Registering and Managing Child Name Servers

Child Name Servers are Name Servers which are registered with the Registry under your domain name. You have to register Name servers with the Registry, before you can use them as Name Servers for registering other domain names. Child Name Servers can be registered only by the owner of the domain name under which they are registered.

Example:

A Child Name Server ns2.xyz.com can only be registered by the Owner of xyz.com.

Registering and Managing Child Name Servers

1. Login to your Control Panel, search for the domain name and proceed to the Order Information view. See details

   About Lock / Suspension 

   Note

   • If the domain name is Locked/Suspended, you will have to first get it Unlocked/Unsuspended it before proceeding further.

   • For Resellers: If the domain name is Locked by you, you may proceed without Unlocking it.

   • For Resellers: If the domain name is Locked by BlueHost China, you need to get it Unlocked first. Contact our Support Team at https://cn.bluehost.com/create-ticket.

   • For Resellers: If the domain name is Suspended by either you or BlueHost China, it needs to be first Unsuspended, before you can proceed.

   Additional Information

   Unlocking a domain name

   Unsuspending a domain name

2. Click the Child Name Servers link.

   

   Here, you may:

   Add a Child Name Server ^{(Anchor: add)}

   Enter the Host Name of the Child Name Server you wish to add in the Host Name box, mention its IP Address (IPv4 or IPv6) and click the Save button.

   Examples:

   • For yourdomainname.com, you may use the Host Name as ns1.yourdomainname.com and an IPv4 IP Address as 111.222.333.444.

   • yourdomainname.biz could have the Host Name as dns1.yourdomainname.biz and an IPv6 IP Address as 2001:0db8:0:0:0:0:1428:57ab.

   Note

   Registering a Child Name Server as mentioned above is just the first step. The Child Name Server is required to be registered at the Registry to only serve as a non-authoritative Record should your Child Name Server not be resolvable in some extreme condition.

   This Name Server would start working only after you have added either an Address (A) Record for IPv4 or AAAA Record for IPv6 or Canonical (CNAME) Record for this Name Server within the Zone for the domain name (of this Child Name Server) in your own DNS Server, thus binding the NS to the IP Address.

   Examples:

   • If you are running your own DNS Servers, then you would need to add a Zone for the domain name yourdomainname.com and create an A Record like:

     ns1.yourdomainname.com. 38400 IN A 111.222.333.444

     Similarly, you may add an AAAA Record as

     ns1.yourdomainname.com. 38400 IN AAAA 2001:0db8:0:0:0:0:1428:57ab

   • If you wish to simply point your Name Servers to other Name Servers, then you may do so by either:

     1. you may either add a CNAME Record to your Service Provider's Name Server, after enabling Managed DNS service through them:

        ns1.yourdomainname.com. 38400 IN CNAME ns1.serviceprovider.com

        or

     2. you may add an A or AAAA Record to your Service Provider's Name Server IP Address (depending upon whether your Service Provider has an IPv4 or IPv6), after enabling Managed DNS service through them:

        ns1.yourdomainname.com. 38400 IN A 777.888.999.000

        or

        ns1.yourdomainname.com. 38400 IN AAAA 2001:0db8:0:0:0:0:1428:57ab

   Additional Information

   Creating DNS Records through BlueHost China's DNS Service

   Errors and Domain Name Extension Specific Conditions 

   Note

   • Generally, a domain name may have any number of Child Name Servers associated with it.

   • You will encounter the below error message in case an invalid or reserved IP Address is used:

     Attention

     Object does not exist

     Additional Information

     IPv4 Address Space

     IPv6 Address Space

   • An IPv6 Address may be entered in either of the following formats:

     • 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:0000:20.40.87.171

     • 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:0000:1428:57ab

     • 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000::1428:57ab

     • 2001:0db8:0:0:0:0:1428:57ab

     • 2001:0db8:0:0::1428:57ab

     • 2001:0db8::1428:57ab

     • 2001:db8::1428:57ab

   • IPv6 Addresses are not supported for some TLDs:

     • .CA

     • .CO

     • .DE

     • .ES

     • .NZ

     • .RU

     • .WS

   • Generally, each Child Name Server may have upto 13 unique IP Addresses associated with it.

   • In case of .CA domain names, each Child Name Server can have only a single IP Address associated with it.

     Multiple Child Name Servers can be associated with the same IP Address. However, such Child Name Servers cannot be used together as Name Servers for a .CA domain name.

     Example:

     • You can create Child Name Servers as ns1.yourdomain.ca and ns2.yourdomain.ca and associate them with the same IP Address. However, you cannot use ns1.yourdomain.ca and ns2.yourdomain.ca together as Name Servers for yourdomain.ca.

