Vesta Control Panel - Forum

Hi all,

This is maybe a stupid question but can I use vesta without my own DNS/Bind9 server? I want to add as much as websites as I want but the URL doesn't seem to resolve the IP from the DNS (it's portforwarded). (Or isn't it reccomend to use the DNS from for example namecheap itself(?))

Kind regards,
Ruben

the short answer is definately "yes you can".

All that you need to do is

1. install a fresh system- one that has not had any operating system on it before (this is to ensure Operating System installation defaults are exactly that...defaults)
- configure your hostname appropriately (ie change it to something like server1.yourdomain.com )
- ensure your SSH login works
- ensure your service provider network firewall has correct ports open for VestaCP (I use Vultr, and in the past Google Cloud Compute, as my service provider/s)

2. do a default VestaCP installation without touching anything,
-test the Vesta install first by logging in using https:ipaddress:8083

3. Go to your registrar and create an A record with your webserver External IP Address

You might need to wait a while for DNS propogation to complete across the net, however, once that is complete (use mxtoolbox to check dns), log into Vestacp (or browse any websites on it) using the registered domain name that correlates with A record you have just entered. (this works for any domain on the vesta server..."obviously the port will be different for standard users")

There is one caveat...and i am not sure if this is just because i do something wrong...I have problems with postfix if i completely disable BIND. So for now, I would leave Bind running pending some better advice on that aspect of administration.


Just one caveat...sometimes internet service providers are slow at updating their own dns records...so it is possible for mxtoolbox to say your dns is resolving, however, you are still unable to browse your webserver for a time (mine is like this).

adamjedgar wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:03 pm

the short answer is definately "yes you can".

All that you need to do is

1. install a fresh system- one that has not had any operating system on it before (this is to ensure Operating System installation defaults are exactly that...defaults)
- configure your hostname appropriately (ie change it to something like server1.yourdomain.com )
- ensure your SSH login works
- ensure your service provider network firewall has correct ports open for VestaCP (I use Vultr, and in the past Google Cloud Compute, as my service provider/s)

2. do a default VestaCP installation without touching anything,
-test the Vesta install first by logging in using https:ipaddress:8083

3. Go to your registrar and create an A record with your webserver External IP Address

log into Vestacp (or browse any websites on it) using the registered domain name that correlates with A record you have just entered. (this works for any domain on the vesta server..."obviously the port will be different for standard users")

There is one caveat...and i am not sure if this is just because i do something wrong...I have problems with postfix if i completely disable BIND. So for now, I would leave Bind running pending some better advice on that aspect of administration.

Thanks! This is a really interesting, I'm currently using the custom name servers fuction from namecheap (and I think I set it up correctly?). Maybe I need to wait 24 to 48 hours to see an effect?

I apologise for generic level answer below...this is to also help others who may be new to this whole thing.

Also, i am not an expert...just an intermediate systems administrator. There are others on this forum far more knowledgable than me.

I dont know your configuration however here is a quick summary of what i would do.

1. When setting up custom name servers (your own nameservers) dont forget, you still need an A record pointing to your nameserver itself. So this means that if your nameserver is called ns1.yourdomain.com, then you would point an A record in the registrars console zone area for yourdomain.com, that links that ns1.yourdomain.com subdomain with your servers ip address. If you dont do this, essentially your nameserver doesnt exist on the internet.

There is nothing particularly special about the initial setup when using one server for both webhosting and as a nameserver. You configure vestacp system as normal and have Bind DNS running on it.

So setting up a nameserver is a two part process. At Namecheap;

1. point a single a record at your vestacp server...which is also going to be a nameserver/webhosting server call it something like server1.yourdomain.com (where your domain.com, is your domain name)
2. At namecheap also add a glue record registering your vestacp server as a dns nameserver (if you havent already, do a search at your registrar for information on how to setup glue records on their console correctly)

once you have done the above and its propogated across the internet, any new domains on your vestacp server will use dns records stored on the vesta server. These will then propogate across the internet as each new domain is added to your vestacp server and the dns records are added appropriately.

Another caveat or 2...

1. Most registrars require at least 2 nameservers with 2 different ip addresses (1 master and 1 slave). So its best to not try to do this with just a single nameserver (ie your VestaCP server alone)

2. domain owners still need to add dns records at their respective registrars...only this time they will point at your vesta instance by adding your vestacp server as a namserver. If domain owners simply add an A record with your vesta server ip address, this will bypass bind dns (because the SOA would not be your server if they use a records). The SOA only works if your vestacp server is added as custom nameserver for domains on your vestacp server. If not, then the SOA remains with their registrar.