Set up domain redirection in cPanel

With domain redirection, you can automatically forward visitors from one address to another. This is useful, for example, when an old domain should permanently point to a new domain, an additional domain is used solely as a forwarding domain, or a specific URL should temporarily point to a different destination.

In CURIAWEB-cPanel you can create such redirects under Domains → Redirects set up.

In this guide, we will show you step by step how to create a redirect and when to make it permanent 301 redirect or a temporary 302 redirect you use and how you subsequently check whether the redirection is working correctly.

Important: A redirection is not the same as a DNS change. DNS determines which server a hostname reaches. An HTTP redirection is only processed after the request has reached the responsible web server.

What happens during a domain redirection? #

During a redirection, the visitor first accesses a specific address.

For example:

https://alte-domain.ch

The web server responds to this with a redirection to:

https://neue-domain.ch

The browser then opens the new address.

Simplified:

Visitor
   ↓
old-domain.ch
   ↓
HTTP redirect
   ↓
new-domain.ch
   ↓
Target page is loading

After the redirection, the destination address is usually also displayed in the browser's address bar.

When is a redirect useful? #

Typical application areas are:

• an old domain should permanently redirect to a new domain
• an additional domain should redirect to the main domain
• a subdomain should point to another page
• a specific old URL has been permanently replaced
• a page should be temporarily accessible at another location

Which type of redirection is correct depends in particular on whether the change is intended to be permanent or only temporary.

301 or 302 – what is the difference? #

For standard redirects, cPanel distinguishes in particular between permanent and temporary redirects.

Type	Meaning	Typical application
301	Permanently moved	The previous address has been permanently replaced by another one.
302	Temporarily moved	The redirection should only apply temporarily.

When should you use a 301? #

A 301 redirect is suitable if the previous address is permanently no longer to be used as an independent destination.

For example:

old-domain.ch
        ↓ 301
new-domain.ch

Or:

example.com/alte-seite/
        ↓ 301
example.com/neue-seite/

The redirection signals to browsers and search engines that the resource has been permanently moved.

Important: Use a 301 redirect only if the change is actually intended to be permanent. Permanent redirects can be cached by browsers and other systems.

When should you use 302? #

A 302 redirect is intended for a temporary redirection.

For example:

example.com/aktion/
        ↓ 302
example.com/aktuelle-aktion/

If the original address is to be used again itself later, a temporary redirection may be the more suitable option.

Do not choose 301 and 302 based on gut feeling #

The choice should depend on what should actually happen to the original URL:

Permanently replaced?
→ 301

Only temporarily different destination?
→ 302

If you are not yet sure whether a change will be permanent, you should not set up a permanent redirect prematurely.

1. Log in to cPanel #

Log in to your CURIAWEB cPanel.

Then open:

Domains → Redirects

Here you can create a new HTTP redirect.

Select forwarding type #

First, choose whether the redirection should be permanent or temporary.

Depending on the cPanel interface, for example, the following variants are offered:

• Permanent (301)
• Temporary (302)

Select the option corresponding to the actual purpose of the forwarding.

3. Select source domain #

Then select the domain from which you want to redirect.

For example:

alte-domain.ch

Carefully verify that you have selected the correct domain.

Attention: If there are multiple websites in your hosting account, a redirect on the wrong domain can affect a different website than intended.

4. Redirect entire domain or specific path #

If the entire domain is to be forwarded, the additional path field remains empty accordingly or no individual subpath is specified.

If only a specific path is to be redirected, you can specify it explicitly.

For example:

Source:
alte-domain.ch/kontakt/

Destination:
https://neue-domain.ch/kontakt/

This means that the entire domain does not necessarily have to be redirected.

5. Enter the complete destination address #

Enter the full address to which visitors should be redirected as the destination.

For example:

https://www.example.com

The protocol is explicitly part of the destination address.

So use, for example:

https://www.example.com

and not only:

www.example.com

Important: Check the destination address carefully. A typo can redirect visitors to a non-existent or wrong website.

6. Set behavior for www #

cPanel can offer options during a redirection that determine how to handle the www-variant of the domain is bypassed.

For example:

example.com
www.example.com

Depending on the desired configuration, the redirection can apply to both variants or only to a specific variant.

