01
Domain forwarding with 301 and 302 redirects and paths
Domain forwarding sends everyone who visits one domain to another web address, without a server or hosting plan. At NameBest it is included with every domain: forward the whole domain or a single path, choose a 301 or 302 redirect, and keep the path so deep links still land on the right page.
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When to use domain forwarding
- Point an old brand name to your new website
- Catch typos and common misspellings of your main domain
- Send a short campaign domain to a landing page with tracking
- Forward other extensions of your name, such as .net or .co, to your .com
- Send yourname.com to your profile on a social network or a portfolio site
- Move a site to a new domain and keep every old link working
03
301 or 302 redirect, which one to choose
The redirect type tells browsers and search engines whether the move is permanent.
| 301 permanent | 302 temporary | |
|---|---|---|
| Use it when | The old address will not come back | The redirect is for a short time |
| Search engines | Move the old address value to the target | Keep the old address in their index |
| Browsers | Remember the redirect | Check again each time |
| Good for | Rebrands, site moves, extra extensions | Campaigns, tests, seasonal pages |
When you are not sure, use 302 while you test and switch to 301 once the setup is final.
04
Forward a whole domain or a single path
You can forward the whole domain, or only one path, such as /shop or /docs, while the rest of the domain does something else. With Keep the path turned on, a visitor to old.com/about goes to new.com/about, so links that people bookmarked or shared keep working. With it off, every page on the old domain goes to one target address.
| From | To | Type | Keep the path |
|---|---|---|---|
| oldbrand.com | https://newbrand.com | 301 | On |
| yourname.com/talk | https://cal.yourname.com | 302 | Off |
| yourname.net | https://yourname.com | 301 | On |
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How to set up domain forwarding in your dashboard
- Step 1. Open the domain and go to the Forwarding tab.
- Step 2. Leave From empty to forward the whole domain, or enter a path.
- Step 3. Enter the full target address, starting with https.
- Step 4. Pick 301 or 302 and decide whether to keep the path.
- Step 5. Save. The redirect works within minutes.
Both the bare domain and www are forwarded. HTTPS works on the forwarded domain, so visitors never see a certificate warning. Read the full guide on how to set up URL forwarding.
06
Forwarding and DNS work together
Forwarding runs on NameBest nameservers, next to the records in our DNS management editor. You can forward the web traffic of a domain and still keep its MX records, so email on that domain keeps working. If your domain uses custom nameservers, set the redirect at your DNS provider instead, because our forwarding only applies while our nameservers answer for the domain.
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Included, not a premium upgrade
Some registrars sell forwarding as part of a paid DNS package. At NameBest it is part of every domain, with as many path redirects as one domain needs. The price you see in the domain prices table is the whole price.
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Domain forwarding questions
Does domain forwarding hurt SEO?
A 301 redirect passes the value of the old address to the new one, which is the standard way to move a site. A 302 keeps the old address in search results, so use it only for temporary redirects.
Can I forward a domain and keep email working?
Yes. Forwarding only handles web traffic. Your MX records stay in the DNS editor, so email on the domain keeps working.
Does forwarding work with HTTPS?
Yes. Both http and https addresses on the forwarded domain redirect, with a valid certificate, so visitors do not see a warning.
Can I mask the target address so it shows my domain?
No. We use real redirects, so the browser shows the target address. Masking with frames breaks many sites and hurts search rankings, so we do not offer it.
How fast does forwarding start working?
Within minutes on NameBest nameservers. If you just switched to our nameservers, allow up to 48 hours for every network to follow.
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Register a domain with forwarding included
Search a name, add it to your cart and set the redirect from your dashboard.