     • You can create Child Name Servers as ns1.yourdomain.ca and ns2.yourdomain.ca and associate them with the same IP Address. However, you cannot use ns1.yourdomain.ca and ns2.yourdomain.ca together as Name Servers for yourotherdomain.ca.

   • In case of a .CN domain name ^{(Anchor: cnrules)}, an IP Address can be associated with only one Child Name Server. However, each Child Name Server can have multiple such IP Addresses associated with it.

     If a particular IP Address is already associated with any other .CN domain name's Child Name Server registered through any Registrar, then it can not be used with any other Child Name Server under any other .CN domain name.

     Examples:

     • You may Register a Child Name Server with the Host Name ns1 for yourdomainname.com.cn and associate 66.11.11.11 with it. This Child Name Server would be created only if the IP Address 66.11.11.11 is not already associated with any other .CN domain name's Child Name Server registered through any Registrar.

     • In this manner, you may add unlimited Child Name Servers under this domain name but none of these can now be registered with 66.11.11.11 (since it is already used).

     • You may again Register a Child Name Server with the same Host Name ns1 for yourdomainname.com.cn and associate another IP Address 66.22.22.22 with it. This Child Name Server would be created only if the IP Address 66.22.22.22 is not already associated with any other .CN domain name's Child Name Server registered through any Registrar.

   • For .COM.DE ^{(Anchor: comderules)} domain names, each Child Name Server may only have a single IPv4 and/or a single IPv6 IP Address associated with it.

   • Each .DE domain name ^{(Anchor: derules)} needs to have at least 2 Name Servers and can have upto 13 Name Servers. The limitation of supporting a maximum of 13 Name Servers is common for both Child Name Servers and Name Servers.

     Examples:

     • If you add 4 Name Servers for your .DE domain name, then you may now add only upto 9 Child Name Servers or Name Servers.

     • If you add 2 Name Servers and 2 Child Name Servers for your .DE domain name, then you may now add only upto 9 Child Name Servers or Name Servers.

     To add a Child Name Server for your .DE domain name, you need to follow the below mentioned process:

     1. In the Zone of your .DE domain name, add an Address (A) Record for the first Child Name Server that you plan to submit for your .DE domain name.

        Example:

        ns1.myname.de 38400 IN A 111.222.333.444

        Additional Information

        How to Manage Address Records with BlueHost China?

     2. In the Zone of your .DE domain name, add a NS Record for the above Child Name Server.

        Example: In the Zone of myname.de, add a NS Record for ns1.myname.de.

        myname.de 38400 IN NS ns1.myname.de

        Additional Information

        How to Manage NS Records with BlueHost China?

     3. Create a Zone for your .DE domain name on the above Child Name Server. Add the Child Name Server as a Name Server (NS) Record in this Zone as well as Zone created for your .DE domain name on the existing Name Servers. This is required because every Child Name Server that you create/add under a .DE domain name is automatically associated with that .DE domain name as a Name Server.

        Example:

        myname.de 38400 IN NS ns1.myname.de

     4. Once the above A and NS Records start resolving, add this Child Name Server to your .DE domain name.

        Additional Information

        Registering and Managing Child Name Servers

     5. Repeat the above steps for any number of Child Name Servers that you wish to add.

        Note

        You must add one Child Name Server at a time. Otherwise, an error will be encountered.

        Example: In order to create a Child Name Server ns1.myname.de, you need to:

        1. add an A Record for ns1.myname.de,

        2. add a NS Record for ns1.myname.de,

        3. create a Zone for myname.de on ns1.myname.de and add ns1.myname.de as a NS Record in this Zone as well as the Zone created for myname.de on the existing Name Servers for myname.de, and

        4. add the Child Name Server ns1.myname.de at the .DE Registry.

        Once the Child Name Server ns1.myname.de is thus created, you need to repeat the above 4 steps for ns2.myname.de and so on.

     In case of .DE domain names, all Child Name Servers that you create/add are automatically associated with that .DE domain name as a Name Server. Due to this limitation, you will only be able to add upto 13 Child Name Servers for .DE domain names.

     The maximum number of Name Servers that can be associated with any .DE domain name is 13. If you have already added other Name Servers (not Child Name Servers of this .DE domain name), then the number of Child Name Servers that you may create would reduce by that many.

