WHM New Account DNS Settings

[figment]

Can someone give me a good explanation of what the DNS Settings checkboxes are used for when setting up a new account with the WHM? I can't seem to find any documentation for either of these options.

If I'm creating a new site for someone whose domain is parked somewhere else, and I don't want the domain to point the the new site until it's complete, I'd think to check the "Use the nameservers specified at the Domain's Registrar (ignore locally specified nameservers)" checkbox. Once the site is complete, I'd change the nameservers specified at their registrar to mine. But if I've checked that checkbox, is everything set up correct on my own server, or do I then need to change something on my server for the site to work correctly? I can't find any way to change this setting once the account has been created.

What happens if I don't check it (so the account is created to use my nameservers), but they don't change anything at their registrar? It doesn't seem like it would do anything in that case.

And while I'm here, what does "Overwrite any existing DNS zones for the account" do?

Thanks!

[sergey]

The checkbox "Use domain registry nameservers" is used if you want cPanel to add domain registry nameservers to the DNS zone of your domain. I would not recommend you to check this checkbox since you will need to change the nameservers in the DNS zone via WebHost Manager when you change the nameservers at your Domain registrar to point the domain to your new server.

[Matt]

In other words, when you create an account in WHM and check "Use Domain Registry Nameservers" it is going to do a WHOIS on your domain and use the nameservers that your domain currently is using, which is usually a bad idea. Generally you want it to create your account with the nameservers that have been configured here. usually ns1/ns2.glowhost.net (or similar) or if you are a reseller, ns1/ns2.yourhosting.com

So in regards to:

If I'm creating a new site for someone whose domain is parked somewhere else, and I don't want the domain to point the the new site until it's complete, I'd think to check the "Use the nameservers specified at the Domain's Registrar (ignore locally specified nameservers)" checkbox.

It doesn't matter if you check the box or not, since it is at the registrar / registry where you decide when to point the domain to your server. The DNS zone here does not act authoritatively until your Nameserver have been pointed to it.

If you check the box to use the registry nameservers then when you update your nameservers at your registrar, you are going to have to use the DNS editor in WHM to use your reseller nameservers instead of the ones that USED to be configured at the registry before you pointed your nameservers to the reseller hosting account.

Meaning the registry and your local zone must match in regards to the NS entries. By default, your zones are set to match the nameservers that you will set on your domain, when you are ready to resolve the site. Checking the box overrides this default and uses what you currently have instead of what you are going to be using, which adds an additional step to making your site work.

And while I'm here, what does "Overwrite any existing DNS zones for the account" do?

It means that sometimes WHM will have a DNS zone on the server that was not properly removed at some point in the past. When you try to create a new account, if a zone exists WHM will not allow you to create the account until the zone has been deleted. This new option allows you to overwrite the existing zone instead. Check this box if account creation fails due to WHM complaining about finding a zone for this domain.

Does that answer everything?

[sergey]

If you check the option "Overwrite any existing DNS zones for the account", cPanel will overwrite the DNS zone for your main domain if it exists on the server.

What happens if I don't check it (so the account is created to use my nameservers), but they don't change anything at their registrar? It doesn't seem like it would do anything in that case.

It won't do anything in this case because the domain nameservers will still be poiinting to the old location and you can modify your DNS records in the DNS zone on the servers where your nameservers point.

[figment]

Does that answer everything?

Yes it did. Thanks for the very thorough response!

(And sorry it took me so long to thank you. This tab kind of got lost in my huge collection of open Firefox tabs. I think it's time I figure out what in the world all these things are that were so important for me to keep open! )

Edit: Although I should add the comment/question that so basically, if I'm creating an account whose domain will eventually be pointing to my server, there's no reason to ever check either of those boxes?

[rlhanson]

How do I make the default nameservers reflect my custom nameservers?
I see the editor for the template but have no clue how or what to do with it.

[Matt]

Just replace the defaults with your custom nameserver using the appropriate format. If you want to chnage the defaults so something else, this can be done by root.

[rlhanson]

I don't get it! lol

Here's what's in the edit zone template:

; cPanel %cpversion%
; Zone file for %domain%
$TTL %ttl%
@      %nsttl% IN      SOA     %nameserver%. %rpemail%. (
  %serial% ; serial, todays date+todays
  86400  ; refresh, seconds
  7200  ; retry, seconds
  3600000  ; expire, seconds
  86400 )  ; minimum, seconds
%domain%. %nsttl% IN NS %nameserver%.
%domain%. %nsttl% IN NS %nameserver2%.
%domain%. %nsttl% IN NS %nameserver3%.
%domain%. %nsttl% IN NS %nameserver4%.
%nameserverentry%. IN A %nameservera%
%nameserverentry2%. IN A %nameservera2%
%nameserverentry3%. IN A %nameservera3%
%nameserverentry4%. IN A %nameservera4%
%domain%. IN A %ip%
localhost.%domain%. IN A 127.0.0.1
%domain%. IN MX 0 %domain%.
mail IN CNAME %domain%.
www IN CNAME %domain%.
ftp IN CNAME %domain%.

[Matt]

If you want the default nameservers to be something than they are currently, root will need to do this in WHM > Reseller Center or WHM Basic Settings