I recently started Tumblogging. Quite enjoy it too. I use it to share interesting News that I come across while going through the RSS feeds/ Google Alerts I have subscribed to. Tumblr is a relatively new blogging platform that has combined in its service aspects of micro-* along with the traditional blogging in a seamless manner. It also allows the user a high degree of customization of his/her blog. One of them is the ability to use your own custom domain name with your blog - Free of cost, quite like Blogger.
In order to use out very own custom domain name with our Tumblr blog, we would be using 3 free services.
1.) CO.CC [Domain registrar/ custom domain name provider]
2.) EveryDNS [Nameserver providers]
3.) Tumblr [Blogging service]
1.) CO.CC [Domain registrar/ custom domain name provider]
co.cc is one of the two free domain name registrars that allows the use of DNS for your domain name. The other such service that allows the use of DNS is uni.cc [example.uni.cc]. But IMO co.cc sounds better and most importantly sounds quite like a paid domain name too ;). So your custom domain name will read example.co.cc, where you replace example with the name of your choice.
Register yourself for an account with co.cc. Once registered, on its home page, type in the your desired domain name in the box provided.
If it is available [and for Free], you will be greeted with a message that looks like this.
Click on continue to registration. It will then ask you to setup the domain within 48 hours.
Click on the Set up button. In the page that opens up, select the first option – Manage DNS. Add the following information the space provided for Name Server [will be discussed later]
ns1.everydns.net
ns2.everydns.net
ns3.everydns.net
ns4.everydns.net
Click on the link [+ Add more name Servers] if enough boxes are not provided to enter all the Name Servers shown. Then click on the Set up button, which will take you to the page telling you that your change have been submitted – click on OK. You may now log out of your co.cc account; your work here is over.
You could use any domain name – paid or free.
2.) EveryDNS [Name Server provider]
We will be using the free Name Servers provided by EveryDNS for our blog. Register yourself with EveryDNS for an account. Once registered, log into your account. On the left, you shall see a section marked Webhop Domains. Type in the domain name you had registered with co.cc earlier and click on the button marked >>(basic).
Once done that domain name will now appear on the left column in the section marked Primary Domains.
Clicking on it will open up a page showing you dummy entries for that domain – one A-record and one CNAME entry. Delete the A-record entry from there. Then got down to the section marked Add a record and enter the 2 A-records as shown. Click the Add Record button after each addition.
(click on the image to see a larger image)
Once the record is successfully added, delete the CNAME record entry. Your records in EveryDNS control panel will look like this.
Delete any records other than these two. Your work in EveryDNS is over, you may now safely log out of the account.
3.) Tumblr [Blogging service]
Signing up for Tumblr is a quickie quickie no-brainer – just do it. The first time you login, you will be given a guided tour of sorts.
On the dashboard, click on the customize link. The page will automatically open up in the desired tab. Check the box and type in the registered domain name.
Once done, click on the Save changes box and log off. Wait for 48 hours [safe estimate] and you will find your Tumblr blog accessible with your own custom domain name.
Your Tumblog alongside your existing blog/site.
If you wish to maintain your existing site/blog along with your tumblog, then you could create a sub-domain pointing to your tumblog. This blog also has a tumblog as a subdomain – tumblr.shubhspace.co.cc. Choose any word that you wish – I chose tumblr. Go to your Tumblr control panel and in the very same place mentioned earlier type the appropriate subdomain.
In your EveryDNS control panel [assuming you using EveryDNS ;)], add an A-record pointing the subdomain to Tumblr.
Once successfully added your Tumblr blog will now be accessible with the address which is a subdomain of our existing blog.
Happy tumblogging!!
Godspeed