Custom domain names

TargetR Stacks can be linked to custom domain names.

For example, a partner who owns the domain name mycompany.com can create the sub domain, signage.mycompany.com, and use this for accessing the platform. The domain name can be used for signing in to the admin interface and (optionally) used by screens to communicate with the TargetR Stacks platform.

To link a custom domain to the TargetR Stacks platform you must be able to modify the DNS configuration for the domain.

Linking a custom domain name

1. Sign in to your DNS management service.
2. Create a new CNAME record.
3. Set the name to be the required subdomain, for example signage.
4. Set the value to be stacks.targetr.net.

When correctly configured, the admin interface will be accessible by typing the new address into a web browser. For example: http://signage.mycompany.com.

Enable encrypted connections

When the domain is first linked, only unencrypted connections are available.

You can use the new custom domain without an encrypted connection, but this is not recommended. To guarantee security we recommend continuing to use https://stacks.targetr.net until security is added for the custom domain.

To add support for secure, encrypted connections we must install a custom SSL certificate on all our servers.

We have a process to obtain and renew certificates using Let's Encrypt. To enable this process, a Cloud Configuration must be created with a name matching the new domain.

1. Sign in to the admin interface.
2. On the top menu bar, click Clouds.
   
3. Click the Add Cloud button () to display the Cloud dialog.
4. On the General tab:
   • Enter a label for the cloud in the Label field. This will enable you to identify it in the admin interface.
   • Enter a name for the cloud in the Name field. This should match the new domain. For example: signage.mycompany.com.
     
5. Click Save. The new cloud configuration item is added to the list on the Cloud tab.
   

The process to verify domains and fetch new certificates occurs once per day. New certificates will be installed onto the servers when we perform the next software release (typically weekly).

For expedited certificate deployment, please contact us.

Device communications

DS Loader and player software uses digitally signed server responses (asymmetric cryptography). This does not require SSL to be enabled for the custom domain and also does not require a real-time, battery backed clock or reliable NTP service. This is for maximum performance and device compatibility.

CNAME at root of domain

We recommend creating a sub domain for the digital signage platform. This is because CNAMEs at the root level can cause problems, especially when using the domain for other purposes.

§3.6.2 of RFC 1034:

If a CNAME RR is present at a node, no other data should be present; this ensures that the data for a canonical name and its aliases cannot be different. This rule also insures that a cached CNAME can be used without checking with an authoritative server for other RR types.

Many DNS services will not let you create a CNAME at the root of the domain - only an A record (IP address). Our platform uses multiple IP addresses for a pool of servers that are selected by health checks and latency. Therefore, a CNAME is required to provide both redundancy and performance.