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Using a Custom Domain Instead of IP Whitelisting

Some network teams prefer to allow access by domain name instead of by IP range. A Files.com Custom Domain lets you use your own hostname (for example, files.example.com) as the allow rule, instead of whitelisting the Files.com-owned IP block. This works when your firewall or secure web gateway supports FQDN whitelisting and your policy prefers domain-based controls.

When This Approach Works

Use this approach when your network security tools support whitelist rules based on hostnames (FQDNs), when you want users and client applications to connect through a single consistent domain name, or when you want to stop maintaining and updating IP-address-range lists for internal change management.

Do not use this approach if your network environment allows whitelisting only by static IP addresses.

Plan Availability

Custom Domains are available on the Power and Enterprise plans.

What Changes

Adding a Custom Domain lets your users connect using your hostname. It does not change that connections ultimately resolve to Files.com infrastructure, so your network must still allow the required Files.com service hostnames for the features you use. If you operate in a default-deny model, start with the hostnames list in Hostnames Used by Files.comExternal LinkThis link leads to an external website and will open in a new tab.

Setup

Follow Configuring Your Custom Domain to set up the Custom Domain itself.

In your firewall or secure web gateway, allow outbound access to your custom domain hostname. Where the tool supports it, allow the exact hostname rather than a broad wildcard.

Then update bookmarks, integrations, and client apps to connect using the custom domain hostname. Keep the old connection settings in place until you have validated the new hostname from every required network.

Rolling Out Without Disruption

Move users and integrations to the new hostname over time. Your Files.com site remains reachable through the Files.com-provided subdomain throughout the transition.

If you use SSO, review your IdP settings for any domain-locked callback URLs. See Configuring Your Custom Domain.