I registered a domain but my website isn't showing

Just registered a domain, or connected one, and your website isn’t showing? Work through these checks in order. Most problems are fixed by step 2 or 3.

1. Has the domain finished activating?

New domains are usually active within minutes, but some extensions take longer. In the client area, go to Domains → My Domains and check that the status is Active. If it says Pending, wait a little, then see How long will it take for my domain to be activated?

2. Do you have hosting for the domain?

A domain on its own is just an address. Your website files live on a hosting plan.

• If you don’t have hosting yet, order a Ruachost hosting plan and choose your domain during checkout.
• If you have hosting but the domain is new to it, add the domain in cPanel under Domains. See Using the cPanel Domains tool.

3. Does the domain point to your hosting?

Your domain’s nameservers must point to Ruachost:

nsa.ruachost.com
nsb.ruachost.com

Check them in Domains → My Domains → Nameservers. If your domain is registered with another company, change them there. See How to change domain nameservers.

4. Have the changes spread?

After you change nameservers, it can take a few hours, and up to 24–48 hours, for every network to update. In the meantime, you might see your old site, a parking page or an error, while others see your new site. Try your phone on mobile data, or a private browser window. See When can I see changes in my domain?

5. Is there a website to show?

If you see a cPanel default page or an empty folder listing, your hosting is working, but there’s no website in public_html yet. Install WordPress or upload your site. See How to start a website on your hosting plan.

6. Is the domain suspended or expired?

Check the domain’s status and expiry date. See Domain suspended: ServerHold and ClientHold explained.

Still stuck? Open a support ticket with your domain name and what you see when you open it.