TL;DR: Name.com domain forwarding doesn’t support HTTPS — visitors see “Not Secure” warnings and your SEO takes a hit. The fix: point your DNS at Domain-Forward.com (free plan), which provisions SSL certificates automatically and redirects with proper 301s. Setup takes 5 minutes.
You set up domain forwarding on Name.com. It seems to work when you test with http://. Then someone visits with https:// — and they see a browser security warning. They don’t get redirected. They leave.
Name.com’s URL forwarding does not provision SSL certificates for forwarded domains. In 2026, when every major browser defaults to HTTPS and flags HTTP connections as “Not Secure,” this is a critical limitation.
If you’re here because your Name.com forwarding isn’t working over HTTPS, or because visitors are reporting security warnings, you’re in the right place.
Why Name.com Forwarding Breaks HTTPS
Name.com’s forwarding feature works by setting up a server-side redirect. But they don’t provision an SSL certificate for your source domain. Here’s what happens:
- A visitor types
https://your-forwarded-domain.com - Their browser tries to establish a secure HTTPS connection
- Name.com has no SSL certificate installed for that domain
- The browser shows “Not Secure” or “Your connection is not private”
- The visitor hits “Back” — never reaching your destination
This affects every visitor whose browser upgrades to HTTPS automatically — which is most visitors in 2026. Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge all prefer HTTPS by default.
The SEO impact
Beyond lost visitors, there’s a search ranking issue:
- Google uses HTTPS as a ranking signal
- A broken HTTPS redirect creates a redirect chain that leaks SEO value
- Search engines may flag the redirect as insecure
- Your domain’s trust signals are degraded
How to Set Up Name.com Domain Forwarding (HTTP Only)
If you only need HTTP forwarding (not recommended), here’s how Name.com’s built-in feature works:
Step 1: Log in to Name.com
Go to name.com and sign in to your account.
Step 2: Navigate to your domain
Find your domain in your account and click to manage it.
Step 3: Set up URL forwarding
Look for the “URL Forwarding” or “Website forwarding” section in your domain management panel. Enter your destination URL and choose between temporary (302) or permanent (301) redirect.
Step 4: Save and wait
Save your forwarding settings. DNS propagation may take a few hours to 48 hours.
But remember: This forwarding only works over HTTP. Any visitor accessing your domain via HTTPS will see security warnings instead of being redirected.
The Fix: Domain-Forward.com — HTTPS Forwarding That Works
Domain-Forward.com was built to solve exactly this problem:
- Automatic SSL certificates provisioned and auto-renewed via Let’s Encrypt
- HTTPS forwarding out of the box — zero configuration
- 301 permanent redirects that properly pass SEO value
- Analytics — clicks, geography, devices
- Both www and non-www handled together
- Free plan — up to 5 domains
Step 1: Remove existing forwarding at Name.com
If you’ve already set up forwarding at Name.com, remove it first. The existing forwarding creates DNS records that will conflict with the new setup.
In your Name.com dashboard, find the URL forwarding section and delete any existing forwards.
Step 2: Create your free account
Sign up at Domain-Forward.com — no credit card required.
Step 3: Add your redirect
Click “Add Redirect” and configure:
- Source domain:
yourdomain.com(add both root andwwwfor full coverage) - Destination URL: Where you want visitors to land
- Redirect type: 301 (permanent) — the default
Step 4: Update DNS records at Name.com
Log into Name.com, go to your domain’s DNS settings, and update the following records:
| Record Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | @ (blank/root) | 138.68.125.144 |
| CNAME | www | edge.domain-forward.com |
Delete any conflicting records first — especially A records pointing to Name.com’s forwarding servers and any CNAME records on www that point elsewhere.
Your email keeps working. Only A and CNAME records change. MX records (email) are untouched.
Step 5: Wait for DNS propagation
DNS changes propagate in 1-4 hours (sometimes up to 48). Once propagation completes, Domain-Forward.com automatically provisions your SSL certificate.
Step 6: Test your redirect
Verify that both http://yourdomain.com and https://yourdomain.com redirect correctly. Use our redirect tester tool for a thorough check.
Name.com Forwarding vs Domain-Forward.com
| Feature | Name.com Forwarding | Domain-Forward.com |
|---|---|---|
| HTTPS support | No | Yes (automatic SSL) |
| SSL certificate | Not available | Auto-provisioned & renewed |
| 301 redirects | Yes | Yes |
| 302 redirects | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics | No | Yes (clicks, geography, devices) |
| www + non-www | Manual setup | Handled together |
| Path forwarding | Limited | Yes |
| API access | No | Yes (REST API) |
| Price | Included with domain | Free plan (5 domains) |
Need help choosing redirect types? Read our guide to URL forwarding basics. Using a different registrar? We have similar guides for GoDaddy, Namecheap, Hostinger, Bluehost, and IONOS.
Stop Losing Visitors to Security Warnings
Every day your Name.com domain forwards over HTTP only, you’re losing visitors who see “Not Secure” warnings. Modern browsers don’t trust HTTP — and neither do your visitors.
The fix takes 5 minutes: sign up for Domain-Forward.com, add your redirect, update two DNS records at Name.com, and you’re done. Automatic HTTPS, proper 301 redirects, and analytics to prove it’s working. Your email stays working — only A and CNAME records change.