# Registering Subdomains: What You Need

**Exported:** 2025/11/4 8:36:05  

**Link:** [https://gemini.google.com/app/f871dc92b272a73c](https://gemini.google.com/app/f871dc92b272a73c)

## Prompt:

I registered domain ‘asawin.net’, if I want to have sub domain ‘library.asawin.net’, do I have to register this sub domain?

## Response:

That’s an excellent question!

The short answer is **no, you do not have to register a subdomain like `library.asawin.net`** separately.

A subdomain is a part of your existing domain name (`asawin.net`), and you have the authority to create them yourself, usually through your domain registrar or web hosting control panel.

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to do:

### 1\. You Own the Root Domain

Since you already registered and own `asawin.net`, you have the right to create subdomains under it. Subdomains are essentially extensions of your primary domain.

### 2\. How to Create the Subdomain

You create the subdomain by configuring a **DNS record** for it. This is typically done in the control panel provided by your:

*   **Domain Registrar** (the company where you registered `asawin.net`), **OR**

*   **Web Hosting Provider** (if your domain’s nameservers point to their service).

You will usually create an **A record** or a **CNAME record** in your domain’s DNS settings:

*   _If you want_ `library.asawin.net` _to point to a specific IP address (e.g., for a new server or hosting account), you’d use an **A record**._

*   _If you want_ `library.asawin.net` _to point to another domain name (e.g., a service hosted elsewhere), you’d use a **CNAME record**._

### 3\. Key Takeaways

| Feature | Domain (`asawin.net`) | Subdomain (`library.asawin.net`) |

| — | — | — |

| **Registration** | **Required** (Paid annual fee) | **Not required** (Usually free) |

| **Creation** | Done through a **Domain Registrar** | Done through your **DNS/Hosting Control Panel** |

| **Function** | Primary website address | A separate section/website under the main domain |

Would you like me to find the general steps for adding a subdomain using a common platform like cPanel or a popular domain registrar?

## Prompt:

Yes, with Cloudflare.

## Response:

That’s helpful! Adding a subdomain in Cloudflare is primarily done by **creating a new DNS record** in your domain’s Cloudflare dashboard.

You generally have two main record types to choose from: **A Record** or **CNAME Record**, depending on what your subdomain needs to point to.

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

### 🛠️ Steps to Add a Subdomain in Cloudflare

1.  **Log in to your Cloudflare account** and select the domain you want to add the subdomain to.

2.  Navigate to the **DNS** tab on the top menu.

3.  Click the **”Add record”** button.

4.  Configure the new record using the appropriate type:

| Field | A Record (Points to an IP Address) | CNAME Record (Points to another Domain/Host) |

| — | — | — |

| **Type** | Select **A** | Select **CNAME** |

| **Name** | Enter _only_ the subdomain name (e.g., `blog` for `blog.example.com`). | Enter _only_ the subdomain name (e.g., `store` for `store.example.com`). |

| **IPv4 address** or **Target** | Enter the **IPv4 address** of the server hosting your subdomain content. | Enter the **target domain name** (e.g., `your-site.host.com` or `example.com`). **Do not use an IP address.** |

| **TTL** | Usually left as **Auto**. | Usually left as **Auto**. |

| **Proxy status** | Click the cloud icon to set it to **Proxied** (orange cloud) to enable Cloudflare’s security, performance, and SSL features, **or** **DNS Only** (gray cloud) if you don’t want Cloudflare to proxy the traffic (exposes the IP). | Set to **Proxied** (orange cloud) to enable Cloudflare’s services. |

5.  Click **”Save”** to create the record.

### ❓ Which Record Type Should You Use?

*   **Use an A Record** if you know the **IP address** of the server where the subdomain’s content lives, and that IP is likely to be stable.

*   **Use a CNAME Record** if your hosting provider gives you a **hostname** (like `ghs.google.com` or `server-host.xyz.com`) to point the subdomain to, or if the subdomain’s content is the same as another domain/subdomain (e.g., pointing `www` to your root domain).

After adding the record, it may take a few minutes for the DNS changes to fully propagate across Cloudflare’s network, although Cloudflare changes are usually very fast.

Do you know if your subdomain needs to point to an **IP address** or another **hostname**?

## Prompt:

If Cloudflare is my registrar but I want to use Google DNS service, is it possible?

