This seems like a silly question, but I just CANT figure this out.  Perhaps someone can help.

I have been using IBuySpy-derived websites for years, and recently decided to install DNN and start migrating over to the DNN way of doing things.  I installed DNN (4.5.5 I believe - the latest version).

When I go to http://localhost/dotnetnuke, i get to the DNN portal.  I installed DotNetNuke as a 'virtual directory' underneath my 'Default Web Site' in IIS.   Because DNN is a virtual directory, and not a "real" website, I don't have a place in IIS to configure dotnetnuke to respond to a specific host name on my server.   Here's an example.  Lets say I have a registered domain name called www.thisismywebsite.com     I would like users who type www.thisismywebsite.com to be directed to a portal in my DNN setup.   When they type that into their browser, internet DNS converts it to my web server's IP address, but my web server (Win Server 2003) responds with the "Welcome to WIndows SMall Business Server" default screen.   There doesn't seem to be a way for me to redirect traffic that has a website host header of "thisismywebsite.com" to go to a particular portal.  (and if I go to http://localhost/thisismywebsite I'd like it to take me to my portal (or to the main DNN website), but right now, I get 'page not found'...

I tried going into IIS, and setting up a new WEBSITE (as opposed to a virtual directory below my 'Default Website', and pointed the local path (on the Home Directory tab) to the DotNetNuke directory, but that doesn't seem to work.

So basically, here's what I want to do..  I want to host TWO portals,  Portal1, and Portal2.

When users on the internet type in www.thisismywebsite, I want them to see Portal1.  I don't want them to have to type www.thisismywebsite.com/dotnetnuke

When users on the internet type in www.thisismywebsite2, I want them to see Portal2.  Again, I don't want them to have to type www.thisismywebsite.com/dotnetnuke/portal2, or anything like that.  I just want them to type in a domain name, and have it end up at one portal or another.   I can do this EASILY with the IBuySpy websites, so I'm sure I can do this with DNN, but for the life of me, I can't figure it out.

I've been looking in the documentation for a clue, but just can't find it.  Can someone point me in the right direction ???

Can I / Should I just create DotNetNuke as a "Web Site" vs a "Virtual Directory" on my IIS,  is that my problem....??

Please enlighten us with the correct configuration of IIS. I have been searching for this onformation for days now.

The IIS config is the same for all DNN portals; it's described in the installation guide (in the "Docs" bundle on the "Downloads" page). Basically, all portals (website or virtual directory) point to the same file directory: the DNN root directory (where the "web.config" file is in). The assignment is done by DNN using the portal aliases. Enter the name of the website or virtual directory (including localhost for virtual dirs) as a portal alias for that portal, as described by TinaLM above.

Here's another thread with some more details: create website using DNN