How to Set Up Glue Records (Custom Nameservers)

Glue records let you use your own domain name as custom nameservers - for example, ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com instead of the default Westhost nameservers. This is commonly used by web agencies and resellers who want branded nameservers for their clients.

When a domain's nameservers are hosted under the same domain they serve, the registry needs to know the IP addresses of those nameservers in advance. These IP-to-hostname mappings are the glue records. This setup can be completed for any domain registered through your Westhost account.

Steps

1. Log in to your Westhost account and navigate to Domains.

2. Click manage for the domain name you want to configure.

3. Click the DNS tile. The page will reload to show the current nameserver setup for the domain.

4. Remove the existing nameservers listed for the domain.

5. In the NS field, enter the hostname of your first nameserver - for example:

   ns1.yourdomain.com
   

6. In the IP field, enter the IP address for that nameserver.

7. Repeat for the second nameserver - for example:

   ns2.yourdomain.com
   

8. Click the green Add Nameservers button to save.

Propagation

Changes to nameservers can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate. Once complete, your custom nameservers will be active and serving DNS for the domain.

Verifying the Change

After propagation, you can confirm the glue records are set correctly by running a WHOIS lookup on your domain at who.is. The nameserver entries should show your custom hostnames alongside their IP addresses.