I'm trying to set up a server that allows users to direct custom domains to it by setting CNAME records. My server runs on Digital Ocean with CentOS Web Panel (CWP), and it currently only has Apache installed—no Nginx. The problem I'm facing is that when a custom domain is not recognized by the server, Apache serves a default page instead of forwarding requests to my main domain. I've tried to fix this by modifying the `sharedip.conf` file, but I encountered an error saying that no user or group is set. I even attempted to replicate the main domain's configuration within this file, but it didn't resolve the issue. Essentially, I want the server to forward all requests from unknown domains to my main domain. If anyone has tackled something similar, I'd really appreciate your insights!
4 Answers
If Apache is serving a default page when the requested domain isn't configured, it's likely because it can't find a matching virtual host. You'll want to clarify exactly what you want it to do with those requests. Can your server simply return the main site for any unknown Host: headers? Remember, Apache does allow some flexibility with handling HTTP_HOST for redirection.
This issue could be linked to DNS resolution. If Apache serves the default page, it likely means the domain isn’t resolving correctly. You might consider adding an entry in your /etc/hosts file as a temporary fix, but keep in mind that CWP might have its own quirks when using certain configurations.
It sounds like you might need to set up some kind of wildcard redirect. Just be cautious, as it can lead to an open redirect issue. Make sure that your setup is expected to handle requests correctly. If a user points a CNAME record to your server, it should handle those correctly instead of serving a default page.
Are the custom domains you’re working with top-level domains or just subdomains? If they’re subdomains, adding a line like 'ServerAlias *.example.com' to the Apache virtual host config usually does the trick. To cover everything, you can also use ''.
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