My Adventure with Google Indexing and FreeDNS: A Tale of Triumphs and Tribulations
Embarking on a Digital Adventure: The Why and How of My Personal Website
Hey there, fellow adventurers in the digital realm! If you've ever dabbled in setting up a personal website, you know it's a journey filled with learning curves, unexpected roadblocks, and those sweet, sweet moments of triumph. Today, I want to share my own adventure in setting up a personal website, focusing on the Google indexing saga that had me scratching my head for a while.
The Genesis: Why a Personal Website?
You see, I'm a bit of a tinkerer. I love diving into new projects, learning as I go, and sharing my insights with the world. What better way to do that than through a personal blog? Plus, it's an excellent playground for experimenting with web technologies. So, I decided to set up my own website, not just as a learning experiment but also as a platform to host my blog posts.
The Expedited Route: FreeDNS to the Rescue
To get things off the ground quickly, I opted for a free subdomain from freedns.afraid.org. Why? Well, it saved me time, paperwork, and even a tiny bit of money. It seemed like the perfect solution to expedite my journey into the blogging world.
The First Hurdle: Let's Encrypt
Setting up a free subdomain was smooth sailing, but then came the first challenge: securing my site with an SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt. After a bit of tinkering and troubleshooting, I managed to get it working. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless!
The Google Indexing Saga
Just when I thought I was in the clear, I hit another roadblock: Google indexing. I wanted my blog to be discoverable, so I dived into Google Search Console to get it indexed. Verified my site, added the meta tags, the whole shebang. But then, the "Live Test" threw me a curveball: "Failed: DNS error: host unknown."
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
After much searching and not finding a straight answer, I stumbled upon a comment that led me to the FreeDNS FAQ. And there it was, the answer to my woes. Turns out, FreeDNS has some restrictions when it comes to Google indexing subdomains on shared domains. If you're using a domain you don't own, you're pretty much out of luck unless you contact their admin.
The Moral of the Story
So, here's the deal. If you're planning to use a FreeDNS subdomain and want it indexed by Google, you're going to hit a wall unless you own the domain. I'm sharing this adventure so that the next person who goes down this rabbit hole can find this information more easily. The FreeDNS FAQ didn't pop up in my Google search, probably because it didn't match the keywords I was using.
What's Next?
I'm considering buying my own domain. It's a big decision, akin to naming a child. But it's the next logical step in mastering the Google game and having full control over my digital playground.
The Road Ahead: What's Next in My Digital Journey
Setting up a personal website is a journey, one filled with challenges but also immense learning opportunities. I've conquered Let's Encrypt, grappled with FreeDNS, and danced with Google indexing. And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. To those embarking on similar adventures, I say: Embrace the challenges, celebrate the victories, and never stop learning.