     Additional Information

     Changing Name Servers of a Domain Name

     Examples:

     • yourdomainname.de

       Child Name Servers created: ns1.yourdomainname.de and ns2.yourdomainname.de

       These Child Name Servers get automatically added as Name Servers as well for this domain name: ns1.yourdomainname.de and ns2.yourdomainname.de

     • yourotherdomainname.de

       Name Servers used: ns1.hostingprovider.com, ns2.hostingprovider.com

       Child Name Servers created: ns1.yourotherdomainname.de, ns2.yourotherdomainname.de

       These Child Name Servers get automatically added as Name Servers for this domain name: ns1.yourotherdomainname.de, ns2.yourotherdomainname.de

       So in all 4 Name Servers will be associated with yourotherdomainname.de: ns1.hostingprovider.com, ns2.hostingprovider.com, ns1.yourotherdomainname.de, ns2.yourotherdomainname.de

       This means that now for the domain name yourotherdomainname.de, you may only add upto 5 other Child Name Servers or Name Servers since every time you create a Child Name Server, it gets automatically associated with the .DE domain name as a Name Server.

     The IPv4 Address associated with each Child Name Server of a .DE domain name needs to be unique.

     .DE domain names do not support IPv6 Addresses.

     Additional Information

     .DE Name Servers and Child Name Servers related Rules

   • In case of .ES domain names ^{(Anchor: esrules)}, you may associate only a single IPv4 Address per Child Name Server.

   • In case of .EU domain names ^{(Anchor: eurules)}, all Child Name Servers that you create/add, are automatically associated with that .EU domain name as a Name Server. Due to this limitation, you will only be able to add upto 9 Child Name Servers for .EU domain names.

     The maximum number of Name Servers that can be associated with any .EU domain name is 9. If you have already added other Name Servers (not Child Name Servers of this .EU domain name), then the number of Child Name Servers that you may create would reduce by that many.

     Additional Information

     Changing Name Servers of a Domain Name

     Examples:

     • yourdomainname.eu

       Child Name Servers created: ns1.yourdomainname.eu and ns2.yourdomainname.eu

       These Child Name Servers get automatically added as Name Servers as well for this domain name: ns1.yourdomainname.eu and ns2.yourdomainname.eu

     • yourotherdomainname.eu

       Name Servers used: ns1.hostingprovider.com, ns2.hostingprovider.com

       Child Name Servers created: ns1.yourotherdomainname.eu, ns2.yourotherdomainname.eu

       These Child Name Servers get automatically added as Name Servers for this domain name: ns1.yourotherdomainname.eu, ns2.yourotherdomainname.eu

       So in all 4 Name Servers will be associated with yourotherdomainname.eu: ns1.hostingprovider.com, ns2.hostingprovider.com, ns1.yourotherdomainname.eu, ns2.yourotherdomainname.eu

       This means that now for the domain name yourotherdomainname.eu, you may only add upto 5 other Child Name Servers or Name Servers since every time you create a Child Name Server, it gets automatically associated with the .EU domain name as a Name Server.

     Apart from the above, in case of .EU domain names, each Child Name Server may have upto 9 unique IP Addresses associated with it.

     Example:

     You can Register a Child Name Server with the Host Name ns1 for yourdomainname.eu and associate upto 9 unique IP Addresses with this Host Name.

   • For .IN.NET ^{(Anchor: innetrules)} domain names, each Child Name Server may only have a single unique IP Address associated with it.

   • In case of .NL domain names ^{(Anchor: nlrules)}, you may associate upto 10 IP Addresses per Child Name Server.

     The same IP Addess cannot be associated with multiple Child Name Servers.

   • The total number of Name Servers and Child Name Servers taken together should not exceed 10 in case of .NZ domain names ^{(Anchor: nzrules)}.

     Examples:

     • Consider a domain name yourdomain.co.nz with Name Servers as ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com. The total number of additional Name Servers that can be added under yourdomain.co.nz alongwith any Child Name Servers that can be created under yourdomain.co.nz will be 8.

     • On a similar note, a domain name yourdomain.co.nz is using its own Child Name Servers ns1.yourdomain.co.nz and ns2.yourdomain.co.nz as its Name Servers as well. Here, the total number of additional Name Servers that can be added under yourdomain.co.nz, taken together with any new Child Name Servers created under yourdomain.co.nz will be 6.

     Moreover, each Child Name Server under a .NZ domain name can have only 1 IPv4 Address associated with it.

     Example:

     You may Register a Child Name Server with the Host Name ns1 for yourdomainname.co.nz and associate only a single IP Address of the form 66.11.11.11 with it.

   • In case of .RU domain names ^{(Anchor: rurules)}, all Child Name Servers that you create/add, are automatically associated with that .RU domain name as a Name Server. Due to this limitation, you will only be able to add upto 13 Child Name Servers for .RU domain names.

     The maximum number of Name Servers that can be associated with any .RU domain name is 13. If you have already added other Name Servers (not Child Name Servers of this .RU domain name), then the number of Child Name Servers that you may create would reduce by that many.

