Stuck at Step 5 – Domain not found!

What’s the domain name that you are using?

The most likely cause of this that I’ve seen before is that the nameservers aren’t set up on your domain name to point to your hosting server, so that would be the first thing to check.

It takes from a few hours to a couple of days for a domain to propagate. In the interim you use your IP address to access the server.

My domain name is supposed to be prairiepariah.com and the subdirectory would have the /blog after it but so far no dice.

Michael, I’m not sure what you mean by nameservers. Is this something that needs to be checked through DreamHost?

Starapple, so far I’ve been at this since Friday and it’s still sending me to the not found page. But you’re saying I can use my IP address to access my server? Is there a page that shows me how to do this?

Thanks for your speedy replies! All help is needed ??

While registering with your host to set up your site, the email should have had information about accessing your site before it’s propagated. The IP should be four blocks of numbers separated by dots like 197.164.0.0 for example. I tried accessing your domain name and was redirected to a search result suggesting it may not yet be propagated. Did you register your domain name with the same hosting company? If not then get the name server info from the registrar. If it was with DreamHost, patience and use the IP in the interim.

I did a quick search for your domain name, and don’t see it as registered:
https://whois.sc/prairiepariah.com

I’d suggest double-checking with DreamHost support to make sure you registered the domain you meant to:
https://panel.dreamhost.com/index.cgi?tree=support.msg&

Also, I’ll note that you can’t actually access most sites directly via IP at DreamHost unless you’ve added a unique IP. This is because more than one site is hosted on each IP (shared hosting means more than one site per machine, and usually per IP).

However, there are a few ways to work around this. The first one is to create a temporary dreamhosters.com subdomain from within “Manage Domains”:
https://panel.dreamhost.com/index.cgi?tree=domain.manage&

Click “Add New Domain/Subdomain”, then scroll down to the “mirrored” section, and enter “whateveryouwant.dreamhosters.com” as the subdomain you want to create (replace whateveryouwant with a selection of your choosing), then click “Mirror this domain!” It will take a few hours for the subdomain to be created.

Alternately, there are some other ways you can also view your site before the domain is registered/pointing at your account (and are a bit faster), which you can see here:
https://wiki.dreamhost.com/DNS_-_Viewing_site_before_DNS_change

Hopefully this helps!

I checked the DreamHost support link given by Mike and so far it says “no problems found” for prairiepariah.com… which tells me nothing. As far as I can see it should be registered but I’ll have to snoop around DreamHost for any anomalies. Maybe along the way I missed a step? I’m not sure.

I will try the other suggestions you guys have given me. Also, there is a “one-click installs” option on DreamHost where I can install wordpress so I’m trying that right now (it says to wait ten minutes).

I will write back with my progress! Thanks for your help so far guys.

I have just been to 123 Reg and tried your domain and it says it is available to buy????

Did you purchase hosting only from DreamHost or did you purchase hosting AND a domain name? Hosting and domains are two different things and have to be purchased seperatly if they aren’t part of a package.

I ask this because your domain name has NOT been registered. I have checked on two seperate domain sale sites and both tell me that I can buy it. Until it’s registered by you, anyone can spend the $15 and register the domain name out from under you.

Dreamhost says that domain is available as well????

Have you registered the domain and misspelt it by mistake, have you got any emails saying you bought that domain name?

Well! Maybe that’s all I need to do then. I guess I assumed by being hosted through DreamHost and creating a domain name with them was all included in the monthly payments. I just finished registering it so I’m going to give it a few minutes!

Well Done, it’s taken now

Dreamhost says it may take a day or two as DSN propagates. I guess I won’t know for sure until then. Maybe this should be considered “solved” until my next issue comes up and I’ll make a new post.

Thanks for all the the great input from the friendly wordpress members! You have cleared up a very basic problem for me, haha.

DreamHost’s standard shared hosting does come with a domain name. If you selected one you didn’t mean to for your free one, though — within 5 days you might be able to have the “other” one cancelled. After that, ICANN makes it hard to go back.

Hopefully this helps, and super glad to hear you have things solved!

Well I wouldn’t say they’re solved just yet. I’m getting the 404 error page now, but i might just have to be patient as some others have said.