What you are doing
A clear explanation of the setup, what each part does, and why the checks afterwards matter.
Sonic Panel guide
How to Point a Custom Domain and Install Free SSL in Sonic Panel
Use a custom hostname and SSL certificate in Sonic Panel so your radio stream and player load securely on modern websites.
✓Plain-English guide
✓Customer-friendly steps
✓Hosting support available
✓Secure client area support
Plain-English steps
Written for customers who just want the task done without the jargon.
Easy to follow
Use it as a checklist while you work through the panel.
Safer changes
Includes reminders for passwords, backups, SSL, DNS and live services.
Support available
Open a ticket if the screen looks different or you want us to check it.
Live-service aware
Made for websites, radio streams and customer-facing services.
Plain-English walkthrough
Point a Custom Domain and Install Free SSL in Sonic Panel without the usual panel confusion.
Use a custom hostname and SSL certificate in Sonic Panel so your radio stream and player load securely on modern websites. We have expanded this guide with a bit more context, friendlier wording and practical checks so you know what to do before, during and after the change.
Why choose us
What this guide helps with
What to watch for
Common mistakes, missing settings and small details that can make a simple task feel broken.
When to ask for help
Clear prompts for when it is safer to open a support ticket instead of guessing on a live service.
Helpful check
Take your time with the Sonic Panel settings.
Most Sonic Panel tasks are simple once you know where the option lives. Keep the current page open, change one setting at a time and test the stream or playlist before moving to the next step.
✓ Make one change
✓ Save it carefully
✓ Test the result
✓ Keep a note of what changed
Before you start
Have your station details ready before changing Sonic Panel settings.
This guide is for people who want to get the setup done without getting lost in control-panel wording.
Sonic Panel is designed to be fairly straightforward, but it still controls a live radio service. That means small changes can affect what listeners hear, what presenters can access, or whether automation keeps playing when nobody is live.
Before making changes, check which station account you are inside, whether AutoDJ is currently live, and whether any presenter is due to connect soon. If your station has volunteers or scheduled shows, it is worth testing during a quiet period rather than five minutes before a broadcast.
A custom radio hostname looks cleaner and is easier to share than a raw server address. SSL matters because modern websites and browsers expect secure links, especially when embedding players on HTTPS pages.
✓ Log in to the correct Sonic Panel station account.
✓ Check AutoDJ, stream and presenter status before changing live settings.
✓ Keep DJ passwords, stream keys and connection details private.
✓ Test changes with headphones or a second device before relying on them publicly.
Walkthrough
Here’s the slower, more practical version of the setup.
Work through the steps in order. Do not worry if your screen is not identical; hosting panels can look slightly different depending on the theme, package and permissions on your account.
The aim is simple: Use a custom hostname and SSL certificate in Sonic Panel so your radio stream and player load securely on modern websites. The important part is to make one clear change at a time, then test it before moving on.
If you are doing this for a live website or station, pick a quieter time where possible. That gives you room to test without putting unnecessary pressure on the service.
The DNS record has to point to the correct Sonic Panel server before SSL can issue. If the record is wrong, the certificate request will usually fail.
✓ Step 1: Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider. Make sure you are in the right account or station before going further.
✓ Step 2: Create an A record such as stream.yourdomain.com or radio.yourdomain.com. Wait for the confirmation message before moving on.
✓ Step 3: Point the A record to the Sonic Panel server IP supplied in your account. Keep the change small and check the result before changing the next setting.
✓ Step 4: Allow time for DNS to update. Do not keep refreshing too aggressively; some changes need a little time to settle.
✓ Step 5: In Sonic Panel, open Change Hostname. Keep the change small and check the result before changing the next setting.
✓ Step 6: Enter the new hostname and save it. Take care with spelling, spaces and punctuation because these small details often cause the problem.
✓ Step 7: Open Manage Free SSL Certificates. Keep the change small and check the result before changing the next setting.
✓ Step 8: Generate the SSL certificate for the hostname. Keep the change small and check the result before changing the next setting.
✓ Step 9: Test the secure stream or player URL in a browser. A second browser, device or private window is useful here because it shows what a real visitor or listener sees.
Useful checks
A few things that often catch people out.
The usual Sonic Panel headaches are simple things: the wrong password sent to a presenter, AutoDJ not started, a playlist with no tracks, a stream key pasted into the wrong box, or a browser blocking microphone access. Take it one step at a time and test the public player after each important change.
This is the bit most short guides skip, but it is usually where the fix is. Before changing lots of settings, check the basics: correct account, correct domain or station, saved settings, clean password, and a fresh test from another browser or device.
✓ Use a simple hostname such as radio.yourdomain.com or stream.yourdomain.com.
✓ Wait for DNS to resolve before forcing SSL repeatedly.
✓ Test the final secure stream URL inside the website player.
✓ SSL will fail if the DNS record does not point to the correct server.
✓ Use a clean hostname such as radio.yourdomain.com for easy sharing.
✓ Secure stream links are important for modern HTTPS websites and embedded players.
Afterwards
Check the public result, not just the admin screen.
A control panel saying something is saved is only half the job. The real test is whether the website, mailbox, stream, player, presenter login or public page behaves properly for the people using it.
Once you are happy, keep a short note of what you changed. It makes future troubleshooting much easier, especially if more than one person works on the station or website.
✓ Open the public player or stream URL on a second device and make sure listeners can hear audio.
✓ Check that AutoDJ, Radio Status and any live DJ status show the expected state.
✓ Send presenters only the access details they need, not the main station admin password.
✓ Keep a simple station checklist for repeated tasks like live shows, recordings and social streaming.
Need a hand?
Online Audience can help if you want us to check it.
If the panel looks different, the option is missing, or you are worried about touching a live service, send us a ticket with the account, domain, station name or screenshots. We can point you in the right direction or advise on the safer route.
For anything involving DNS, SSL, migrations, live radio, mail delivery, databases or customer-facing websites, a ticket is usually better than guesswork because it gives everyone a clear record of what changed.
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Questions
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Open a support ticket with the account, domain or station details and our team can advise on the safest route.
Control panels can vary by theme, package permissions and server configuration. The main workflow is usually the same even if labels or layout differ.
For changes that affect websites, databases, files or live services, creating a backup first is a sensible precaution.
Include the domain, station name or account involved, what you were trying to do, what happened instead, and screenshots if possible. Please avoid sending passwords in plain text.
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Related guides and services
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