     Additional Information

     Changing Name Servers of a Domain Name

     Examples:

     • yourdomainname.ru

       Child Name Servers created: ns1.yourdomainname.ru and ns2.yourdomainname.ru

       These Child Name Servers get automatically added as Name Servers as well for this domain name: ns1.yourdomainname.ru and ns2.yourdomainname.ru

     • yourotherdomainname.ru

       Name Servers used: ns1.hostingprovider.com, ns2.hostingprovider.com

       Child Name Servers created: ns1.yourotherdomainname.ru, ns2.yourotherdomainname.ru

       These Child Name Servers get automatically added as Name Servers for this domain name: ns1.yourotherdomainname.ru, ns2.yourotherdomainname.ru

       So in all 4 Name Servers will be associated with yourotherdomainname.ru: ns1.hostingprovider.com, ns2.hostingprovider.com, ns1.yourotherdomainname.ru, ns2.yourotherdomainname.ru

       This means that now for the domain name yourotherdomainname.ru, you may only add upto 5 other Child Name Servers or Name Servers since every time you create a Child Name Server, it gets automatically associated with the .RU domain name as a Name Server.

   • Child Name Servers can not be created under a .TEL domain name ^{(Anchor: telrules)}, due to restrictions placed by the Registry.

   • In case of .UK domain names ^{(Anchor: ukrules)}, each Child Name Server can have only a single unique IP Address associated with it.

     Example:

     You can Register a Child Name Server with the Host Name ns1 for yourdomainname.co.uk and associate only a single unique IP Address with this Host Name.

   • For CentralNic ^{(Anchor: crules)} domains, each Child Name Server may only have a single IPv4 and/or a single IPv6 IP Address associated with it.

     Additional Information

     Identifying CentralNic Domains

   Modify a Child Name Server ^{(Anchor: modify)}

   .AU Specific Condition 

   Note

   .AU domain names do not support modification of a Child Name Server. You need to instead delete the existing Child Name Server and add another.

   Additional Information

   Instructions for Deleting a Child Name Server

   Instructions for Adding a Child Name Server

   • Modifying the Hostname: Make the modifications in the Host Name textbox and click the Save button.

     Domain Name Extension Specific Conditions 

     Note

     • Modification of the Hostname of a Child Name Server under a .ES domain name is not allowed.

     • Modification of the Hostname of a Child Name Server under a .NL domain name is not allowed.

     • If you modify the Hostname of a Child Name Server under a .NZ domain name, you need to manually make necessary modification to the domain name(s) using the original Child Name Server.

       Example

       Consider a domain name yourdomain.co.nz with a Child Name Sever as ns1.yourdomain.co.nz, which is being used as a Name Server for yourdomain.co.nz. If you modify the Hostname for ns1.yourdomain.co.nz from ns1 to ns2, you need to manually modify the Name Server for yourdomain.co.nz from ns1.yourdomain.co.nz to ns2.yourdomain.co.nz.

   • Modifying the IP Address: Make the modifications in the IP Address textbox and click the Save button.

     Errors, IPv6 Format and IPv6 Support 

     Note

     You will encounter the below error message in case an invalid or reserved IP Address is used:

     Attention

     Object does not exist

     Additional Information

     IPv4 Address Space

     IPv6 Address Space

     • An IPv6 Address may be entered in either of the following formats:

       • 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:0000:20.40.87.171

       • 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:0000:1428:57ab

       • 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000::1428:57ab

       • 2001:0db8:0:0:0:0:1428:57ab

       • 2001:0db8:0:0::1428:57ab

       • 2001:0db8::1428:57ab

       • 2001:db8::1428:57ab

     • IPv6 Addresses are not supported for some TLDs

       • .CA

       • .CO

       • .DE

       • .ES

       • .NZ

       • .RU

       • .WS

   Delete a Child Name Server ^{(Anchor: delete)}

   Click the Delete link to delete individual Child Name Servers.

   Errors and Restrictions 

   Note

   • You will encounter the below error message while deleting a Child Name Server if this is being used by another domain name of the same extension as a Name Server:

     Attention

     Object association prohibits operation

     Example:

     If the Child Name Server ns1.yourdomainname.com is being used by xyz.com as its Name Server, then you will not be able to delete ns1.yourdomainname.com until xyz.com modifies its Name Server (to some other Name Server).

     You will need to modify the Name Servers of all domain names using the Child Name Server as their authoritative Name Server and try attempt the Child Name Server deletion.

     However, if xyz.info was using ns1.yourdomainname.com as its Name Server, then you would not face any issue while deleting your Child Name Server: ns1.yourdomainname.com.

   • Deletion of a Child Name Server under a .ES domain name is not allowed.

   • Deletion of a Child Name Server under a .UK domain name is not allowed.

Error due to Lock / Suspension / Outbound Transfer