Read the offered options carefully and choose the setting that matches your domain configuration.

What does „Redirect with or without www.“ mean? #

With a corresponding setting, the forwarding can be done both for:

example.com

as well as in:

www.example.com

be executed.

This is often useful when the entire old domain should lead to a new destination, regardless of the variant used.

What does „Do Not Redirect www.“ mean? #

In this variant, the www-Version excluded from the redirection in question.

You should only use this if this behavior is actually intended.

Do not confuse www-options with the goal #

The setting for www determines which variant of the source domain is covered by the rule.

It does not automatically determine whether the destination address with or without www is used.

You enter the desired destination address completely yourself.

7. Understanding wildcard redirection #

cPanel can additionally provide an option for a so-called Wildcard redirection offer.

This allows paths from the source domain to be appended to the destination accordingly.

Simplified, such a configuration can consist of:

alte-domain.ch/produkte/produkt-a/

a redirect to:

neue-domain.ch/produkte/produkt-a/

generate.

When is a wildcard redirect useful? #

A wildcard redirect can be useful if an entire website has been moved to a new domain and the URL structure has remained largely identical.

For example:

old-domain.ch/about-us/
→ new-domain.ch/about-us/

old-domain.ch/contact/
→ new-domain.ch/contact/

old-domain.ch/products/
→ new-domain.ch/products/

Do not enable wildcard if the URL structure is different #

If the target website uses different paths, a wildcard redirection can lead visitors to non-existent pages.

For example:

alte-domain.ch/produkte/
→ neue-domain.ch/produkte/

does not make sense if the new page is actually at:

neue-domain.ch/angebot/

lies.

Attention: Activate a wildcard redirect only if the paths of the old and new website can actually be mapped to each other in a meaningful way.

8. Create forward #

Check again before saving:

• 301 or 302
• correct source domain
• if necessary, the correct source path
• complete destination address
• desired behavior for www
• Wildcard setting

Create the redirect afterwards.

9. Test redirection in browser #

After creation, access the original address in the browser.

For example:

https://alte-domain.ch

The browser should then navigate to the intended destination address.

Check the final address in the browser bar.

Not only test the homepage #

If a complete domain is redirected, you should also test some typical subpages.

For example:

old-domain.ch/
old-domain.ch/kontakt/
old-domain.ch/produkte/

This is especially important if you are using a wildcard redirect.

10. Test www and non-www separately #

If both variants are to be accessible, test:

https://example.com

and

https://www.example.com

This allows you to see whether the selected www-option actually produces the desired behavior.

11. Consider HTTP and HTTPS #

Depending on the existing configuration, you should also check how calls via HTTP and HTTPS behave.

For example:

http://alte-domain.ch/
https://alte-domain.ch/

A working redirect via one variant does not necessarily prove that every possible variant is treated identically.

Redirect to HTTPS #

A common task is the redirection of HTTP to HTTPS:

http://example.com/
        ↓
https://example.com/

For pure HTTPS enforcement, however, you should first check which functions your existing hosting or application configuration already uses for this purpose.

Do not stack multiple different HTTPS redirects on top of each other if a working solution is already active.

Practical Tip: If HTTPS is already correctly enforced, an additional second rule is not automatically better. Multiple forwarding mechanisms can create unnecessary redirect chains or loops.

What is a redirect chain? #

A redirect chain occurs when an address does not lead directly to the final destination, but instead executes multiple redirections one after another.

For example:

http://example.com/
        ↓
http://www.example.com/
        ↓
https://www.example.com/
        ↓
https://neue-domain.ch/

If the final destination is already known, a direct redirect is often cleaner.

Detect redirect loop #

A redirect loop occurs when rules call each other over and over again.

Simplified:

domain-a.ch
→ domain-b.ch
→ domain-a.ch
→ domain-b.ch
→ ...

The browser eventually aborts the process and displays an error message about too many redirects.

Depending on the browser, a message such as:

Too many redirects

appear.

Typical cause of a redirect loop #

A loop can occur when multiple systems force different redirects at the same time.

