What NS do clients use?

[johnk42]

The question has been asked and answered many times in numerous convoluted ways, but a KISS response would be helpfull to me and maybe to others.

Assuming I run the site as a Reseller, where does my Client point his name servers to?

I have a DigitalOcean droplet and I've pointed my name servers to it: ns1.digitalocean.com etc. My site and the subdomains are all working fine. The problem is, I've set up four clients for sites I maintain, but can't get any to work. When I create a domain for any of the four client sites in their respective areas, all I get is "This site can't be reached." I've never seen a Sentora holding page - ever.

Does the client point his nameservers to?:

(a) ns1.digitalocean.com etc
(b) ns1.mysite.com etc
© ns1clientsite.com etc
© somewhere else?

I'm assuming (b) because my client shouldn't even know about DigitalOcean. However none work and (b) gives an error at the DNS storage facility. This error indicates that the name server ns1.mysite.com isn't recognised.

When the client creates DNS records using DNS Manager, the generated nameservers are: 

A Record  ns1.mysite.com etc
NS           ns1.clientsite.com etc

All help appreciated.

[TGates]

Are your nameservers at your registrar pointed at your server IP?
There is a lot in our docs about DNS and different configurations: http://docs.sentora.org/?node=26
I use this method since I only have 1 IP for my server: http://docs.sentora.org/?node=95

[johnk42]

Thanks for responding over the Easter period. it's greatly appreciated. Before I respond to your post, my problem isn't isolated as you will already know. With Digital Ocean being one of the major players out there, thousands of people who create droplets will be looking for an easy-to-install control panel. Sadly, the tutorial on the DigitalOcean site contravenes any advice on this site in every way imaginable. They specifically tell you  to change the name servers and their lengthy tutorial covers all major DNS companies.

By using their method I was able to get my single site to work but I also host several very small sites for community organisations and I want to give them control panel access as clients.  This is where the wheels have fallen off. I imagine that the number of community groups I sponsor in this way will increase to dozens, so it's essential I get it right.

To avoid confusion if I may, I'll use the term name-server pointing when the actual DNS is pointing and A Record pointing when DNS control stays with the provider and only the A record points to the droplet or site.

Digital Ocean tell us to point the DNS but Sentora says point the A record as per your documents above.

Currently the DNS for my main site points to the droplet - not just the A record. (As per their instructions.) The panel, domain and a second site "mysite.com/demo" all work fine.

Last night I tried pointing the A record from one of my Client sites to the main site as per the first document you mention and a Ubuntu Apache screen saying "It works" appeared. (See attachment) As the droplet isn't in production other than the 50 hours I've already wasted, I'll go back to square 1 and try your second method and see how I go.

Sadly none of the Youtube videos I've seen cover this, but the following one does get close. Unfortunately it also produces the Ubuntu screen. (attached.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgECqt8vJQE

Most lack sound and the authors often seem more confused that their audience. I can't help there, but I've been writing tutorials all my life and I can put something on paper once I can get it to work properly.

I'll let you know how I go.

[TGates]

Well, one major problem I see is that if Sentora installed properly, you should never see the Ubuntu ready page.
Did you already have apache or any other web server programs installed on the server before installing Sentora? If so, and you would like to continue to use Sentora, You will need to completely backup your sites and databases to your computer, install a fresh minimal OS with NO server programs (Apache, php, mysql, postfix, proftpd, bind, etc.) and completely reinstall Sentora. Then recreate your sites. (You may be able to do a Sentora DB backup also and try a restore of those databases also, but may be more of a headache.)

Also, you need to decide whether you want to use Sentora's DNS (preferred method) or DO's DNS. You can't use both.

[johnk42]

Thanks for getting back to me.

I've finally got everything working and that only happened an hour ago, having worked all night. The main problem was following what seemed to be a very comprehensive tutorial on Digital Ocean's site. That literally created one error on top of another. I've since installed four database programs and two others. I'm still stuck on one with a completely different A record arrangement, but it could well be an issue of propagation.  I'm just waiting and doing other things.

I did mention that it was a completely empty droplet so no harm was done there. I just wanted to use the Easter break to get things moved over without affecting the various users. I was hoping to move an active site with 800 members tonight, but I'll hold off a day or two just to test everything first. Having said that, what I've done so far is working fine.

What I'd like to do, is firstly take some time out, then sit down and write a full tutorial explaining how I did it specifically with a Digital Ocean droplet. I'll let you see it first and maybe you can see a few things I may still be doing wrong. Hopefully it will help others along the way.

Best wishes
John

[TGates]

Excellent John, Glad you are moving forward and I look forward to reading your tutorial
Enjoy the holiday!