Private Nameservers – In this article we will talk about an integral part of any reseller service – nameservers – what they are and how to utilize them properly? So, before you start activating your first client accounts, let’s first learn the basics.
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What are Nameservers?
Nameservers are part of a large database called DNS (Domain name system). It’s basically an all-encompassing archive that “translates” domains and hostnames into IP addresses. When a visitor types in the URL of your website, the nameservers direct the request to the proper location of your content.
What are Private Nameservers?
Typically, every hosting provider has its own string of nameservers. They can be two or more, and often look like this:
ns1.yourhostingprovider.com
ns2.yourhostingprovider.com
So how are private name servers different?
This feature practically allows you to brand your domain name records with the name of your company. Following the example above, you could change the default nameservers to:
ns1.owndomainname.com
ns2.owndomainname.com
This advanced branding brings in a lot of benefits, especially if you’re reselling web hosting.
Private Name Servers
Shared web hosting => You must use our generic name servers. It is not possible to use private name servers on Shared hosting plans.
Reseller hosting => You have the option to use our generic name servers or your own private name servers, which should look similar to ns1.example.com and ns2.example.com.
Dedicated server and VPS => You must use private name servers.
Benefits of Using Private Nameservers:
- Branding: Private name servers allow you to use your domain name for the nameserver addresses, enhancing your brand’s visibility and professionalism.
- Control and Flexibility: With private name servers, you have complete control over DNS settings, allowing you to customize and manage your domain’s DNS records independently.
- Security: Using private nameservers can improve security by reducing exposure to potential attacks on publicly known nameservers.
- Improved Performance: Private name servers can lead to faster DNS resolution, as they are specific to your hosting environment and not shared with other users.
- Simplified Website Migration: If you need to change hosting providers, having private nameservers makes it easier to migrate your websites without affecting their functionality.
Setting Up Private Nameservers:
- Registrar Settings: Access your domain registrar’s control panel and navigate to the section for managing nameservers.
- Create Nameserver Hostnames: Assign custom names to your private nameservers (e.g., ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com).
- IP Address Assignment: Obtain the IP addresses of your hosting provider’s nameservers (usually provided by the hosting company).
- DNS Configuration: Update the DNS settings of your domain to point to the IP addresses of your private nameservers.
- Propagation: DNS changes may take some time to propagate across the internet. Typically, it takes up to 48 hours for changes to take full effect.
- Verify Setup: Use online DNS checking tools to ensure that your private nameservers are correctly configured and resolving properly.