For example:

• cPanel redirection
• .htaccess-Rule
• WordPress or CMS configuration
• Plugin
• additional upstream services

Therefore, if a loop occurs, you should not simply add another redirect.

Basic rule: For „Too many redirects“, first analyze existing redirection rules - do not create another rule.

cPanel Redirection and .htaccess #

For Apache-based websites, redirects can also be done via:

.htaccess

be controlled.

The cPanel feature provides a user-friendly interface for typical redirects. For more complex rules, manual configuration may be required.

How you a .htaccess- securely examines and processes the file, we explain under .htaccess explained and safely edited.

Check existing .htaccess rules before making changes #

If a website already uses its own redirects, you should take them into account before setting up additional rules via cPanel.

This is especially true for WordPress and other content management systems.

Several rules can influence each other.

cPanel redirection and WordPress #

WordPress itself knows the configured website address and can additionally use plugins that manage redirects.

Therefore, if a WordPress website unexpectedly redirects to another domain or URL, you should not check the cPanel redirects exclusively.

Possible causes may include, among others:

• WordPress Address
• Website address
• Redirect Plugin
• .htaccess
• cPanel redirection

Domain forwarding and document root are not the same thing #

When two domains use the same document root, it is not automatically a redirect.

For example:

domain-a.ch ─┐
             ├→ public_html/
domain-b.ch ─┘

Both domains can thus display the same file base without the address in the browser changing.

In the case of a real redirect, on the other hand, what happens is:

domain-b.ch
        ↓ 301
domain-a.ch

and the browser switches to domain-a.ch.

We explain domain management and the document root in detail under Add and manage a domain in cPanel.

Redirection and DNS are not the same #

A DNS record can make a hostname point to an IP address or another hostname, for example.

However, this does not automatically generate an HTTP redirect in the browser.

Simplified:

DNS:
Which technical address should be reached?

HTTP redirection:
Which other URL should the browser subsequently load?

How to manage DNS records is explained at Using the DNS Zone Editor in cPanel.

CNAME is not an HTTP redirect #

A common misconception is to equate a CNAME record with a browser redirect.

A CNAME is a DNS record. It maps one hostname to another hostname.

This prevents the entered URL in the browser from being automatically replaced by another URL.

Briefly explained: When the address in the browser changes from alte-domain.ch on new-domain.ch you need an HTTP redirect and not just a CNAME.

Redirect old domain to new domain #

If a website has been permanently moved from an old domain to a new one, a 301 redirect is often the appropriate option.

For example:

alte-firma.ch
        ↓ 301
neue-firma.ch

If both websites have the same URL structure, an additional appropriate path-based redirect can also be useful.

When changing domains, redirect to matching target pages whenever possible #

If old subpages have corresponding new subpages, a direct mapping is usually more sensible than redirecting all old URLs to the new homepage blanketly.

For example:

alte-domain.ch/kontakt/
→ neue-domain.ch/kontakt/

instead of:

old-domain.ch/kontakt/
→ new-domain.ch/

The prerequisite, of course, is that a corresponding landing page with the same content exists.

Do not redirect non-existent content to any page #

A redirection should have a meaningful new destination.

If an old page has been removed and no suitable replacement page exists, an arbitrary redirection to the homepage is not automatically the best solution.

Redirects should be transparent and helpful for visitors.

Redirect subdomain #

A subdomain can also be redirected to another address.

For example:

shop.example.com
        ↓
https://www.example.com/shop/

We explain how to set up a subdomain in principle and how to control its document root under Create subdomain in cPanel.

Redirect single page #

If only a specific page has been moved, you do not need to redirect the entire domain.

For example:

example.com/alte-seite/
        ↓ 301
example.com/neue-seite/

Then explicitly check the old URL and the final destination address.

Redirect to external website #

The destination of a redirect does not necessarily have to be within the same domain.

For example:

example.com/partner/
        ↓
https://partner-example.com/

For external destinations, check particularly carefully whether the address is permanently correct and trustworthy.

Redirection to an unreachable destination page #

A correctly configured redirect can function technically, even if the target page itself is unreachable.

Therefore, if the browser navigates to the correct destination address and an error appears there, you should check the target website separately.

