Microsoft 365 Custom Domain Registration
In the previous article, we created Microsoft 365 Tenant and Microsoft Azure Subscription. Now, we will register a custom domain to make the Microsoft Home Lab more authentic. This article will guide you on how to purchase a new domain within Microsoft 365.
Note: If you want to use a custom domain, purchase it from a domain provider, which will incur a cost. If you prefer not to, you can use the default one (*.onmicrosoft.com) already provisioned.
Purchasing a Domain
For this project, I used the GoDaddy platform to purchase a new domain. However, you can use any domain provider of your choice. Domain registration is very similar across all providers, so there won’t be significant differences.
First, navigate to your domain provider’s platform. Search for domain availability, then register it. Remember, domains are external and must be unique. You’ll need to find an alternative if your desired domain is already taken.
After purchasing the domain, navigate to the domain provider’s administrator center. You’ll usually receive an email with all the necessary data.
Next, we need to manage DNS records. Domain providers usually offer different options for managing DNS records. For instance, GoDaddy has its own interface for managing domain settings.
Registering the Domain
After managing the DNS records, we need to navigate to the Microsoft 365 Tenant. We need to link the purchased domain with our Microsoft 365 environment. We can use the Microsoft 365 admin center or Microsoft Entra to register it (both work the same way).
Method 1: GoDaddy or Other Similar Domain Provider
Inside the domain tab, you’ll see that the default domain is already provisioned. This is the Microsoft default domain which ends with *.onmicrosoft.com.
Now, we need to register our new custom domain. There are different options to register it:
You can simply enter the domain name and log in with your account. This is the simplest method, so your domain will be registered automatically. If you’re using a supported platform for this, you’ll get a pop-up window to enter your username and password from the domain provider account.
Method 2: Register via DNS Records
If you don’t get the pop-up, your domain provider is not supported. You’ll need to create some DNS records to confirm the ownership of the domain.
There are three options:
- Register with TXT DNS Record
- Register with TXT File.
- Register with MX record.
Usually, I choose the TXT record (it’s not important which option you choose).
Creating a New DNS Record (DNS Provider)
Go back to your Domain Provider Administrator portal. We need to manage DNS records. Domain providers usually offer different options for managing DNS records. For instance, GoDaddy has its own interface for managing domain settings. Usually, other providers are using cPanel.
Create a new DNS record and paste values that you copied from Microsoft 365 Tenant (TXT record).
After the DNS record is created, navigate back to the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal and verify the DNS record. If everything is correct, your domain is ready.
Additional DNS Records
Now, we will add more DNS records.
For example, to enable Microsoft Exchange Online as the email provider for your domain, you’ll need to select “Continue” to activate the relevant DNS records.
We will also add DNS records for Intune. This will enable auto-registering and enrolling devices into Intune.
Microsoft Exchange Online – DNS records.
There are three types of DNS records for Exchange Online:
- MX – An MX record, or mail exchange record, is a DNS record that routes emails to specified mail servers.
- TXT (SPF) – SPF is added as a TXT record that is used by DNS to identify which mail servers can send mail on behalf of your custom domain
- CNAME – In the context of Microsoft Outlook, a CNAME record is used to enable the Autodiscover service, which helps Outlook clients to easily connect to the Exchange Online service
Microsoft Intune
- CNAME – redirects enrollment requests to Intune servers so that device users don’t have to enter the server address during device enrollment. Although the CNAME configuration is optional, it makes enrollment easier for users by enabling automatic discovery of the Intune enrollment server and reducing the amount of user interaction required
As for the domain registration and verification copy the values. Then create new DNS records.
Go Daddy DNS Records for Exchange Online and Intune
Click Done, and the custom domain will be added to your Office 365 tenant. If it’s the first custom domain, it will be set as your default domain.
Now we are done. We successfully registered a new custom domain within our Microsoft 365 Tenant.
See ya in the next blog post 🙂