## Response:

No, it is **not possible** to use Google DNS (or any other third-party DNS service) as the authoritative nameservers for a domain registered through **Cloudflare Registrar**.

### 🛑 Cloudflare Registrar Restriction

*   **Integrated Requirement:** Cloudflare Registrar is fundamentally designed to work with **Cloudflare’s authoritative DNS service**.

*   **No Nameserver Change:** When your domain is registered with Cloudflare, you **cannot change the nameservers** for the root domain (`example.com`) to point to another provider like Google DNS (`ns-cloud-b1.googledomains.com`, etc.). The only nameservers available are the ones assigned by Cloudflare.

*   **The Difference:**

    *   **Registrar:** The company you pay to register and own the domain name (Cloudflare, in your case).

    *   **DNS Service:** The service that manages your DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, etc.) and resolves them worldwide (Cloudflare, Google Cloud DNS, etc.).

If you want to use Google DNS (specifically, **Google Cloud DNS** to host your zone records, not Google Public DNS which is a resolver) for a domain registered at Cloudflare, your only option is to **transfer the domain registration** from Cloudflare Registrar to a different registrar that allows custom nameservers.

* * *

### Alternative Option: Google Public DNS

Keep in mind that **Google Public DNS** (the addresses like `8.8.8.8` and `8.8.4.4`) is a **resolver service**, not an authoritative DNS hosting service.

*   You can still use Google Public DNS as your device’s or router’s resolver (the service that looks up your domain’s authoritative nameservers).

*   However, your domain’s authoritative DNS records (which tell the resolver where to send traffic) will still have to be hosted and managed by Cloudflare.

For a visual guide on pointing a domain to Cloudflare’s DNS, see:

[How To Point Your Domain To CloudFlare](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWSxgR_8HE8)

. This video explains how to update nameservers, which illustrates the process that Cloudflare Registrar locks you into using their own service.

## Prompt:

Is Google registrar?

## Response:

That is a great and timely question, as the status of Google’s domain registration service has recently changed!

The short answer is: **Google is no longer a direct consumer domain registrar.**

Here is a breakdown of the current situation:

### 1\. The End of Google Domains

*   **Acquisition by Squarespace:** Google sold its entire **Google Domains** business, including all customer accounts and roughly 10 million registered domains, to **Squarespace** in September 2023.

*   **Migration Complete:** All domains previously registered with Google Domains have been or are being migrated to **Squarespace Domains**.

*   **New Management:** If you had a domain with Google Domains, you now manage your domain, billing, and all related settings (like renewals and contact info) through a **Squarespace account**.

### 2\. Google’s Current Role

While Google is no longer the registrar itself for consumer-facing domains, it still has two related services:

| Service | Description | Registrar Status |

| — | — | — |

| **Squarespace Partnership** | Google now directs users signing up for services like Google Workspace who need a domain to their partner, **Squarespace**. | **No** (Squarespace is the registrar, Google is the reseller/partner). |

| **Google Cloud Domains** | This is Google’s offering for users of the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). | **Yes**, but it now uses **Squarespace Domains** as the underlying registrar for new and existing domains. Google Cloud acts as a reseller and management layer within the GCP console. |

| **Google Public DNS** | This is the free public **resolver** service (`8.8.8.8`, `8.8.4.4`) that you asked about earlier. | **No** (This is a DNS lookup service, not a domain registrar). |

* * *

In summary, the entity known as “Google Domains” is discontinued. The function of domain registration has been taken over by **Squarespace**.

## Prompt:

My domain ‘asawin.net’ is registered with Cloudflare and must be renew by the end of november. Can I renew it with another registrar

## Response:

Yes, absolutely. You can and should initiate a domain transfer to a new registrar before the end of November.

When you transfer a domain to a new registrar, you are effectively renewing it with the new company, and the renewal fee you pay there will add one year to your current expiration date.

