Change Your WHM / cPanel Server Hostname
Easily change your WHM / cPanel server hostname via WHM — then update it in your Liquid Web account and DNS records.
Introduction
Changing your server’s hostname is a simple process, though it’s usually reserved for major events like branding updates. While not publicly visible, the hostname is critical because it appears in email headers and DNS records. This guide will show you how to update your hostname easily through the WHM (WebHost Manager) interface on a WHM / cPanel server. We’ll also cover how to finalize the change in your Liquid Web account.
Prerequisites
Before you start make sure your system meets the following requirements:
- Operating system: RHEL/CentOS 7+, AlmaLinux 8+, Ubuntu 16.04+, Debian 9+, etc.
- Control panel (if applicable): WHM/cPanel
- Root access
- Fully Qualified Domain Name that is reachable via DNS.
A FQDN is the complete, unambiguous domain name for your server. It includes the specific host name (the machine name) and the rest of the domain name.
Format: hostname.domainname.tld
Example: server.yourcompany.com
Why is an FQDN mandatory?
- DNS Resolution: For any external service (like email or remote connections) to reliably find your server, the FQDN must be translated into your server’s IP address. This critical function is handled by DNS (Domain Name System).
- Email Deliverability: Many spam filters perform reverse DNS lookups (checking if the IP matches the FQDN). Using an FQDN that resolves correctly is vital for preventing your emails from being marked as spam.
- SSL/TLS Certificates: Certificates used for securing web and control panel access (e.g., WHM/cPanel) must be issued to a valid FQDN.
- Best Practice: Choose a descriptive, simple hostname (e.g., host, server, vps) and combine it with a domain you own. Remember that once you set the FQDN on the server, you must update the corresponding DNS A Record (mapping the FQDN to the server’s IP address)
Step-by-step instructions
To keep your services in sync, be sure to update your hostname in the my.liquidweb.com portal after you change it. Instructions found below.
- Choose a unique name for the server. Common choices include server1, host, or a name related to its function.
- Identify the domain name you will use, such as yourdomain.com.
- Combine them into the hostname.domain.com format.
Make sure the domain is registered and socially acceptable, as it will be visible in email headers. Avoid using a website’s domain name or a WHM service subdomain as the server’s hostname, including:
- cpanel.yourdomain.com: Access the cPanel interface.
- whm.yourdomain.com: Access the WHM interface.
- webdisk.yourdomain.com: Access the webdisk interface.
- webmail.yourdomain.com: Access webmail services.
- autodiscover.yourdomain.com: Used for automatic email client setup (like Microsoft Outlook).
- autoconfig.yourdomain.com: Also used for automatic email client setup.
- To change your hostname, log into WHM. Navigate to Networking Setup in the menu on the left-hand side of the page. Click on Change Hostname.
- Type in the new hostname for your server in the Change Hostname section at the bottom of the page.
- Click Change to complete the change in hostname.
- You will be prompted to add an A Record for the hostname if you have not set one up yet. You can learn how to update DNS records in our article Adding and Editing DNS Records.
- Once you’ve changed your hostname in WHM, log into your my.liquidweb.com to report your new hostname.
- Click on Servers > My Servers section located on the left panel and find your server in the list.
- Click on the meatball menu “3 dots”, located on the right side and click on Edit Hostname.
- Provide your new hostname in the Server Hostname input field, and click Update to save the changes.