How to Create Private Nameservers in Google Cloud DNS

When you own a domain and want to enhance your branding or customize your DNS, private nameservers are a great option. These use your domain instead of your host provider's, adding a professional touch and better control.

For example, instead of the standard nameserver ns1.hostingcompany.com, you can use ns1.yourdomain.com. This boosts your organization's credibility and professionalism.

This guide will show you how to set up private nameservers using Google Cloud DNS, a secure and flexible DNS service on Google's platform. We'll provide a detailed, step-by-step process to help you do so effectively.

Step 1: Google Cloud Account Set Up

First, you will need to create a Google Cloud account. Visit the Google Cloud website and sign up. Google often offers a free trial with a credit amount that you can use to explore and utilize various services without immediate costs.

Step 2: Create a Project

Once your Google Cloud account is active, you should create a project within your Google Cloud Console. This project will hold all the resources related to your private nameservers.
Go to the Google Cloud Console.
On the project selector page, click “New Project.”

Enter a project name and, optionally, edit the project ID. Choose a billing account and then click “Create.”

Step 3: Set Up Google Cloud DNS

After setting up your project, it’s time to configure Google Cloud DNS for your domain:

In the Cloud Console, go to the Navigation menu and select “Network services” then “Cloud DNS.”

Click “Create Zone.”

Enter a zone name and a DNS name, which would typically be your domain name.

Choose the type as “Public” (since you want your nameservers accessible on the internet).

Click “Create.”

You’ve now created a DNS zone where you can manage all the DNS records for your domain.

Step 4: Configure Your Nameservers

In the DNS zone you just created, Google Cloud DNS will provide you with a set of nameservers. However, to set up your private nameservers, you need to:

Determine which subdomains you’ll use for your nameservers, commonly ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com.

Create A or AAAA records in your DNS zone pointing these subdomains to the IP addresses of the Google nameservers. You can find these IPs by performing a DNS lookup on each of the Google nameservers assigned to your zone.

Step 5: Register Your Private Nameservers

The fourth step entails coordinating or mapping your new private nameservers with the domain registrar. The process can vary slightly depending on your registrar, but generally, you’ll:

Go to the specific Web site in the domain registrar where the account receives the security code.

Go to the subsection of the cPanel where you can control the domain record.

Don’t search directly for “Modify Nameservers” but rather search for an option such as “Register Nameserver” or “Child Nameserver”. ”

In the final step you have to enter the subdomain of the nameserver (e. g. , ns1. yourdomain. Post: information about the site (http://www.website.com) and its IP address.

Step 6: Update your domain’s nameserver records.

Once you have chosen the private nameservers for your domain and have updated your registrar with such details, the final procedure is to point your domain to the specific private nameservers. This can also be done through your registrar’s control panel, where you are able to change the domain pointers of your domain to the new private nameservers, for instance, ns1. your domain. Com and ns2. your domain. com.

Step 7: Ensure Your Environment

Thus, to gather the information that confirms that everything works properly, one is supposed to use the tools, such as dig or nslookup, to perform the DNS query of the domain. You should respond that you are seeing that your domain’s DNS queries are being handled by your private nameservers. Third, if it doesn’t work, it’s possible that you can still wait for DNS changes to take effect, as those can sometimes take some time to propagate.

Final Words

Setting up private nameservers on Google Cloud DNS can significantly benefit your business by boosting your branding and providing greater control over your DNS configurations. Although the process involves several steps, each is straightforward, especially with the robust infrastructure that Google Cloud offers. For more information, contact our experts.