Private nameservers are what make white-label hosting genuinely white-label. Instead of pointing client domains at a provider's nameservers, they point at ns1.yourbrand.com and ns2.yourbrand.com. Your clients see your brand, and Fast Hive stays invisible. This guide walks through the whole setup, including the registrar step that most people miss.
- Glue records at your registrar - registering the nameserver hostnames against IP addresses.
- Nameserver configuration in WHM - telling the server to answer for those names.
- Package defaults - so new client accounts use them automatically.
What you need before starting
- An active Fast Hive reseller plan with WHM access.
- A domain you own for your brand, for example
yourbrand.com. - Access to that domain's registrar control panel.
- Your server's IP address, or ideally two dedicated IPs. Find it on your service page in My Products & Services, or in WHM under Server Configuration → Basic WebHost Manager Setup.
Step 1 - Register glue records at your registrar
A glue record tells the domain registry the IP address of a nameserver whose own name lives inside the domain it serves. Without it, resolvers hit a circular dependency: to find yourbrand.com they need ns1.yourbrand.com, and to find that they need yourbrand.com.
- Log in to the registrar where
yourbrand.comis registered. - Find the section called Private Nameservers, Register a Nameserver, Host Records, Child Nameservers or Glue Records. The name varies considerably between registrars.
- Register both:
ns1.yourbrand.com → your.server.ip.one ns2.yourbrand.com → your.server.ip.two - Save. Registry updates typically appear within a few hours.
If your domain is registered with Fast Hive, you will find this under the domain's management options in My Domains.
Step 2 - Configure the nameservers in WHM
- Log in to WHM through My Products & Services, or at port
2087. - Go to Server Configuration → Basic WebHost Manager Setup.
- Scroll to the Nameservers section.
- Enter
ns1.yourbrand.comas Nameserver 1 andns2.yourbrand.comas Nameserver 2. - Click Configure Address Records beside each one and confirm the IP address shown matches the glue record you registered.
- Click Save Changes.
Step 3 - Add the A records for your own domain
The glue records live at the registry. Your own DNS zone also needs matching A records so the hostnames resolve normally.
In WHM, go to DNS Functions → Edit DNS Zone, select yourbrand.com, and add:
ns1 14400 IN A your.server.ip.one
ns2 14400 IN A your.server.ip.twoStep 4 - Make them the default for new accounts
Ensure every account you create from now on is handed your nameservers rather than the defaults:
- Check that Basic WebHost Manager Setup shows your nameservers, since new accounts inherit from there.
- If you use WHMCS, set the same nameservers on the server entry under System Settings → Servers, so welcome emails quote the right values.
- Update your welcome email template to give clients your nameservers, never ours.
Step 5 - Verify
Allow a few hours after registering the glue records, then check:
# Do the nameserver hostnames resolve?
nslookup ns1.yourbrand.com 8.8.8.8
nslookup ns2.yourbrand.com 8.8.8.8
# Do they answer authoritatively for a client domain?
nslookup -type=NS clientdomain.com 8.8.8.8
# Ask your nameserver directly
nslookup clientdomain.com ns1.yourbrand.comAll three should succeed before you point any client domain at them.
Step 6 - Move client domains across
Once verified, update existing clients. Do it gradually rather than all at once:
- Start with one low-risk domain - ideally your own.
- Confirm the website and email both work for a full day.
- Then move the rest in small batches, so any problem affects few clients.
- Give clients notice, and expect to answer questions about propagation.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Registrar rejects the nameservers as invalid | Glue records are not registered yet, or have not propagated. Register them first, wait, then set them on client domains. |
ns1.yourbrand.com does not resolve |
The A record is missing from your zone, or the glue record was never created. You need both. |
| "Nameserver not registered at registry" | Some registrars require the parent domain to use those nameservers itself before allowing others to. Point yourbrand.com at them first. |
| Client site went offline after the switch | The DNS zone on your server does not have the right records for that domain. Check it under Edit DNS Zone before blaming propagation. |
| Client email stopped | MX records were not recreated in the new zone. If the client uses external mail, add their MX and SPF records and set Email Routing to Remote Mail Exchanger. |
| Only one nameserver answers | The second glue record is missing or points at an unreachable IP. Verify both individually. |
| Works for you, not for the client | Propagation. Their resolver is still holding the previous answer until its TTL expires. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use private nameservers?
No, but without them your clients can see whose infrastructure they are on the moment they look at their domain settings. If you are selling under your own brand, they are worth the half hour.
Can I use a subdomain of a client's domain?
Technically possible, but do not. Use your own brand domain so the setup survives losing that client.
How long until they work?
Glue records typically propagate within a few hours. Give it a day before switching client domains in bulk.
Do I need a dedicated IP address?
Two are strongly recommended, one per nameserver. Ask Sales & Solutions about adding IPs to your reseller plan.
What happens if I change hosting providers later?
This is exactly why private nameservers are valuable. You update the glue records to the new IPs, and your clients never have to touch their domains.
Can I brand cPanel too?
Yes. WHM lets you set your own logo, colours and support links so clients see your brand throughout, not just in the nameservers.
