VPS with private nameserver domain different than primary domain

[Tally]

I have a level 3 cPanel VPS with a primary domain "mydomain.org" (fake domain name - the real domain is "restoringforeskin.org"). Before transferring the domain to the VPS, the domain pointed to an operating site with over 1000 visitors a day. It was hosted on a Hostgator shared server until I tried to transfer it to a VPS.

I obtained another domain "tnameserver.info" (real domain name) that I wished to use as a private name server. I plan on using the private name server for several domains, so I did not want to use the primary domain as the name of the name server. At the domain registrar I set up the GoDaddy "Host Summary" using the Hostgator Private Name Servers - Setup instructions. I also defined the name servers for that domain.

Using WHM, I followed the instructions at Important DNS Update. The DNS zones are:

myd.mydomain.org. IN SOA ns1.tnameserver.info.  my.email.address
myd.mydomain.org. IN NS  ns1.tnameserver.info.
myd.mydomain.org. IN NS  ns2.tnameserver.info.
ns1 IN A  (1st IP address)
ns2 IN A  (2nd IP address)

mydomain.org. IN SOA ns1.tnameserver.info.  my.email.address
mydomain.org. IN NS  ns1.tnameserver.info.
mydomain.org. IN NS  ns2.tnameserver.info.

tnameserver.info. IN SOA ns1.tnameserver.info.  my.email.address
tnameserver.info. IN NS  ns1.tnameserver.info.
tnameserver.info. IN NS  ns2.tnameserver.info.

I set up the private name server and created a simple index.htm file for the domain. Because I had Internet access tp tnameserver.info seconds after I set everything up, I did not do any further checking.

Now, two weeks later, I finished testing the site on the VPS and I changed the nameserver at the mydomain.org registrar. After letting it propagate for 36 hours, I am seeing some strange stuff when I try to resolve mydomain.org and tnameserver.info. I would expect people to be directed to the site on the old server until the DNS propagates and then they would see the site on the VPS. This is not happening. Most people see a parking page.

Using various DNS propagation checkers, tnameserver.info resolves to either the correct IP address or to 50.97.101.194, which is not my IP, but is an unused Hostgator address.

While trouble shooting my DNS propagation problems, I found a button in WHM under "Basic cPanel & WHM Setup" for adding an A record for the nameservers. Clicking the button adds an A record to the tnameserver.info DNS Zone for the nameserver:

tnameserver.info.
ns1 IN A  (1st IP address)
ns2 IN A  (2nd IP address)

It was not clear from the instructions at Important DNS Update that the A record must be added to the DNS Zone for the nameserver domain, but that is what WHM did with the button. The Hostgator Important DNS Update page says the A record must be added to the primary domain zone, but does not define the primary domain clearly.

So, after several more hours and no noticeable change, I am wondering what is going on. The odd IP is not normal. The parking page is not normal compared to when I've changed nameservers before. Does anyone with any DNS experience identify something wrong with what I am doing or do I just need to keep on waiting for the Internet to magically get it right?

DNS gives me a headache. Anyone have an aspirin?

[quietFinn]

If your nameservers are:
ns1.tnameserver.info
&
ns2.tnameserver.info

then the A records for those must be in the DNZ Zone of the domain tnameserver.info.

It is very clear if you think of it: you see a hostname like ns1.tnameserver.info. Where can I find the A record for that hostname?
Aaaaahhh... in the DNS Zone of the domain tnameserver.info of course

If your server's hostname is myd.mydomain.org you do not need a DNS Zone for that. Instead in the DNS Zone of the domain mydomain.org you have a A record:
myd IN A <your_servers_IP_address>

When you have added that you must remove the DNS Zone for myd.mydomain.org.

Also if there are DNS Zones for ns1.tnameserver.info & ns2.tnameserver.info remove those also.

[Tally]

Thank you, quietFinn.

When Hostgator provisioned the VPS, they created DNS zones for the nameservers and for the subdomain myd.mydomain.org. I deleted them after I added the subdomain A record to my primary domain.

