Connection Failed We couldn’t verify domain ownership. 2) SSL Certificate Status Unavailable
What is the issue you’re encountering
My domain name won’t connect to my Squarespace site.
What steps have you taken to resolve the issue?
I’ve followed the instructions from Cloudflare’s Squarespace guide. I’ve also tried following Squarespace’s guides. The problem I keep running into on both sites is that the instructions don’t match. It will tell me the next step is to click “X” but then X is not there/an option so that’s a blocker.
I read that I have to change nameservers to be able to use my domain but every time I’ve tried searching & reading about how to do that, I don’t seem to find any actual answers. I just keep being pointed to certain links but then while reading that page, it’ll give me a link to go elsewhere & then evenutally just takes me in circles back to the same 2-3 pages without giving me an answer on how to actually change the nameservers and where to find them.
Can anyone help? I’ve also been finding it incredibly difficult to actually contact any one from Cloudflare for support which has been frustrating. When I try to submit a ticket to the Help Center, it just keeps directing back to this forum.
I switched to Cloudflare thinking it’d be better, but its been so much more of a hassle than this needed to be. I’ve never had issues connecting before. It’s usually very easeful & instantaneous, but this experience has felt so convaluted.
What feature, service or problem is this related to?
You don’t have to change name servers, to switch hosting provider(s) with your domain.
And in this case, you won’t be able to change name servers, since your domain name was registered through Cloudflare Registrar, which mandates the use of the Cloudflare name servers.
Try following the “Opt out of nameserver connnect” guide from Squarespace.
Enter the full domain name you’re connecting in the Enter domain field, then click the arrow.
Click Connect domain.
In the “Let’s Connect Your Domain” pop-up message, select No, use DNS records.
Click Connect domain.
Select your domain provider from the dropdown menu, if it’s not already selected.
In the pop-up window, sign into your domain provider’s account
Click Connect.
In the “Connection in progress” pop-up message on your site, click Continue.
During this process, Squarespace will most likely provide you with some DNS records, which you will need to enter in to your domain’s DNS configuration, through Cloudflare.
Thanks for your response! I’ve been referencing that Squarespace guide & I tried doing this multiple times, but its not connecting. The instructions there also don’t match exactly with what shows up for me so it seems out dated.
For example, the pop up you mention in #5. I don’t get any pop ups. It just asks me to select my provider, but Cloudflare isn’t an option so I select Other and then Connect. From there, I add the DNS Records into Cloudflare, but Squarespace continues to say Record not found. This is the way I’ve done it for years, and I’ve had no issues so I’m not sure what’s going on.
I have been considering transferring the domain but its too new so I’d have to wait 60 days.
I copied these instructions directly from Squarespace, so I take it as Squarespace’s own guides may eventually be out-dated (or misinforming), in some kind of way.
Are the Proxy status for these specific DNS records set to Proxied ()?
Neither Squarespace, nor any other hosting provider, will be able to see what you have set behind Proxied () records, so if they are checking the DNS records that the public DNS hierarchy have, then they won’t ever see their own IP addresses with AAAA or A records (or the CNAME targets, for CNAME records), with Proxied () records.
Temporarily switching DNS records to Unproxied () / DNS-only, while Squarespace (and/or other hosting providers) are verifying your DNS records to be configured correctly, may be able to fix that.
After I replied the other day, I did more digging & ended up finding something that said that about checking the proxy status, and then the next day I tested the url and it worked! Its still saying “connection is progress” and SSL Certificate Status still says "Processing”, but it is directing to my website now! Thank you for your help.
I honestly don’t remember where exactly I even found that info, but it took me a lot of digging.
Ok so I’m looking at this again because now it’s saying:
“SSL certificates aren’t available for the following domains because they aren’t correctly connected to your Squarespace site. To resolve the issue, please follow the links below for each of the domains: ale-luya.com”
When I click the url it takes me to the Domains page where it says “DNS Error. We couldn’t verify DNS settings with Other.”. SSL Certificate there went from "Processing to now “Unavailable”.
Any thoughts on why this might be happening or ideas of how to resolve this?
The url looks like its still going to my website, but I’m worried that may be disrupted at some point.
)?
) / DNS-only, while Squarespace (and/or other hosting providers) are verifying your DNS records to be configured correctly, may be able to fix that.