Name Server Configuration for Virtual Private Servers (VPS DNS)
The next hurdle you'll encounter is deciding whether to use your webhost's name servers, or your own. For example, here's are the two different sets of name servers that were available to me:
- ns1.wiredtree.com
- ns2.wiredtree.com
or ..
- ns1.radified.com
- ns2.radified.com
I opted for the later (» ns1.radified.com), which is more complicated, but gives you more flexibility in the future .. especially if you want to host more/other sites.
Everything you need to know is contained in a PDF posted here » WiredTree DNS How to (7 pages, 575-KB). I recommend you also use your own name servers. It is far less complicated than it seems, and gives you far more flexibility down the road. Read thru the instructions prior to signing up, so you're ready to rock-n-roll the minute your account is ready.
There is one part of the name server configuration that WiredTree had to do for me. See here:
I took care of the nameserver A entries manually, since cPanel has a bug where it doesn't get the right IP addresses when you add the entry via WHM. The restored account uses the same username & password as your old server.
I would log in via FTP to your server here and make sure all the files are in their correct locations. Far as your nameServer configuration, continue where you left off. Just skip the steps of adding your Name Server A entries, since I did that manually. If you are confused, let me know and I'll get you pointed in the right direction.
After making changes, go back and ensure they 'took'. (I had to do one twice.) Having and using your own name servers is definitely more cool. Once you get into WHM, you'll see exactly where to make these changes. Don't worry about learning the terminology .. tho it *is* nice to be familiar with it.
When you see your files on your shiny, new Virtual Private Server, you're going to be one happy camper.
Once you are ready to rock-n-roll, you will need to change your name-server info at your Domain Name Registrar. I use DomainDiscover (San Diego), but most people use GoDaddy, cuz they have the best prices.
But first you'll have to register your name-servers. I simply called my registrar (on the phone) to ask how I would go about this and they offered to do it for me. Took them all of 10 seconds. Then I was able to log into my domain name registrar account and manually change my name-server pointers to ns1.radified.com + ns2.radified.com. (They were previously pointing to name servers at Lunarpages.)
It is normal for your name server propagation to bounce back and forth between the old and new server for the "24-48 hours." So don't bother calling your registrar to complain until after the first 48 hours. After which time all your resolving problems should have disappeared.
If you want to load your site and test it before DNS propagation has completed, you can use the IP address, but you'll also need to use the account name of your site, such as » http://208.79.239.88/~radif2/