Redirecting iWeb created site using GoDaddy

I created a website through iWeb and bought a domain name through GoDaddy. I uploaded all my files to my account on GoDaddy -- but for some reason my website doesn't work. My domain name is www.ericmolinsky.com and the iWeb folder was called Pieces and Podcasts. When I type in my domain name, this is what appears in the URL:

http://www.ericmolinsky.com/Eric%20Molinsky/Pieces%20and%20Podcasts/Pieces%20and %20Podcasts.html

The customer service rep at GoDaddy told me that everything is directed properly on the GoDaddy site, the problem is within iWeb. I need to "remove the redirect" problem on my Mac.

I'm concerned the problem is that I named my project with spaces, Pieces and Podcasts instead of piecesandpodcasts. And my folder in iWeb is Eric Molinsky, rather than ericmolinsky. If I rename everything without spaces, will I have to start over and upload everything to the ftp site? It took three hours the last time, with all the visual and audio files, not to mention the extra time on the phone with customer service reps.

Also, the folks at GoDaddy asked me to rename my html file, index.html. But I read that could cause a problem as well.

Any suggestions???

iMac Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Jul 16, 2007 4:23 PM

30 replies

Jul 17, 2007 3:23 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

It does work. Thank you!

I re-saved the project to my desktop again, which created a new index.html file. I then dragged that index.html. into my ftp site.

The only strange thing is that when I type www.ericmolinsky.com, it still redirects me to that very long URL (except now that long URL actually works.) Do you know how to get it back down to the simple URL? I would like this website to be the first hit that pops up if someone were to search my name in Google.

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,240 points

Jul 17, 2007 3:31 PM in response to Eric Molinsky

The only strange thing is that when I type
www.ericmolinsky.com, it still redirects me to that
very long URL

What appears in the address window of the browser is irrelevant. Your url is simply

www.ericmolinsky.com

Jul 18, 2007 8:35 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

I just set up a website with GoDaddy and I think I can solve the url (long name) issue.

Once you are in the setting of the domain name in GoDaddy, go to the Forward tab. Make sure that your forwarding is enabled and under the Masking tab, make sure that the Mask Domain check box is checked, then enter your www.shortname address in the Masked Title field. This will enable the web address to always remain www.shortname.

Jul 18, 2007 9:27 AM in response to Jennifer Price

Hi Jennifer,

I tried doing that, but when I click the enabled button, it asks for what website I want to "Forward To." I tried leaving it blank, and moving on to the next page, clicking Mask Domain and putting my short URL in the Masked Title box. But even after clicking OK, it doesn't remember the changes. There is a little red mark next to the Forward To box, it seems to want something in there.

Eric

Jul 18, 2007 10:09 AM in response to Eric Molinsky

In the forward to box, insert the iweb link...

http://web.mac.com/macusername

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,240 points

Jul 18, 2007 10:27 AM in response to Jennifer Price

In the forward to box, insert the iweb link...

http://web.mac.com/macusername

His host is Godaddy and not .Mac, so your suggestion does not apply.

Jul 18, 2007 11:20 AM in response to Jennifer Price

I was able to make both changes, but for some reason I'm still getting the long URL. Thanks for the suggestion, maybe it will kick in later for some reason.

Jul 18, 2007 11:21 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

It will work because all this is doing is stating that when someone types in the www.name.com (godaddy) address it will forward that person to the web.mac.com address. By masking the web address you are ensuring that the user does not see the web.mac.com address, just the www.name.com (go daddy address). Not trying to start a fight, I was in the apple store this week and they showed me this functionality.

PowerBook G4

Jul 18, 2007 11:49 AM in response to Jennifer Price

I'm actually not using a .mac account. I'm getting this strange very long URL with lots of % in it. Thanks for the suggestion, I'm just glad at this point that the website works.

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,240 points

Jul 18, 2007 12:27 PM in response to Eric Molinsky

I'm I'm getting
this strange very long URL with lots of % in it.

The % are caused because you are using spaces your page and site names. If you will leave the spaces out or replace them with underscore or hypen and republish and reupload, the % will be gone.

If you would like to shorten what appears in the browser address bar, one thing you can do is change your site name from Eric Molinsky to simply 1 or EM or whatever. There is no need to call your site something so long. Likewise you can change Pieces and Podcasts to something shorter like PP. In both cases afterwards you need to republish and reupload.

Jul 18, 2007 1:01 PM in response to Eric Molinsky

I created a website on iWeb yesterday and I also have a GoDaddy domain. I did a web forwarding from the GoDaddy site to direct the domain to my iWeb site. Works wonderfully!!! Haven't had any issues at all and even had some pc people do a test run. The GoDaddy people can help you with the web forwarding (so can Apple support). It is pretty easy and fast.

Good luck!
MacLauren

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,240 points

Jul 18, 2007 2:18 PM in response to maclauren

I created a website on iWeb yesterday and I also have
a GoDaddy domain. I did a web forwarding from the
GoDaddy site to direct the domain to my iWeb site.
Works wonderfully!!!

That's great! But it's not the same at all as what is being discussed here. You are paying for and using .Mac as your host for your site created by the iWeb application, then redirecting your personal url to it. This thread is about someone using Godaddy as a host (for free) and uploading his site created by iWeb directly to Godaddy. No "forwarding" is involved.

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,240 points

Jul 18, 2007 2:21 PM in response to Jennifer Price

Not trying to start a fight, I was in the
apple store this week and they showed me this
functionality.

Yes, that works fine, but has no connection to what is being discussed here, which involves someone using Godaddy as their host and not .Mac, so there is no web.mac.com address to type in anyplace.

Jul 18, 2007 5:12 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

That did the trick, I renamed the session without spaces. I resisted that for a while because I mistakenly thought I'd have to re-upload everything, but I was able to change a few folder names in Fetch and fix the problem in 5 minutes.

Thanks again!

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,240 points

Jul 18, 2007 5:22 PM in response to Eric Molinsky

I resisted that for a while because I
mistakenly thought I'd have to re-upload everything,
but I was able to change a few folder names in Fetch
and fix the problem in 5 minutes.

Your instincts were correct, you should always rename within iWeb and republish and reupload. But your site is simple enough that manually fixing things may work ok.

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Redirecting iWeb created site using GoDaddy