{"id":9541,"date":"2018-05-22T11:39:48","date_gmt":"2018-05-22T11:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/?p=9541"},"modified":"2026-03-10T09:37:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T09:37:26","slug":"how-to-point-domain-to-vps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/ph\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","title":{"rendered":"How to point a domain name to VPS\u00a0using a records and custom nameservers"},"content":{"rendered":"

To use a custom domain name with a virtual private server (VPS), you must make a few DNS changes. Otherwise, your website will become inaccessible since the DNS server can’t resolve your domain into its IP address.<\/p>

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to point a domain name to VPS using three methods – changing the A record, configuring Cloudflare, or using custom nameservers.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>

\n\n\n\n<\/p>

Locating details<\/h2>

Before proceeding, purchase a domain name<\/a> from a registrar. In this example, we will use Hostinger. To future-proof and protect your branding, make sure to consider our Domain Bundle deal as well.<\/p>

Keep in mind that the steps may differ depending on your domain registrar.<\/p>

\"Hostinger<\/a><\/figure>

After setting up your Linux VPS<\/a>, open Hostinger’s hosting control panel, hPanel<\/strong>. Click VPS<\/strong> and select Manage<\/strong> for the server in question. On the VPS information <\/strong>tab, copy your server IP address.<\/p>

\"VPS<\/a><\/figure><\/div>

How to point a domain name to VPS<\/h2>

In this section, we’ll explain three methods to point a domain name to your VPS, from the easiest to the most advanced. Since the outcome is the same, choose whichever suits your needs.<\/p>

Point a domain to VPS using the A record<\/strong><\/p>

The easiest way to point your domain is by modifying the A record<\/strong> type in your current DNS zone<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>

This method will keep your DNS zone file<\/strong> and existing record entries at the current provider. The approach is ideal for beginners or users who don’t want to alter their DNS zone location.<\/p>

Before proceeding, use a DNS lookup tool<\/a> to find the NS records<\/strong> and check your domain name’s current pointing location. Alternatively, use the dig<\/strong> command<\/a> via Terminal:<\/p>