Forwarding doesn't seem to work #

Check first:

• correct source domain
• correct source path
• complete destination address
• www-Setting
• HTTP and HTTPS
• existing .htaccess-Rules
• Redirections within the web application

Browser still shows an old redirect #

Redirects can be cached. This applies in particular to permanent redirects.

If you just changed or removed a rule, your browser may therefore temporarily continue to show the previous behavior.

In such a case, test with a private browser window or a different browser if necessary.

Practical Tip: If only your own browser continues to switch to the old destination while another browser responds correctly, you should consider a local cache effect.

Redirection only works without www #

If:

example.com

correctly forwards, but:

www.example.com

not, you should both www- both the forwarding option and the DNS and domain configuration of www check.

An HTTP redirection can only be processed if the request actually reaches the hosting environment designated for it.

Redirection works via HTTP, but not via HTTPS #

If:

http://alte-domain.ch/

forwards, but:

https://alte-domain.ch

already generated a certificate warning or a connection error beforehand, the problem can occur before the actual HTTP redirection.

For a clean HTTPS redirection, the original HTTPS request must be technically processable.

Important: A redirection cannot subsequently repair a TLS/SSL connection if the browser already rejects the HTTPS connection to the original hostname beforehand.

Remove redirect #

If a redirect is no longer needed, open:

Domains → Redirects

and look for the relevant rule in the overview of existing redirects.

Carefully check the source and destination before removing them.

Retest after removal #

Then call up the previous source address again.

If the redirection continues, it could still originate from another source, for example:

• browser cache
• .htaccess
• CMS
• Plugin
• different server configuration

Therefore, do not automatically assume that the cPanel rule was the only existing redirect.

Test redirection before deleting an old website #

If an old domain is to be permanently redirected to a new website, you should thoroughly test the redirection before removing any content that is no longer needed.

Check in particular important old URLs and their new destinations.

Recommended process for a permanent domain redirect #

1. Check if the change is actually permanent.
2. Make sure the target website is accessible.
3. Log in to cPanel.
4. Open Domains → Redirects.
5. Choose Permanent (301).
6. Select the correct source domain.
7. Enter a source path if applicable.
8. Enter the complete destination address.
9. Set the desired behavior for www celebration.
10. Activate wildcard only if the URL structure matches it.
11. Create the redirect.
12. Test the source address.
13. Test important subpages.
14. Check www and non-www.
15. Check the final destination address.

Recommended procedure for a faulty redirect #

1. Note the called source address.
2. Note the actual destination address or error message.
3. Check the rule under Domains → Redirects.
4. Check www, HTTP and HTTPS separately.
5. Check existing .htaccess-Rules.
6. Check web application redirects.
7. Test without existing browser cache if necessary.
8. Only change the rule in question afterwards.

Basic rule: If a redirect is not working as expected, you should first find out which system is actually executing it. cPanel, .htaccess, CMS and plugins can independently generate redirects.

When should you contact support? #

If a redirection does not work despite correct configuration or if a loop occurs, as precise details as possible are helpful.

Note in particular:

• complete source address
• desired destination address
• 301 or 302
• whether a wildcard is used
• actually requested destination address
• exact browser error message
• whether the problem occurs with HTTP, HTTPS, or both
• Whether "ob" is an abbreviation for something specific or a typo in your source text, it translates to **whether** or **if** in English (from German, for example). If you intended a specific context, please provide the full sentence. www and non-www react differently
• whether WordPress or another CMS is used
• whether additional forwarding rules are known

Do not transmit any passwords or other confidential access credentials.

Summary #

You set up a domain or URL redirection in the CURIAWEB cPanel under Domains → Redirects one. Use a 301 redirect, if the previous address has been permanently replaced, and a 302 redirect, if the change is only intended to be temporary.

Select the correct source domain or the correct path and provide the target address completely including https:// a. Additionally, check the desired behavior for www and only activate a wildcard forwarding if the path structure of source and destination matches.

After setup, test not only the homepage, but also relevant subpages and www, non-www, HTTP and HTTPS, insofar as these variants are used.

If a redirection responds unexpectedly or creates a loop, do not simply add more rules. First, check whether in addition to cPanel .htaccess, WordPress, plugins, or other components create redirects.