Tutorial: Setting up your Access Server Hostname
Use a custom hostname for your Access Server to easily connect to the Client and Admin Web UIs in a browser. A hostname replaces your server's public IP address.
Overview
This tutorial shows you how to set up your Access Server hostname to easily connect to the Client and Admin Web UIs in a browser. A hostname replaces your server's public IP address that you initially use to sign in to the Admin Web UI. Your client apps also use the hostname for connections.
Tip
This tutorial will cover the following steps:
Register a domain name.
Add a DNS A record for the hostname.
Add the hostname in the Admin Web UI.
Sign in to your UIs or connect to the VPN server with the Access Server hostname.
Ensure you have the following:
Access to your website domain administrative portal.
A running Access Server.
To start, you’ll need a domain name. For our example, we’re using vpn.example.com. That means that we theoretically own the example.com domain and can add the “vpn” hostname using a DNS A record. If you do not already have a domain, such as your business website, you’ll need to set one up with the registrar of your choice. Once you are ready, access your domain account to add the DNS A record.
Add a DNS A record to your domain. If you need help with the specifics of this, refer to your hosting service provider for documentation or support. Create a new record and define it as such:
Hostname: The value for your URL (for our example, "vpn").
Type: A
Value: Your server's IP address (for our example, 123.0.113.10).
TTL: How long to keep the record in a cache (the default is fine).
With the A record pointing to the IP address of your Access Server, this value will be cached in your local cache and passed to the browser. The web browser then connects to the Access Server associated with the IP address and displays the Client or Admin Web UI.
Sign in to the Admin Web UI.
Notice
You'll still need to use the IP address to do this.
Click Configuration > Network Settings.
Enter the hostname in the Hostname or IP Address field.
You can now access your Admin and Client Web UIs using your hostname. The Admin Web UI will be at your hostname, with /admin. In our example, it is https://vpn.example.com/admin.
Because of the self-signed certificate, you'll likely need to click through a security warning. We recommend you install a valid SSL. See Tutorial: How to Install a Valid Web SSL Certificate in Access Server.
Tip
If you can’t connect to the hostname, you may need to wait sometime and try again. Nameservers may take as long as 24 hours to propagate your updates, depending on refresh intervals and TTL.