As for your logic of how DNS works, it sounds good but it is based on the assumption that I know enough about how names are resolved to draw those conclusions on my own. Sadly, I've read too many conflicting and incomplete instructions to be confident that what makes sense is how it actually works. Your reputation on these forums precedes you. Your word is good enough for me. Thanks, again.

I checked my nameserver IPs in WHM. Oh Oh.

The Hostgator assigned nameservers "ns1.mydomain.org" now have the bogus IP address assigned to them.Before, they had no assigned IP address. The correct nameservers "ns1.tnameserver.org" have my server IP addresses assigned. I cannot find where the Hostgator nameservers are assigned those IPs. My inclination is to add the ns1.mydomain.org nameservers as A records to mydomain.org, even though I will not be using those nameservers.

Incidentally, I wrote a ticket asking Hostgator to look at my DNS zones and tell me if they were OK. I was told they were fine and I should just continue to wait. *sigh*

I feel better about the settings now. Hopefully I will see a difference in a few hours.

I have another question. After making all these changes, do I need to Perform a DNS Cleanup from WHM? I have not been able to find a good explanation of that function, and I wonder if it is needed after making all these changes. Particularly since the appearance of the bogus IP address.

[Tally]

I just added A records for ns1 and ns2 for mydomain.org using my server's IP addresses. It did not have the result I expected.

Nameserver IPs
Nameserver                 IP             No. Zones
ns1.restoringforeskin.org  50.97.101.194  4
ns1.tnameserver.info       50.116.83.220  4
ns2.restoringforeskin.org  50.97.101.194  4
ns2.tnameserver.info       50.116.82.221  4

The Nameserver IPs shown by WHM did not change. Something, somewhere is telling my server that those nameservers have a bogus IP address. The .220 and .221 IPs are those assigned to my server.

[quietFinn]

When you check the nameservers in WHM-> DNS Functions >> Nameserver IPs that info is not real time. I don't know from where WHM is digging that info, but if your nameservers are configured correctly also that info will be correct later, whenever WHM has done it's checking again.

My instructions are based in the assumption that the DNS Zone for the domain tnameserver.info is hosted in this VPS?
If yes, then the IPS for ns1.tnameserver.info & ns2.tnameserver.info are the IPs of yout VPS, i.e. 50.116.83.220 & 50.116.83.221.

[Tally]

Originally Posted by quietFinn

My instructions are based in the assumption that the DNS Zone for the domain tnameserver.info is hosted in this VPS?
If yes, then the IPS for ns1.tnameserver.info & ns2.tnameserver.info are the IPs of yout VPS, i.e. 50.116.83.220 & 50.116.83.221.

Your assumptions are correct.

After making your changes, I am seeing some increased traffic on the site.

As for the nameserver info provided by WHM not being realtime. That may be. Although, the bogus IP addresses showed up shortly after I made your suggested changes. There is so much I do not understand about Linux and some of the software it uses.

[quietFinn]

This looks ok:
http://www.intodns.com/restoringforeskin.org

[Tally]

Originally Posted by quietFinn

This looks ok:
http://www.intodns.com/restoringforeskin.org

Great site! That looks like a great tool.

It has a flag for Recursive Queries, though. I need to do some research on that.

[Tally]

*UPDATE*

I went to bed last night (actually, early this morning) with high hopes that the DNS would finish propagating and my site would be accessible to all. Sadly, I woke to a continued mess.

After more looking and reading and examining and experimenting and checking and pulling my hair out, I discovered a typo in the IP address for ns2.tnameserver.info. The typo is seen plain as day in Message 4 above.

I changed the 82 to 83 and within minutes I noticed a difference. Name servers started reporting the correct address. Traffic to the site grew to normal levels within an hour. This is how I remember DNS propagation working.



In addition to the intoDNS site linked above, the name server checking sites I found most helpful were:

• verifyDNS
• ViewDNS
• What's My DNS