i have a dedicated server. How can i use own nameservers for my hosted domain names?

Answer by: Stuart Pierce, Aplus.Net Dedicated Server Support

With Aplus.Net, you have two options for hosting your DNS (Domain Name Servers). Option one is to host the DNS yourself on your dedicated server. The second option is to have Aplus.Net host the DNS for you.

Information on how to configure the physical hosting of your domain names inside the Plesk Control Panel is available here:

• How do I add a domain for hosting in Plesk?

I. Using your own DNS Servers when hosting domains in Plesk:

All dedicated servers with Aplus.Net have the ability to run local DNS service (versus using Aplus.Net's DNS service). In the same way that a domain name must be registered with an official Registrar to be recognized on the Internet, domain name servers must also be registered with an official Registrar. Domain name servers are registered with the same company that the domain itself is registered with. 

If you want to host multiple domains, you do not need to register separate nameservers for each of them. The best setup is to choose one of your domains (example.com) as the base of your business and register two nameservers with it (for instance: ns1.example.com and ns2.example.com). The nameservers should be registered with the IP address of your dedicated server. 

Once your nameservers are registered, you can point your domains to them.

1. Register your nameservers:
If the domain you wish to have nameservers with is registered with Aplus.Net, please send a request for registering nameservers to including the following information:

• The Registration Number associated with your domain name registration.
• The Challenge Question and Answer associated with that Registration Number.
• The hostname(s) of the name server (ns1.example.com and ns2.example.com) and the IP address(es) of your dedicated server. 
• Your name servers will be registered within 24-48 hours.

Important: Domain names (with the exception of .com and .net) require two valid nameservers.

2. Update the active nameservers of your domains:
Once your nameservers are registered, please make sure to point all domain names you are going to host to the newly registered nameservers. In case your domains and nameservers are registered with Aplus.Net, here is how to achieve this:

• How do I update the nameservers of my domain name?

Note: If your domains are not registered with Aplus.Net, you will need to contact your current Registrar for both registering nameservers and updating the active nameservers of your domains.

II. Using the Aplus.Net DNS Service:
Information on how to use the Aplus.Net nameservers for resolving your domain names is available in the following KB article:

• Where do I point the nameservers of my hosted domain names?