dig NS +short domain.tld<\/pre>
\"Nameserver<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
If you purchased the domain from Hostinger, you can easily change the DNS record entries via hPanel:<\/p>
    \n
  1. Navigate to hPanel <\/strong>→ Domains <\/strong>→ Domain Portfolio <\/strong>and select Manage<\/strong> for the domain in question.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Click DNS\/Nameservers <\/strong>on the sidebar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. In the DNS records <\/strong>tab, go to the Manage DNS records<\/strong> section.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Find an existing A and CNAME record<\/strong> type in the DNS zone and replace their value with your VPS IP address<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
    Your DNS entries may look different depending on the approach. If you use two A records for the domain and www <\/strong>subdomain, here’s how the entries should look:<\/p>
    Name<\/strong><\/td>TTL<\/strong><\/td>Type<\/strong><\/td>Address<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    example.com<\/td>14400<\/td>A<\/td>123.12.123.12<\/td><\/tr>
    www.example.com<\/td>14400<\/td>A<\/td>123.12.123.13<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>
    Meanwhile, the entries should look like this if you use A and CNAME records setup for the domain and subdomain:<\/p>
    Name<\/strong><\/td>TTL<\/strong><\/td>Type<\/strong><\/td>Address<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    example.com<\/td>14400<\/td>A<\/td>123.12.123.12<\/td><\/tr>
    www.example.com<\/td>14400<\/td>CNAME<\/td>example.com<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>
    After you point the domain to the virtual private server, check whether the entries were added correctly. Use DNS checkup tools or enter the dig<\/strong> command via Terminal:<\/p>
    dig A +short domain.tld<\/pre>
    \"The<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
    If configured correctly, Terminal will return your VPS’s IP address as the A record. The DNS propagation time may take up to 24 hours, but flushing DNS<\/a> can help speed up the process.<\/p>
    Once it’s complete, you will see a default loading page when visiting your domain.<\/p>
    \"The<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
    Point a domain to VPS via Cloudflare<\/strong><\/p>
    Pointing a domain via Cloudflare requires extra steps. Fortunately, the procedure is similar regardless of your VPS hosting control panel.<\/p>
    In addition to changing the A record in DNS settings, you must assign the Cloudflare nameservers to your domain name.<\/p>
    To start, follow these steps to add your domain to Cloudflare:<\/p>
      \n
    1. Create a new Cloudflare account<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. On the main dashboard, click Add site<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Enter your domain name and click the Add site <\/strong>button.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Select the free <\/strong>plan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Review the root domain records. Ensure the A record <\/strong>type points to your VPS IP address. Then, click continue<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Copy both the Cloudflare nameservers and paste them into a text editor.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
      Now, change the nameservers on your registrar’s domain management panel. Here’s how to do it on Hostinger:<\/p>
        \n
      1. Navigate to hPanel <\/strong>→ Domains<\/strong> → Domain<\/strong> Portfolio<\/strong>. Select Manage<\/strong> for the domain in question.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. On the Domain Overview <\/strong>page, click Edit <\/strong>next to DNS\/Nameservers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Select Change Nameservers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Paste the nameservers. Leave the other fields blank.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      5. Click Save<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
        \"Changing<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
        Flush DNS to speed up propagation and wait until your domain becomes accessible. To verify if the DNS records are set up correctly, use a lookup tool or enter dig <\/strong>in Terminal.<\/p>
        Point a domain to VPS using custom nameservers<\/strong><\/p>
        Pointing a domain via custom nameservers is trickier, as you must set up a new DNS zone on the virtual server. However, it allows you to use hPanel to control the domain for easier management.<\/p>
        This method will switch your DNS zone location to the VPS. This means you can manage all DNS-related settings in the newly created zone. To do so, follow these steps:<\/p>
          \n
        1. On hPanel<\/strong>, navigate to Domains <\/strong>→ Domain<\/strong> Portfolio<\/strong>. Select Manage<\/strong> for the domain in question.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. Then, click on DNS \/ Nameservers<\/strong> on the left side menu and navigate to the Child nameservers<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Enter your desired child nameservers, like ns1.domain.tld<\/strong> and ns2.domain.tld<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. Enter your VPS dedicated IP<\/a> address <\/strong>in both fields.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        5. Click Save<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
          \"The<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
          After completing the setup of the child nameservers, create a DNS zone on your Hostinger VPS hosting account. Before proceeding, run this command to ensure your VPS has the BIND <\/strong>service:<\/p>
          named -v<\/pre>
          If you use Hostinger’s VPS operating system templates<\/a>, it <\/strong>should be pre-installed. Otherwise, download and install BIND<\/strong><\/a> on your Linux machine. <\/strong>Then, follow these steps to set up the DNS zone on your VPS:<\/p>
            \n
          1. Connect to your VPS via SSH<\/a> using Terminal or applications like PuTTY.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Enter the following to change the working directory:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
            cd \/etc\/bind<\/pre>
              \n
            1. Then, create a separate folder for the DNS zone files:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
              mkdir -p zones<\/pre>
                \n
              1. Access the newly created directory:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                cd zones<\/pre>
                  \n
                1. Use the nano<\/strong> command to create a new zone file for your domain. Replace domain.tld <\/strong>with your domain name:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                  nano domain.tld<\/pre>
                    \n
                  1. Enter the following snippet and replace the placeholder with your VPS IP address:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                    ;\n; BIND data file for domain.tld\n;\n$TTL    3h\n@       IN      SOA     ns1.domain.tld. admin.domain.tld. (\n 1        ; Serial\n                         3h       ; Refresh after 3 hours\n                         1h       ; Retry after 1 hour\n                         1w       ; Expire after 1 week\n                         1h )     ; Negative caching TTL of 1 day\n;\n@       IN      NS      ns1.domain.tld.\n@       IN      NS      ns2.domain.tld.\ndomain.tld.    IN      MX      10      domain.tld.\ndomain.tld.    IN      A       123.12.123.12\nns1                     IN      A       123.12.123.12\nns2                     IN      A       123.12.123.13\nwww                     IN      CNAME   domain.tld.\nmail                    IN      A       123.12.123.12\nftp                     IN      CNAME   domain.tld.<\/pre>
                      \n
                    1. Press CTRL + X <\/strong>to save and confirm the changes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    2. On a new line, enter the following command to insert the zone file with the default bind configuration for DNS:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                      cd \/etc\/bind<\/pre>
                      nano named.conf.local<\/pre>
                        \n
                      1. Add the following lines at the bottom, and make sure to edit the file name with the real values:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                        zone \"domain.tld\" {\n      type master;\n      file \"\/etc\/bind\/zones\/domain.tld\";\n};<\/pre>
                          \n
                        1. Edit the named.conf.options<\/strong> file using the nano <\/strong>command to change the DNS forwarder. We recommend using a stable DNS forwarder like Google Public DNS:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                          nano named.conf.options<\/pre>
                            \n
