# Connecting a Network Solutions Domain to Vercel for Your Obsidian Digital Garden This tutorial walks you through pointing a domain you manage at **Network Solutions** to a **Vercel** project that hosts your Obsidian Digital Garden. **Recommended approach**: Keep Network Solutions as your DNS provider and add the specific records Vercel gives you. This preserves any existing email (MX), verification, or other records. > **Important**: Always use the exact record values shown in your Vercel project’s Domains settings. They can be project-specific. Do not rely solely on generic examples. ## Prerequisites 1. Your Digital Garden is already deployed to Vercel (via the official template or GitHub integration). 2. You have access to both your Vercel dashboard and Network Solutions account. 3. You know your domain (e.g., `example.com`). ## Step 1: Add the Domain in Vercel 1. Open your Digital Garden project in the [Vercel dashboard](https://vercel.com/dashboard). 2. Go to **Settings → Domains**. 3. Click **Add** (or **Add Domain**). 4. Enter your apex domain (e.g., `example.com`) and confirm. 5. Vercel will typically offer to also add `www.example.com`. Accept this. 6. Choose a redirect preference (recommended: redirect apex → `www` or vice versa). You can change this later. 7. Vercel will display the **required DNS records**. Note them carefully. You will see something like: | Type | Name / Host | Value / Points to | |-------|-------------|--------------------------------------------| | A | `@` | `76.76.21.21` (or a different IP) | | CNAME | `www` | `cname.vercel-dns-XXXX.com` (unique) | Keep this page open — you’ll copy these values into Network Solutions. ## Step 2: Configure DNS at Network Solutions 1. Log in at [Network Solutions](https://www.networksolutions.com/) (Account Manager / Manage My Domains). 2. Select your domain → open the **DNS** tab or go to **Advanced Tools → Manage** next to **Advanced DNS Records**. 3. You may need to click **Continue** if prompted. 4. **Clean up conflicting records first**: - Delete any existing A records for `@` that point to a previous host. - Delete any existing CNAME for `www` that points elsewhere. - **Do not delete MX records** or other records you still need (email, Google verification, etc.). 5. **Add the A record for the apex domain**: - Click **+ Add Record** (or equivalent). - Type: **A** - Refers to: `@` (or blank / root) - Points to: the IP address from Vercel (commonly `76.76.21.21`, but use yours) - TTL: leave default (usually 7200) or set lower (e.g., 300–900) for faster propagation - Save / Add 6. **Add the CNAME record for www**: - Click **+ Add Record**. - Type: **CNAME** - Refers to: `www` - Alias to / Points to: the exact CNAME target from Vercel (e.g., `d1d4fc829fe7bc7c.vercel-dns-017.com`). Do **not** add a trailing period unless Network Solutions specifically requires it. - TTL: same as above - Save / Add 7. Confirm both records appear correctly in the list. ## Step 3: Wait for DNS Propagation and Verify in Vercel 1. DNS changes usually propagate in minutes to a few hours (rarely up to 24–48 hours). 2. Return to **Vercel → Project → Settings → Domains**. 3. Refresh the page. The domain status should change to **Valid Configuration**. 4. Vercel will automatically provision a free SSL certificate once the records are detected. This can take a few extra minutes after DNS is valid. You can check propagation globally with tools like: - [whatsmydns.net](https://www.whatsmydns.net) - `dig example.com A` and `dig www.example.com CNAME` in a terminal ## Step 4: Update Digital Garden Settings (Optional but Recommended) In Obsidian’s Digital Garden plugin settings, update the **Base URL** (or Site URL) to your new custom domain (e.g., `https://www.example.com`). This ensures links and the published site use the correct address. ## Troubleshooting | Problem | Likely Cause | Fix | |---------|--------------|-----| | “Invalid Configuration” in Vercel | Wrong IP/CNAME, or old conflicting records still present | Double-check values; delete old A/CNAME records | | Site loads on `www` but not apex (or vice versa) | Missing redirect or only one record set | Add both records and set redirect in Vercel Domains | | SSL certificate pending | DNS not fully propagated yet | Wait and refresh; check with dig/whatsmydns | | Email stops working | Accidentally deleted MX records | Restore MX records from backup or Network Solutions history | | Changes seem stuck | High TTL or caching | Lower TTL, wait, or flush local DNS cache | ## Alternative: Switch Nameservers to Vercel (Not Usually Needed) If you prefer Vercel to manage all DNS: 1. In Vercel Domains, enable Vercel DNS / note the nameservers (`ns1.vercel-dns.com` and `ns2.vercel-dns.com`). 2. At Network Solutions, change the nameservers to those two. 3. **Before switching**, copy all existing records (especially MX) into Vercel’s DNS manager. This is more disruptive for email and other services, so the A + CNAME method above is preferred for most Digital Garden sites. --- **Sources**: - [Vercel Custom Domains documentation](https://vercel.com/docs/domains) - [Vercel A-record guide](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/a-record-and-caa-with-vercel) - [Network Solutions Advanced DNS help](https://www.networksolutions.com/help/article/manage-dns-adns-records) Once the domain shows as Valid in Vercel and your site loads at the new address, you’re done. Enjoy your custom-domain Digital Garden!