Here is the essential process and some critical timing notes for your domain **asawin.net**:

### ⏳ Key Steps for Transferring Out of Cloudflare

To transfer your domain from Cloudflare to another registrar (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Cloud Domains, etc.), you must follow these steps in order:

| Step | Action | Where to Perform | Importance |

| — | — | — | — |

| **1\. Unlock the Domain** | Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard, navigate to the domain management settings, and turn off the **Registrar Lock** (also called `clientTransferProhibited`). | Cloudflare Dashboard | **Critical** (The new registrar cannot initiate the transfer if the domain is locked). |

| **2\. Get the Auth Code** | Request the **Authorization Code** (also known as EPP code, or Transfer Key) from your Cloudflare domain settings. This is a unique security code. | Cloudflare Dashboard | **Critical** (You will need to provide this code to the new registrar). |

| **3\. Initiate the Transfer** | Go to your chosen new registrar’s website and select the option to **Transfer a Domain**. You will enter `asawin.net` and the **Auth Code** you got from Cloudflare. | New Registrar’s Website | **Critical** (This starts the process and requires payment for the renewal year). |

| **4\. Approve the Transfer** | Watch your email closely (the email address associated with the domain registration). Your new registrar will send a **Form of Authorization (FOA)** email, and Cloudflare may also send one. Approve the transfer as quickly as possible. | Email and/or Cloudflare Dashboard | **Critical** (This speeds up the process, otherwise it can take up to 5 days to auto-approve). |

### ⚠️ Important Timing Notes

Since your domain expires at the end of November, you need to act **ASAP** to avoid any complications.

*   **Don’t Wait:** While a transfer typically takes 5-7 days, you want to leave plenty of buffer time in case of delays.

*   **The Renewal is Built-in:** When you pay the new registrar’s transfer fee, that payment covers the required one-year renewal. Your new expiration date will be **one year added** to your _current_ expiration date.

*   **60-Day Lock:** Standard ICANN rules prohibit a transfer if the domain was **registered or previously transferred within the last 60 days**, or if the **registrant contact information was updated within the last 60 days**. Assuming none of those apply, you should be clear to transfer.

Would you like me to search for a comparison of popular domain registrars so you can choose a new one?

## Prompt:

Can you recommend registrar with free DDNS update?

## Response:

That’s an excellent follow-up question, as Dynamic DNS (DDNS) capability is crucial for anyone hosting a service from a home internet connection with a dynamic IP address.

While Cloudflare Registrar itself offers DNS hosting with the necessary API to run your own DDNS script (you don’t have to change registrars to _use_ DDNS), if you want to transfer your domain, here are the top registrar options that include **free DDNS update functionality**:

### 🏆 Top Registrar Recommendations with Free DDNS

| Registrar | Key DDNS Features | Other Benefits |

| — | — | — |

| **Namecheap** | \* **Built-in Feature:** Offers Dynamic DNS support for domains using their BasicDNS or FreeDNS. | \* Very competitive pricing for domain registration and renewal. \* Easy-to-use control panel for setting up DDNS. \* Widely supported by third-party DDNS clients and routers. |

| **Dynu** | \* **Comprehensive Free Service:** Provides free DDNS for your own domain name (TLD) as well as free third-level domains. | \* Offers a free DDNS client for various operating systems. \* Includes email service features. \* Highly-rated for stability and feature set. |

| **Google Domains** (or its new home) | \* **API & Client Support:** Known for its simple, clean interface and robust API that works easily with third-party DDNS clients like `ddclient`. | \* Clean, ad-free interface. \* Transparent, all-inclusive pricing. \* Excellent integration with Google’s other services. |

* * *

### 💡 Alternative Strategy: Keep DDNS with Cloudflare

Since your domain is already using Cloudflare, here is an important point:

*   **Cloudflare DNS already supports DDNS.** Cloudflare’s core service is a **free, high-performance DNS** platform. You can leverage this for DDNS even if you transfer your domain to a different registrar (like Namecheap or Google Domains).

**How it works:**

1.  **Transfer Domain:** Transfer `asawin.net` to the new registrar (e.g., Namecheap) to handle the registration and renewal.

2.  **Point Nameservers:** Keep your domain’s nameservers pointed to **Cloudflare’s nameservers**.

3.  **Use DDNS Script:** Use a small client program (like `ddclient` or a **Docker container**) on your home network to monitor your IP address and automatically push the update to the Cloudflare DNS using their API. Cloudflare provides excellent documentation for this.

This approach gives you the best of both worlds: your domain is renewed with a different company, and you keep Cloudflare’s powerful, free, and fast DNS service with full DDNS capability.

Would you prefer I provide the step-by-step guide for initiating the transfer-out process from Cloudflare to your chosen new registrar?

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