Setting up DNS on IONOS (1&1)
Step-by-step instructions for connecting your IONOS (formerly 1&1) domain to WedSites.
If you registered your domain with IONOS (also known as 1&1 IONOS or 1&1), follow these steps to add the DNS records needed to connect it to your WedSites wedding website.
Before you start
Make sure you've added your domain to WedSites first. Go to Settings > General and enter your custom domain, then save. Then come back here to set up your DNS records.
You'll need access to your IONOS account. Make sure you can log in and that you have permission to manage DNS for your domain.
DNS records you need to add
You'll be adding these two records to your IONOS domain:
Record Type | Host Name | Points to | TTL |
A | (none/blank) | 37.16.10.26 | 3600 |
CNAME | www | domains.wedsites.com | 3600 |
Important: You only need the A record if you're using an apex domain (like yourwedding.com). You only need the CNAME if you're using a subdomain (like www.yourwedding.com). We recommend adding both so both versions of your domain work.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Log in to IONOS
Go to ionos.com (or ionos.co.uk for UK) and log in to your account.
Step 2: Navigate to domain settings
Click on Domains & SSL in the top menu or dashboard
Find your domain in the list
Click the domain name or click the gear/settings icon next to it
Click DNS or Edit DNS Settings
Step 3: Disable parking page or placeholder (if present)
IONOS often sets up a default parking page or "under construction" page.
Look for options like Website, Parking Page, or Placeholder
If you see these enabled, disable or remove them
This prevents conflicting A records
Step 4: Check for existing A records
Look at your DNS records and check for any existing A records for your root domain (shown as blank host or @ symbol).
If you see existing A records for the root:
- You need to delete any A records that don't point to 37.16.10.26
- Having multiple A records causes your domain to only work sometimes
- Click Delete or the trash icon next to each conflicting record
Common conflicting records to look for:
- IONOS parking page A records
- Old hosting A records
- Multiple A records with different values
Step 5: Add the A record
Click Add Record or Create New Record
Select A or A Record as the record type
Fill in the fields:
Host Name: leave blank (or enter @ if required)
Points to: 37.16.10.26
TTL: 3600 (1 hour) or leave as default
Click Save or Add
Note: IONOS uses "Points to" instead of "Value" for the IP address field.
Step 6: Add the CNAME record
Click Add Record or Create New Record again
Select CNAME or CNAME Record as the record type
Fill in the fields:
Host Name: www (or your subdomain name if different)
Points to: domains.wedsites.com
TTL: 3600 or leave as default
Click Save or Add
Using a custom subdomain? If you're using something like wedding.yourwedding.com instead of www, replace "www" with "wedding" in the Host Name field.
Important: Make sure there's no trailing dot after domains.wedsites.com unless IONOS requires it (most don't).
Step 7: Save changes
IONOS usually saves changes immediately when you add each record. Verify that both records appear in your DNS records list.
After adding the records
Wait for DNS propagation. IONOS DNS changes typically take effect within 30 minutes to 2 hours, but can take up to 24-48 hours in some cases.
SSL certificate is automatic. Once your domain connects, we'll automatically add an SSL certificate so your site works with https. This happens within a few hours of your domain connecting.
Test your domain. After waiting, try visiting your domain in a browser. You should see your wedding website!
Troubleshooting
Domain not working after a few hours?
- Double-check that you entered the DNS records exactly as shown above
- Make sure you deleted any conflicting A records
- Verify you disabled any parking page or placeholder website
- Check that you entered your domain in WedSites under Settings > General
Still seeing IONOS parking page or "under construction"?
- Go back to domain settings and disable the parking page feature
- Delete all old A records for the root domain
- Wait for DNS propagation and try clearing your browser cache
Getting "Host Name already exists" error?
- This means there's already a record with that Host Name
- Find and delete the existing record before adding the new one
- Or edit the existing record to change the Points to value
CNAME record conflicts?
- Make sure your CNAME is for "www" (subdomain) not blank (root)
- You can't have a CNAME and A record with the same Host Name
- Verify there are no other CNAME records for "www"
Need to verify DNS setup?
- Go to dnschecker.org
- Enter your domain and select "A" record type
- You should see 37.16.10.26 in the results
IONOS-specific notes
IONOS vs 1&1: IONOS was formerly known as 1&1 Internet. If you signed up before the rebrand, your account may still show as "1&1" but the interface is the same.
MyWebsite or Website Builder: If you're using IONOS's built-in website builder (MyWebsite), you'll need to disconnect it before adding custom DNS records. Go to your package details and disable or cancel the MyWebsite feature.
Nameserver mode: IONOS has different DNS modes. Make sure you're using "IONOS nameservers" (default) and not "External nameservers" for these instructions to work.
IPv6 (AAAA records): IONOS may prompt you to add IPv6 (AAAA) records. You can skip this — the A record is all you need for WedSites.
Mail service: If you use IONOS for email, your MX records are separate and won't be affected by adding A and CNAME records for your website.
Related articles
Need help?
If you're stuck or something isn't working, reach out to our support team and we'll help you get your domain connected!