Add a domain, addon domain, or subdomain Print

What this is and when you need it

Add an extra website domain (addon domain) or a subdomain such as shop.yourdomain.co.za on your 3l3vate Hosting account, and find each site’s document root. Use this when you buy a second brand domain, launch a staging subdomain, or move an extra site onto the same package (within plan limits).

Prerequisites

• DirectAdmin access via https://client.3l3vatehosting.co.za → My Services → hosting → Login to DirectAdmin
• Domain already registered (addon domains)
• Enough domains / subdomains left on your plan
• Knowing whether DNS will stay on DirectAdmin, the registrar, or Cloudflare

Open Domain Setup

1. Open DirectAdmin from the client area SSO link.
2. In Evolution, open Account Manager in the left menu (or Search: type domain setup).
3. Click Domain Setup.
4. Review the list of domains already on the account and their document roots.

[Screenshot 1: Client area → My Services → Login to DirectAdmin]

[Screenshot 2: DirectAdmin Evolution → Account Manager → Domain Setup list]

Expected result: You see at least your primary domain. Plan limits may show near the top or when you try to add more.

Add an addon domain (extra website)

1. On Domain Setup, click Add Domain (or Create Domain / + depending on skin).
2. Fill the form field by field:

1. Click Create / Add Domain.
2. Refresh the Domain Setup list and confirm the new domain appears.
3. Note the document root — typically domains/secondbrand.co.za/public_html.

[Screenshot 3: Domain Setup → Add Domain form]

Expected result: New domain listed; File Manager shows its own public_html folder.

Point DNS for the addon domain

1. At the registrar (or Cloudflare), set nameservers to 3l3vate or create an A record to your hosting IP from the welcome email.
2. Wait for propagation, then upload files or install WordPress into that domain’s public_html.
3. Issue Let’s Encrypt for the new domain only after HTTP resolves here (if available on your plan).

Add a subdomain

1. Open Account Manager → Subdomain Management (or Search: subdomain). On some Evolution layouts, subdomains are created from Domain Setup / domain options — use Search if you do not see a separate item.
2. Click Add Subdomain.
3. Fill:

1. Click Create.
2. In DNS Management, confirm an A (or appropriate) record for shop exists when DNS is hosted in DirectAdmin.

[Screenshot 4: Subdomain Management → Add Subdomain]

Expected result: http://shop.yourdomain.co.za reaches the subdomain folder after DNS propagates.

Find the document root quickly

1. Domain Setup → read the path column for each domain, or
2. File Manager → open domains/ → open the domain folder → public_html.

Never upload a second site into the primary domain’s public_html by mistake — that overwrites the main website.

Classic skin note

In Classic, look for Domain Setup and Subdomain Management as text links on the main user page. Labels match closely; Search still works in Evolution if you switch skins.

If something goes wrong

“Limit reached” when adding a domain. You are at the plan’s domain limit — remove an unused domain or upgrade. WhatsApp +27 66 222 1346 to confirm limits.

Domain added but browser shows the wrong site. DNS still points elsewhere, or you uploaded to the wrong public_html. Compare File Manager path with Domain Setup.

Subdomain SSL fails. Issue/renew Let’s Encrypt after the subdomain DNS resolves; include the subdomain name on the certificate request.

I use Cloudflare. Create the domain in DirectAdmin first, then add matching A records in Cloudflare DNS (orange cloud for web). Do not expect DirectAdmin DNS edits to apply while Cloudflare nameservers are authoritative.

Related articles

• Change nameservers and DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT)
• Park a domain and set up redirects
• Creating your first website
• Free SSL (Let’s Encrypt) in DirectAdmin