Setting up private nameservers

Private nameservers are a key part of running a professional white-label hosting business. Instead of asking your clients to use Internext's nameservers, you give them your own — ns1.yourbrand.com and ns2.yourbrand.com. To your customers, the hosting looks entirely like your own platform. Setting them up is a two-part job: create glue records at your domain registrar, then set those nameservers as the default in WHM.

Step 1 — Get your server IPs from Internext

Each nameserver needs its own IP address. Message our team and we'll send you the two IP addresses to use — one for ns1 and one for ns2. Keep these handy for the next steps.

Step 2 — Register glue records at your registrar

Glue records (also called child nameservers) tell the internet which IP each of your nameserver hostnames lives at. In your domain registrar's control panel, look for Private Nameservers, Register a Nameserver or Child Nameservers, and add:

1. ns1.yourbrand.com → first IP from Internext
2. ns2.yourbrand.com → second IP from Internext

This must be done on the domain you're using for your brand (yourbrand.com), at whichever registrar holds that domain.

Step 3 — Point your brand domain to the new nameservers

Still at your registrar, set yourbrand.com itself to use ns1.yourbrand.com and ns2.yourbrand.com as its nameservers. This activates your private nameservers for your own domain.

Step 4 — Set the defaults in WHM

Log in to WHM and open Basic WebHost Manager Setup (the Nameserver configuration section). Enter ns1.yourbrand.com and ns2.yourbrand.com as your default nameservers and save. Use the Configure Address Records (A record) links WHM offers so each nameserver resolves to the correct IP. From now on, every new cPanel account you create is set up with your branded nameservers automatically.

Step 5 — Give clients your nameservers

When you onboard a client, tell them to set their domain's nameservers to ns1.yourbrand.com and ns2.yourbrand.com. Their site then resolves through your brand with no sign of Internext anywhere.

Frequently asked

Can I use more than two nameservers?

Two is standard and required. You can add ns3 and ns4 for extra redundancy if you like, but ns1 and ns2 are enough for the vast majority of reseller setups.

What if my registrar doesn't offer child nameservers?

Most registrars support them, though the menu name varies. If you can't find the option, send us your registrar name and we'll point you to the exact setting, or help you move the domain to a registrar that supports it.

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