How to configure nameservers in a cPanel & WHM server

Question

How do you configure nameservers in a cPanel & WHM server?

Answer

Configuring your nameservers is the first step many users take when setting up their cPanel & WHM servers. Having your own nameservers allows you to take control of your DNS for your domains and provides your users with a central set of DNS that they can point their domain names to when hosting under your servers.

Before you begin, you will first want to make sure that your nameservers are registered with your domain's registrar. This step may vary depending on your domain's register, and you may need to reach out to them for the correct steps.

If you have a popular domain registrar, you may find the following document helpful in providing steps on how to perform this.

How to set up nameservers with Domain Name Registrars

To configure your default nameservers and IP addresses, please perform the following steps:

1. Log in to the server via SSH or WHM's Terminal as the root user.
2. Navigate to Home / Server Configuration / Basic WebHost Manager Setup.
3. At the bottom of the interface, under the Nameservers section, enter the desired nameserver names in the text boxes.
4. Click Save Changes.

5. To the right of the appropriate Nameserver text box, click Configure Address Records. A new interface will appear, and the system will perform a DNS lookup on the nameserver you entered.

   Note: This next step is not required if you are hosting the domain on this server. In this case, you would add the A records for the nameservers to the domain's main zone.

6. Update the IP addresses in the needed text boxes:
   • To enter a different IPv4 address, enter a new value in the Enter an IPv4 address to create an A record text box.
   • To enter a different IPv6 address, enter a new value in the Enter an IPv6 address to create an AAAA record (optional) text box.
7. Click the Configure Address Records button.
8. Repeat these steps for each nameserver.

Note: We recommend that you use the following guidelines when you name nameservers:
- The name must consist of a prefix, a dot (.), and your domain. The common convention for nameservers is to prefix your domain name with ns# (for example: ns1.domain.tld and ns2.domain.tld).
- Your nameservers cannot share a name.
- We strongly recommend using a domain that reflects your company's main homepage URL.

You may refer to our documentation for a comprehensive list of details or other concerns regarding this.

How to Set Up Nameservers in a cPanel & WHM Environment