Change your server's hostname in WHM - Revision history

Docs admin: Rewritten for current WHM and Acenet servers (WHM section refresh)

2026-10-27T14:26:24Z

Rewritten for current WHM and Acenet servers (WHM section refresh)

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:26, 27 October 2026
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	~~==Change your Hostname==~~		This guide is for '''cloud servers and dedicated servers''' with cPanel.

	~~1 ) Log into~~ WHM ~~as root~~.		Your server's hostname is its own name, such as ''server.example.com''. cPanel uses it for logging in to WHM and cPanel, for the server's own SSL certificate and in the headers of every email the server sends.

	~~2 ) Click on 'Change Hostname' under the 'Networking Setup' section.~~		== Choose a hostname ==

	~~3 ) Enter the new hostname~~ you ~~wish to~~ use ~~in the~~ '~~New Hostname~~' ~~text field~~.		* Use a subdomain of a domain you own, such as ''server.example.com''. Don't use a domain that hosts a website, such as ''example.com'' itself.
			* Don't start it with ''www'' or a number, and don't end it with a hyphen.
			* Keep it to 60 characters or fewer.

	~~{{note\|This must be an FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) and should consist of a name part and a domain name. All valid hostnames should have 2 dots in them. An example of a proper~~ hostname ~~is:~~		== Step 1: Point the hostname to your server ==

	server.~~example.com~~		Create an '''A''' record for the hostname that points to your server's main IP address, wherever the domain's DNS is hosted.

	~~where~~ 'server' ~~is the name part and~~ '~~example~~.~~com~~' is the ~~domain name~~.}}		* If the domain's DNS is on your server, use '''DNS Functions''' > '''Add an A Entry for your Hostname''' in WHM after step 2.
			* If it's hosted somewhere else, such as Cloudflare, add the record there. On Cloudflare, set it to '''DNS only''', not proxied.

	~~4 ) Click~~ the ~~[[File:Whm_change.jpg‎]] button.~~		== Step 2: Change the hostname ==

	~~==Add an A record entry for your hostname==~~		'''1.''' Log in to WHM as root and go to '''Networking Setup''' > '''Change Hostname'''.

	~~If your server is handling the domain~~'~~s DNS that is associated with your server~~'~~s hostname, you will want to proceed with~~ the ~~following steps to add an A record for your~~ hostname ~~through your server~~'~~s WHM~~.		'''2.''' Enter the new hostname and click '''Change'''.

	~~If your server is not handling~~ the ~~DNS of the domain associated with your~~ server's ~~hostname, you will want to create~~ the A record for ~~your~~ hostname ~~at the server that's handling the domain's DNS~~.		WHM updates the server and cPanel's own settings. Once the '''A''' record from step 1 works, cPanel gets a free SSL certificate for the hostname automatically.

	~~1 ) Click~~ the ~~[[File:Whm_addarecord~~.~~jpg‎]]~~ button.		On a cPanel server, always change the hostname in WHM. Other ways of changing it, such as the '''Change Hostname''' button in the Client Area or commands on the server, don't update cPanel's settings.

	~~2 ) Ensure the IP address specified is correct. (Usually it's your server's main IP)~~		== Step 3: Reverse DNS ==

	3 ) ~~Click~~ the [~~[File~~:~~Whm_add_entry~~.~~jpg‎]~~] ~~button~~.		Many mail servers check that the reverse DNS (PTR record) of your server's IP address matches its hostname, and may reject email when it doesn't. To set reverse DNS for your IP address, please [[Open a support ticket\|open a support ticket]] in the '''Technical Support''' department with the IP address and the hostname.

			For details, see cPanel's [https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/networking-setup/change-hostname/ Change Hostname] documentation.

	[[Category:WHM]]		[[Category:WHM]]

Docs admin: Docs admin moved page How to change your server hostname in WHM to Change your server's hostname in WHM: Clearer title (WHM section refresh, Oct 2026)

2026-10-27T14:25:58Z

Docs admin moved page How to change your server hostname in WHM to Change your server's hostname in WHM: Clearer title (WHM section refresh, Oct 2026)

← Older revision	Revision as of 10:25, 27 October 2026
(No difference)

Docs admin: Text replacement - "WHM - Web Host Manager" to "WHM"

2015-07-22T19:20:32Z

Text replacement - "WHM - Web Host Manager" to "WHM"

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:20, 22 July 2015
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	3 ) Click the [[File:Whm_add_entry.jpg‎]] button.		3 ) Click the [[File:Whm_add_entry.jpg‎]] button.

