🧭 Overview
If your white label dashboard is not connecting correctly, this guide walks you through the most common causes and how to resolve them — so you can get your client dashboard live as quickly as possible.
✅ Prerequisites Before You Begin
Before troubleshooting the connection, confirm the following requirements are in place:
- Active white label plan: White label dashboards are available on qualifying Search Atlas subscription tiers. Confirm your plan includes this feature.
- Custom domain purchased and active: You must own the domain you intend to use and it must be active with your domain registrar.
- Access to your DNS settings: You will need to update DNS records through your domain registrar (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Cloudflare).
- SSL provisioned: Search Atlas provisions SSL automatically once DNS is correctly configured. Do not add a conflicting SSL certificate manually.
🔍 Step 1 — Verify Your DNS Records
Incorrect DNS configuration is the most common cause of white label dashboard connection failures. Follow these steps:
- Log in to your domain registrar's control panel.
- Navigate to the DNS settings for your white label domain.
- Confirm that a CNAME record points your subdomain (for example, dashboard.yourcompany.com) to the Search Atlas target hostname provided in your white label setup screen.
- Remove any conflicting A records or duplicate CNAME entries for the same subdomain.
- Save your changes.
Important: DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, but typically completes within 1–4 hours. Use a free tool such as dnschecker.org to confirm propagation status across global servers before assuming the connection has failed.
⚙️ Step 2 — Check Your White Label Settings in Search Atlas
- Log in to Search Atlas and click the apps-grid icon in the header.
- Go to More Features → Agency Hub → White Label Setup (Logo page).
- Confirm the following fields are filled in correctly: your custom domain, your agency logo, and your brand color selections.
- Verify that the custom domain entered in Search Atlas exactly matches the subdomain you configured in your DNS records — including correct spelling and no trailing slash.
- Click Continue if you make any changes.
🚨 Step 3 — Identify Your Error Type
Match your current issue to one of the common failure modes below:
- Browser shows "This site can't be reached" or DNS error: DNS records have not propagated yet, or the CNAME record is missing or incorrect. Revisit Step 1.
- Browser shows a security warning or SSL error: SSL has not yet been provisioned. This resolves automatically within a few hours of correct DNS propagation. Do not install a manual certificate.
- Page loads but shows a Search Atlas branded page instead of your white label: The custom domain in your White Label settings does not match your DNS record. Revisit Step 2 and ensure exact spelling on both sides.
- Page loads but branding is missing or incorrect: Return to your White Label settings, re-upload your logo, and confirm your color and font selections are saved.
- Login or access errors for your client: Confirm your client has been invited and has an active account. Check user permissions in your agency settings.
🔄 Step 4 — Clear Cache and Test in Incognito
After making any changes, always test your white label dashboard URL in a private or incognito browser window. Cached data can cause a correctly configured dashboard to appear broken. Ask your client to do the same before your meeting.
📋 Step 5 — Confirm With a Checklist
Run through this final checklist before concluding your troubleshooting:
- CNAME record is correctly added in your registrar's DNS panel
- No conflicting A records or duplicate CNAMEs exist for the subdomain
- DNS propagation confirmed via a checker tool
- Custom domain in Search Atlas white label settings matches DNS exactly
- SSL is active (no browser security warning)
- Logo, colors, and branding saved in white label settings
- Tested in an incognito browser window
⏫ When to Escalate to Our Team
Escalate immediately if any of the following apply:
- DNS has fully propagated (confirmed by a checker tool) but the dashboard still does not load after 4+ hours
- You see a 500 server error or unexpected Search Atlas error page on your custom domain
- SSL was not automatically provisioned within 6 hours of confirmed DNS propagation
- You have completed all steps above and the issue persists
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.