The wildcard subdomain is a DNS (Domain Name System) configuration that connects any unspecified subdomains on an online site at the exact IP address, without needing to configure each independently.
It’s identified by an Asterisk (*) in DNS records.
For instance, the wildcard subdomain *.example.com redirects the traffic of any subdomain that’s not specifically defined (like blog.example.com, shop.example.com, etc.) to the specific IP address.
This article will take a look at what a wildcard domain is and provide examples of how to create it using various DNS and hosting services.
You can first check the availability of the domain name using Namecheckr, and you can then check the availability of your social media name using a social media name checker.
Key Highlights
- The wildcard domain is an illustration of a subdomain that can serve as a match for any type of request made for an undefined domain.
- A Wildcard DNS record, also called a wildcard record is a kind of Domain Name System (DNS) record that points to any subdomain that is currently in existence or not to a particular zone.
- Subdomains with wildcards allow visitors to access your site without knowing the exact domain’s name, in addition to other useful applications.
- The process of adding a wildcard subdomain to any hosting service requires about three or four simple steps.
What is a Wildcard Subdomain?
A wildcard subdomain can be described as an unspecified method within DNS configurations that connects any unspecified subdomain on an online site to a certain location within the servers.
If you choose to use the * (*) symbol instead of a subdomain name to set your DNS settings The DNS server will be able to capture all requests for any unspecified subdomain and respond to them according to the settings.
This is particularly helpful in SaaS (Software as a Service) platforms in which users may own customized subdomains (like user1.example.com, user2.example.com) however, managing each as a distinct subdomain is not practical.
Developers typically employ wildcard subdomains to create local testing environments, or to permit dynamic subdomain creation in their applications.
Wildcard Subdomains Uses
Wildcard subdomains can be used in a variety of ways and are used for a wide range of managing websites and online services.
Here are some examples of common applications:
- Multi-tenant Applications – In the case of applications that serve multiple tenants, for instance in the field of content management systems or online shopping platforms, wildcard subdomains let each tenant have their own designated subdomain.
- The Wildcard Subdomain is Used by Developers – To easily create new testing and staging environments without needing to configure new DNS records every time.
- Redirection and Default Handling – It can be utilized to redirect traffic coming from unexistent subdomains back to the main domain or a certain page, which improves user experience as well as prevents loss of traffic.
- Content Localization – For websites that have worldwide audiences Wildcard subdomains may direct users to localized versions of the website depending on their place of residence.
- Load Balancing and Scaling – In load balancers, wildcard subdomains can spread the load over clusters or servers improving web performance and reliability.
- SEO Experiments – Some SEO strategies involve the use of subdomains with wildcards to test different design layouts for content or marketing techniques without impacting the main site.
- Domain Masking – They can be used to hide affiliate links and other links from outside to make them appear as part of the domain.
Multiple websites hosted on one server are useful when you want to create dynamically generated websites or web pages with distinct subdomains however they reside on the same infrastructure of your server.
DNS Wildcard Subdomain Example
A wildcard subdomain working can be observed in the SaaS application that functions as the project management tool.
If that the application is located at projectapp.com. The service gives every user a subdomain to create a customized dashboard.
The SaaS provider must establish an unregistered subdomain for example *.projectapp.com.
This means that any subdomains of projectapp.com that are not explicitly stated will be redirected to the default location usually the principal server.
When a new user signs up and chooses a unique username, say ‘johndoe’, they automatically get a personalized subdomain, like johndoe.projectapp.com. This subdomain is directly linked to John’s Dashboard. The great thing about this is that it doesn’t call to set up a DNS manually for every new user.
A wildcard subdomain ensures that a request for a non-existent subdomain, such as random.projectapp.com, is not handled as an error, but instead is handled appropriately, usually by redirecting to the main application.
Subdomain Wildcard DNS Addition
If you now know how wildcards can benefit numerous webmasters, you can try the wildcards yourself with these step-by-step directions on how wildcards can work with some of the most popular hosting companies:
IONOS Wildcard Subdomain
IONOS is a renowned hosting company with a support staff that lets you create as well as manage several websites through the same platform.
- Log in to the Control Panel.
- Choose ‘Domains’, and then click on the desired domain name.
- Select Advanced DNS Settings and then click “Add Record”.
- Select the record type as “CNAME Wildcard” to create a DNS record with a wildcard and include the destination URL for your website in the value field prior to saving the changes.
Hostinger Wildcard Subdomain
Hostinger is a fantastic option for people seeking to host multiple sites under the same hostname account.
- Log into your Hostinger Account, then select the Domains section from the menu bar.
- Select DNS Settings for the domain you want to use Then click on the “+ Add Record’ button.
- Choose the record type to be “CNAME Wildcard”. Enter the URL of your destination site in the field with the value before saving any changes.
Let’s Encrypt Wildcard Subdomain
Let’s Encrypt is a completely free open, automated, and free certifier authority (CA) that offers digital certificates that enable HTTPS encryption for websites.
- Log into your account on their website
- Select Certificates, and after that, click the domain you would like to use.
- Select the ‘Add Wildcard Domain’ option and then enter the URL to your site before saving modifications
NGINX Wildcard Subdomain
NGINX is a reliable web server utilized to host servers and websites.
- Log into your NGINX configuration file.
- Find the directive ‘ server’ and then create a new “location” block for it.
- Make the ‘location’ `*.your-domain-name on the host field. Determine the root path for the website or page that you would like to direct visitors to.
- Make sure to save changes prior to the restart of Nginx for your modifications to be effective.
Cloudflare Wildcard Subdomain
Cloudflare is a DNS service provider that gives users the capability to control the domain’s DNS settings easily.
- Log into your Cloudflare account, and then select “DNS” from the menu located on the left side.
- Click “Add Record” and set the record’s type to “CNAME Wildcard’.
- You must enter the URL of your preferred destination in the field of value prior to saving any changes.
Route53 Wildcard Subdomain
Route53 is a well-known DNS service provided through Amazon Web Services (AWS).
- Log into your AWS Console and choose “Services” from the top menu.
- Select ‘Route53’, then start the hosted zone you want to host your domain name.
- Click on “Create Record Set”, and select the type of record as “CNAME Wildcard’. Then enter the URL for the destination before saving the changes.
GoDaddy Wildcard Subdomain
GoDaddy is a well-known domain registrar as well as a hosting provider.
- Log in to the Domain Manager.
- Select your desired domain name.
- Click “Add DNS Record’ on the “DNS Zone File’ tab.
- Choose the record type to be “CNAME Wildcard”. Enter the URL of your destination in the field with the value prior to saving any changes.
cPanel Wildcard Subdomain
cPanel is a hosting platform that lets you manage and host multiple websites on the same console. As well as how to set up a cPanel subdomain is simple.
- Log into your cPanel account. Select Subdomains.
- Create a subdomain, and include an Asterisk (*) in the host field prior to saving any changes.
- Choose ‘DNS Zone Editor’ and then click “Add Record”.
- Choose the record type to be “CNAME” and then enter the URL to your website in the field with the value prior to clicking Save Changes.
Conclusion
Subdomains and wildcard domains can be an excellent option to ease the process of hosting several sites with the same host.
It’s crucial to remember that they’re also useful for redirecting traffic to a specific source. As they’ll always send users to the specified web address.
If your website requires additional assistance beyond the creation of subdomains and wildcard domains. Take a look at our review of Top Website Builders and the Best Web Hosting Services.