type: A | Name: domain.com. (or leave blank) | Value: 216.24.57.1
   • Record 2 (www or Subdomain CNAME Record):
     Record Type: CNAME | Name: www (or app / api) | Value: my-aveshost-app.onrender.com.

Step 3: Verify Your Domain & Activate Free HTTPS SSL in Render

Once you have saved your DNS records on Aveshost, wait 5 to 15 minutes for DNS propagation, then return to your Render Dashboard:

1. In your Render service’s Settings > Custom Domains section, click the Verify button next to both domain.com and www.domain.com.
2. Render will query your DNS records and change the status badge to Domain Verified.
3. Immediately after verification, Render automatically requests and installs a free Let’s Encrypt TLS/SSL certificate. Within 2 to 10 minutes, the second badge will turn green and display Certificate Issued.
4. Open https://domain.com and https://www.domain.com in your browser to confirm your Render application is live over HTTPS!

Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting

Q: Can I connect only a subdomain (like api.domain.com or app.domain.com) to Render while keeping my main website on Aveshost?
A: Yes! In Render’s Custom Domains section, enter only your subdomain (e.g., api.domain.com). Then, in your Aveshost or DirectAdmin DNS Management, add a single CNAME record with Name api pointing to your-service.onrender.com (or your-service.onrender.com. in DirectAdmin). Your main website and email on domain.com will remain completely untouched.

Q: Why does Render say "Domain Verified" but "Certificate Pending / Failed"?
A: Check two common causes in your DNS settings:
1) Ensure you have removed any IPv6 (AAAA) records for @ and www.
2) If your domain has CAA records configured, make sure letsencrypt.org is permitted to issue certificates for your domain.

Q: Want full root SSH control and predictable monthly pricing instead of Render per-service billing?
A: You can also migrate and self-host your Render applications directly on a high-performance Aveshost Linux VPS! Follow our step-by-step tutorial: How to Deploy and Migrate Render Web Applications to a Linux VPS.

Need Further Assistance?

If you need any help pointing your Aveshost domain or subdomain to Render, our technical support team is available 24/7. Feel free to submit a support ticket from your client area and we will gladly assist you.