404 Not Found error when accessing branch via CNAME

Hi,
I recently built my first Netlify app and successfully set up everything, including point my custom domain to the Netlify site with SSL (https://projection-path-explorer.caleydoapp.org).
I followed the instructions on “How to use Netlify’s branch deploy feature without Netlify DNS” to setup a subdomain with SSL as well, but when accessing the deployed branch via my own domain I get an 404 error from Netlify:
http://projection-path-explorer-daily.caleydoapp.org/ (note the -daily suffix in the subdomain).

It works if i use “develop.projection-path-explorer.netlify.com” as CNAME instead of “develop--projection-path-explorer.netlify.com” though, as with develop.projection-path-explorer.caleydoapp.org.
Did i set something wrong on Netlify here, or does it make any difference for you when issueing SSL certificates if i use the sub-domain instead of branchname--*?

Thank you and best regards,
Klaus

You don’t use our DNS hosting, but you have it configured. This will cause problems. If you’d like to remove that setting, here:

…and let us know, then we’ll be better able to understand what is happening without that confounding factor in place.

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Thanks! I deleted the DNS zone but the problem I’ve described above is still the same.

Now that you’ve removed the DNS zone, you’ll also need to change the CNAME to point back to develop--projection-path-explorer.netlify.com. Once you do that, please let us know and we can make sure that branch subdomain gets added to your site’s certificate.

I already did that:

> nslookup.exe projection-path-explorer-daily.caleydoapp.org
Server:  alijku01.edvz.uni-linz.ac.at
Address:  140.78.2.62

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    develop--projection-path-explorer.netlify.com
Addresses:  2a03:b0c0:3:d0::d24:5001
          134.209.226.211
Aliases:  projection-path-explorer-daily.caleydoapp.org

But now i have the same Not found error that I had with the first route.

I think we need to take a step back. What I mean is:

That said, you can only access a branch via a subdomain of the same name. To access your develop branch deploy, you need to set a CNAME for your custom domain’s develop subdomain (as described above). This is a requirement for “branch subdomains”.

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Oh that makes sense! I didn’t get that and thought i can set an arbitrary CNAME for the develop branch.
The two domains are set up as you described:

> nslookup develop.projection-path-explorer.caleydoapp.org
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  192.168.0.1

Nicht autorisierende Antwort:
Name:    develop--projection-path-explorer.netlify.com
Addresses:  2a03:b0c0:3:e0::298:6001
          157.230.103.136
Aliases:  develop.projection-path-explorer.caleydoapp.org
> nslookup projection-path-explorer.caleydoapp.org
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  192.168.0.1

Nicht autorisierende Antwort:
Name:    projection-path-explorer.netlify.com
Addresses:  2a03:b0c0:3:d0::d19:7001
          157.230.120.63
Aliases:  projection-path-explorer.caleydoapp.org

Thanks for your help and patience! :slight_smile:

Hi, got your branch subdomain added to your certificate. Let me know if you have any other questions! :slight_smile:

1 Like