	[[Category:WHM ~~- Web Host Manager~~]]		[[Category:WHM]]

Docs admin: Text replacement - "WHM (Web Host Manager)" to "WHM - Web Host Manager"

2015-07-22T19:14:47Z

Text replacement - "WHM (Web Host Manager)" to "WHM - Web Host Manager"

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:14, 22 July 2015
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	3 ) Click the [[File:Whm_add_entry.jpg‎]] button.		3 ) Click the [[File:Whm_add_entry.jpg‎]] button.

	[[Category:WHM (Web Host Manager)]]		[[Category:WHM - Web Host Manager]]

Docs admin: Docs admin moved page How to change your server hostname (WHM) to How to change your server hostname in WHM: Text replacement - "How to change your server hostname (WHM)" to "How to change your server hostname in WHM"

2015-07-22T14:57:00Z

Docs admin moved page How to change your server hostname (WHM) to How to change your server hostname in WHM: Text replacement - "How to change your server hostname (WHM)" to "How to change your server hostname in WHM"

← Older revision	Revision as of 10:57, 22 July 2015
(No difference)

Docs admin at 18:48, 8 February 2013

2013-02-08T18:48:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:48, 8 February 2013
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	where 'server' is the name part and 'example.com' is the domain name.}}		where 'server' is the name part and 'example.com' is the domain name.}}


	4 ) Click the [[File:Whm_change.jpg‎]] button.		4 ) Click the [[File:Whm_change.jpg‎]] button.

Docs admin at 18:47, 8 February 2013

2013-02-08T18:47:57Z

Docs admin: Docs admin moved page How can I change my server's hostname? (WHM) to How to change your server hostname (WHM) without leaving a redirect

2012-11-08T18:17:39Z

Docs admin moved page How can I change my server's hostname? (WHM) to How to change your server hostname (WHM) without leaving a redirect

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:17, 8 November 2012
(No difference)

Docs admin at 16:19, 5 October 2012

2012-10-05T16:19:56Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:19, 5 October 2012
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	[1] Log into WHM as root.		[1] Log into WHM as root.

	[2] Click on 'Change Hostname' under the 'Networking Setup' section.		[2] Click on 'Change Hostname' under the 'Networking Setup' section.

	[3] Enter the new hostname you wish to use in the 'New Hostname' text field.		[3] Enter the new hostname you wish to use in the 'New Hostname' text field.

Docs admin at 16:19, 5 October 2012

2012-10-05T16:19:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:19, 5 October 2012
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	{{note\|This must be an FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) and should consist of a name part and a domain name. All valid hostnames should have 2 dots in them. An example of a proper hostname is:		{{note\|This must be an FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) and should consist of a name part and a domain name. All valid hostnames should have 2 dots in them. An example of a proper hostname is:


	server.example.com		server.example.com

	where 'server' is the name part and 'example.com' is the domain name.}}		where 'server' is the name part and 'example.com' is the domain name.}}


	[4] Click the [[File:Whm_change.jpg‎]] button.		[4] Click the [[File:Whm_change.jpg‎]] button.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:47, 8 February 2013
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	==Change your Hostname==		==Change your Hostname==

	[1] Log into WHM as root.		1 ) Log into WHM as root.

	[2] Click on 'Change Hostname' under the 'Networking Setup' section.		2 ) Click on 'Change Hostname' under the 'Networking Setup' section.

	[3] Enter the new hostname you wish to use in the 'New Hostname' text field.		3 ) Enter the new hostname you wish to use in the 'New Hostname' text field.

	{{note\|This must be an FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) and should consist of a name part and a domain name. All valid hostnames should have 2 dots in them. An example of a proper hostname is:		{{note\|This must be an FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) and should consist of a name part and a domain name. All valid hostnames should have 2 dots in them. An example of a proper hostname is:
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	[4] Click the [[File:Whm_change.jpg‎]] button.		4 ) Click the [[File:Whm_change.jpg‎]] button.

	==Add an A record entry for your hostname==		==Add an A record entry for your hostname==
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	If your server is not handling the DNS of the domain associated with your server's hostname, you will want to create the A record for your hostname at the server that's handling the domain's DNS.		If your server is not handling the DNS of the domain associated with your server's hostname, you will want to create the A record for your hostname at the server that's handling the domain's DNS.

	[1] Click the [[File:Whm_addarecord.jpg‎]] button.		1 ) Click the [[File:Whm_addarecord.jpg‎]] button.

	[2] Ensure the IP address specified is correct. (Usually it's your server's main IP)		2 ) Ensure the IP address specified is correct. (Usually it's your server's main IP)

	[3] Click the [[File:Whm_add_entry.jpg‎]] button.		3 ) Click the [[File:Whm_add_entry.jpg‎]] button.

	[[Category:WHM (Web Host Manager)]]		[[Category:WHM (Web Host Manager)]]