                          1. Locate the following lines and change 0.0.0.0 <\/strong>to the forwarder’s DNS address:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                            \/\/ forwarders {\n\/\/      0.0.0.0;\n\/\/ };<\/pre>
                            After adding the values, execute this command to check if the DNS zone file syntax is correct:<\/p>
                            named-checkzone domain.tld \/etc\/bind\/zones\/domain.tld<\/pre>
                            If the syntax is correct, the output should be similar to:<\/p>
                            \"DNS<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
                            After ensuring the file is correctly configured, run these commands to restart the DNS bind service:<\/p>
                            \/etc\/init.d\/bind9 restart<\/pre>
                            \/etc\/init.d\/bind9 start<\/pre>
                            Once the DNS zone is set, change your domain nameservers<\/a> to the new ones.<\/p>
                            To point your domain to Hostinger, go to hPanel<\/strong> → Domains<\/strong> → Domain Portfolio<\/strong>. Click Manage<\/strong> for the domain in question and click Edit <\/strong>next to the nameservers.<\/p>
                            Wait for the DNS propagation process and check the status using checkup tools or Terminal. Then, access your domain via a web browser to verify if it’s configured correctly.<\/p>
                            Setting up reverse DNS record<\/h2>
                            You may need to set up a reverse DNS<\/a> record for various reasons, like tracking users or the origin of an email. It lets the DNS server resolve your VPS IP address to the domain name, not the opposite.<\/p>
                            \"PTR<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
                            To set up a reverse DNS, Hostinger users can add a pointer (PTR) record<\/strong> to VPS via hPanel. Here are the steps:<\/p>
                              \n
                            1. On hPanel<\/strong>, click VPS<\/strong> → Settings<\/strong> on the sidebar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            2. Click the IP address <\/strong>tab → Set PTR record<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            3. Enter your domain name and click Save<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                              You can also ask Kodee, our AI assistant<\/a>, to create or remove a reverse DNS on your VPS. To do this, simply ask the following, with vpshostname.com<\/strong> and domainname.com <\/strong>being their actual values:<\/p>
                              Set up a reverse DNS for my vpshostname.com VPS using the domainname.com domain.<\/pre>
                              Once added, wait until the DNS servers fully propagate the PTR record.<\/p>
                              \"\"<\/a><\/figure>
                              Conclusion<\/h2>
                              Pointing your domain name to VPS is essential to make your website accessible online. In this tutorial, we have explained three different methods to do so:<\/p>
                                \n
                              1. Changing CNAME and A records via the domain’s registrar DNS settings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              2. Assigning VPS IP address to the A records and using Cloudflare’s nameservers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              3. Creating custom nameservers and setting up the DNS zone on your VPS.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
                                After changing the DNS settings, wait 24 hours until the propagation process is finished. Once the domain starts working, use the VPS to host your website or web applications.<\/p>
                                \n                    
                                Start Working on Your Linux VPS<\/h4>\n                    
                                How to Change Hostname on Linux<\/a>
                                \n                                How to Use Tmux on Linux for Task Management<\/a>
                                \n                                How to Start Working with Linux Screen<\/a><\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p>
                                How to point a domain name to VPS FAQ<\/h2>
                                In this section, we will answer several questions about how to point a domain name to VPS. If yours remains unanswered, leave it under the comments section below.<\/p>
                                What’s the difference between pointing a domain to a VPS using A records and nameservers?<\/h3> 
                                Unlike A records, nameservers automatically match the DNS zone with your VPS hosting IP address. With the A record type, you must reconfigure the IP address whenever it changes. If your server IP address is static, we recommend using the A record to point to your domain name.<\/p> <\/div> 
                                How can I find out where my domain is currently pointed?<\/h3> 
                                You can use an online DNS lookup tool or the dig <\/strong>command via Terminal. Here’s the command’s syntax: dig NS +short domain.tld<\/strong>.<\/p> <\/div> 
                                What are custom nameservers, and how can I create them?<\/h3> 
                                The default nameservers are typically bound to the web hosting provider and contain branding like ns1.hostinger.com<\/strong>. Custom nameservers let you use different DNS servers unrelated to your hosting provider, like ns1.yourdomain.com<\/strong>. It improves branding and makes switching hosting providers easier.<\/p> <\/div> 
                                How do I know if I set up the DNS records correctly?<\/h3> 
                                If your DNS records are set correctly, your domain points to the correct IP address and nameservers. Use a DNS lookup tool, run the dig <\/strong>command, or ping the domain to verify if it resolves to the right IP address.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
                                To use a custom domain name with a virtual private server (VPS), you must make a few DNS changes. Otherwise, your website will become inaccessible since the DNS server can’t resolve your domain into its IP address. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to point a domain name to VPS using three methods – […]<\/p>\n
                                Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"How to Point a Domain Name to VPS","rank_math_description":"There are three ways to point a domain to VPS - through DNS zone, Cloudflare, and nameservers. Read on for a step-by-step guide to them.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"how to point a domain name to vps","footnotes":""},"categories":[22639],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vps"],"hreflangs":[{"locale":"en-US","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0},{"locale":"pt-BR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/br\/tutoriais\/apontar-dominio-para-vps","default":0},{"locale":"fr-FR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/fr\/tutoriels\/changer-dns-domaine-vps","default":0},{"locale":"es-ES","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/es\/tutoriales\/apuntar-dominio-vps","default":0},{"locale":"id-ID","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/id\/tutorial\/cara-mengarahkan-domain-ke-hosting-vps-server","default":0},{"locale":"en-UK","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/uk\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0},{"locale":"en-MY","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0},{"locale":"en-PH","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0},{"locale":"es-MX","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/mx\/tutoriales\/apuntar-dominio-vps","default":0},{"locale":"es-CO","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/co\/tutoriales\/apuntar-dominio-vps","default":0},{"locale":"es-AR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ar\/tutoriales\/apuntar-dominio-vps","default":0},{"locale":"pt-PT","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/pt\/tutoriais\/apontar-dominio-para-vps","default":0},{"locale":"en-IN","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0},{"locale":"en-CA","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ca\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0},{"locale":"en-AU","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/au\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0},{"locale":"en-NG","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ng\/tutorials\/how-to-point-domain-to-vps","default":0}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9541"}],"version-history":[{"count":60,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":126573,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9541\/revisions\/126573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}