How to Show a GoDaddy Domain Name Instead of an IP Address on AWS

When working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and a GoDaddy domain name, it's essential to configure your domain's DNS settings correctly to avoid seeing an IP address instead of the domain. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, ensuring your GoDaddy domain points accurately to your AWS resources, such as an EC2 instance or an S3 bucket.

Step 1: Get Your AWS Resources' IP Address or Endpoint

For EC2 Instance

Visit the AWS Management Console. Navigate to the EC2 dashboard and locate your instance. Note down the Public IP address or the Public DNS name.

For S3 Bucket

If you're using an S3 bucket for static hosting, you will need the bucket's endpoint. This usually looks like

Step 2: Log In to GoDaddy

Visit the GoDaddy website and log in to your account.

Step 3: Access Your Domains DNS Settings

In your GoDaddy account, navigate to My Products.

Find the domain you want to configure and click on DNS or Manage DNS.

Step 4: Add or Edit DNS Records

For EC2 Instance

Look for the A Host record in the DNS settings. If it exists, edit it to point to your EC2 instance's Public IP address. If it does not exist, add a new A record as follows: Host: @ (this represents the root domain) Points to: Your EC2 instance's Public IP address TTL: Leave it as default or set it to a lower value for quicker propagation.

For S3 Bucket

Create a CNAME record if you want to point to an S3 bucket: Host: www or whatever subdomain you want Points to: Your S3 bucket endpoint, e.g., TTL: Leave it as default.

Step 5: Save Changes

After adding or editing the records, ensure you save the changes.

Step 6: Wait for Propagation

DNS changes can take some time to propagate, usually anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours. You can use tools like What'sMyDNS to check if your domain is pointing to the correct IP address.

Step 7: Test Your Domain

Once the changes have propagated, enter your domain name in a web browser to verify that it points to your AWS resource instead of the IP address.

Additional Tips

If you want to use a subdomain like , create a separate A or CNAME record for that subdomain. If you're using SSL, consider setting up an SSL certificate to secure your connection.

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully point your GoDaddy domain name to your AWS resources.