1.0 Use Domain Registrar's Nameservers
While you register a domain with any registrar, you are given a default set of nameserver. If you do not want to use DNS services of web host/VPS, you can use these default nameservers (DNS services of your domain registrar). In this case, DNS Zone of your domain will be created at DNS server of the registrar and you can manage the DNS records from domain control panel (control panel provided by the domain registrar).
You can change default nameservers by replacing them with the namservers given by your web hosting provider. When you replace default namservers with web hosting provider’s namservers, you will be using DNS services of your web host and DNS Zone of your domain will be created at DNS Server of your web host. In this case, you can manage DNS records through web hosting control panel provided by your web host.
When you decide to use DNS services of domain registrar, you will have to contact your registrar and ask them to change your domain's A records with your VPS IP address. If you think you are able to perform this task by your own, you can add following A records at registrar's control panel. Once these records are added, it will take 24 to 48 hours in global propagation and your website will start pointing to your VPS.
- www.................A.........................Your VPS_IP_address
- (blank)..............A.........................Your VPS_IP_address
- *......................A..........................Your VPS_IP_address
- mail..................A.........................Your VPS_IP_address
- MX...............................................mail.your-domain-name.com
2.0 Create and Use VPS’ Custom/Private/Child Nameservers
Once you create child/custom nameservers, you can use them for all your domains hosted on your VPS. Suppose, you have existing domain name "yourdomain.com" and you wish to point it to your VPS, first you will create Custom/Private/Child nameservers on this domain, for example:
- ns1.yourdomain.com (you can use any prefix in place of ns1)
- ns2.yourdomain.com (you can use any prefix in place of ns2)
2.1 Register Custom/Private/Child Nameservers at Domain Registrar
Login to domain control panel (control panel provided by domain registrar to manage domain) and register above child/private/custom nameservers. All domain registrars would have their own GUI and hence their own steps to register custom nameservers. Hence, we have compiled the series of tutorials to register the private nameservers at various registrars.
- If you do not find your registrar in this tutorial list, you can contact them directly (with your VPS IP address) to register custom nameservers for you.
- If you find registrar's control panel GUI different than the shown in the video tutorials, you can contact them to register custom nameservers for you.
- If you have domain registration services with AccuWebHosting, just submit a ticket from Client Area, we will register them for you.
Once custom nameservers have been registered, follow the below mentioned steps.
2.2 Host Domain/Website
Windows VPS (WebsitePanel)
Follow the below mentioned steps to host a domain and website from WebsitePanel.Â
https://manage.accuwebhosting.com/knowledgebase/1226/WebsitePanel-guidelines-for-Windows-VPS-begginers.html#Domain_WebsiteÂ
Linux VPS (cPanel)
Once nameservers have been registered, you will have to host the domain from cPanel/WHM. Either you can create new hosting account (cPanel account) in WHM, or you can add new domain as addon domain in existing cPanel account.
2.3 Set/Change Nameservers
Windows VPS (WebsitePanel)
If you have purchased Windows VPS with WebsitePanel, you will have to change nameservers from WebsitePanel as follows.
- Login to WebsitePanel.
- Click on All Users.
- Click on Username.
- Click on Domains.
- Select the Domain name.
- Under DNS section, click on Edit DNS Zone Records link
- Edit both NS records entries, enter newly registered nameservers and save the changes.
Linux VPS (cPanel)
To set newly registered nameservers, refer our knowledgebase article.
2.4 Set Private Nameservers to Domain
Login to registrar's control panel and set newly registered namservers. You can also contact your registrar to set nameservers for you. Once custom nameservers are registered, you can use them for all your domains you have hosted on your VPS. You can verify whether you have pointed your website correctly to your VPS or not through online DNS lookup tools like MyDNS.Is. If everything goes well, your website will start pointing to your VPS within 24 to 48 hours after setting up the nameservers.
