How to Change Your Server’s Hostname in AMP or WHM

Every VPS and Dedicated Server ships with a generic hostname, something like vps1234.inmotionhosting.com, and it shows up in every email header your server sends. If you want a hostname that matches your domain instead, you can change server hostname settings in minutes using the Account Management Panel (AMP), no root access required. This guide covers the AMP method first, then the WHM method for server administrators who manage the server directly.

Prerequisites

• An active VPS or Dedicated Server plan with InMotion Hosting. Shared and WordPress Hosting plans do not include a hostname change option.
• Your AMP login for the recommended method, or root access to WHM if you use the alternative method.

Before You Begin

Note: Your hostname is visible in every email header your server sends, so choose it carefully.

Note: Your hostname must be in the format of a subdomain, such as server.example.com, not a bare domain like example.com.

Note: Avoid choosing a subdomain that you already host, or plan to host, in a cPanel account on this server.

Note: Changing your hostname requires an update to the SSL certificate for services such as cPanel, Webmail, FTP, and mail (SMTP, IMAP, and POP3).

Note: Changing your hostname requires an update to every reference to the old hostname in your connections to the server, such as IMAP/SMTP/POP, FTP, and remote MySQL clients.

Important: Changing your hostname in AMP records the update on your InMotion Hosting account. If you change the hostname only in WHM, that change is not recorded on your account and may not survive a server restart. Use the AMP method to make the change permanent, or contact Live Support after a WHM change to have it recorded.

Important: InMotion Hosting updates the PTR (reverse DNS) record for your server’s IP address on request. If you send email from the server, open a support ticket after changing your hostname so the PTR record matches the new value and mail delivery is not affected.

Change Server Hostname in AMP (Recommended)

AMP is the fastest way to change server hostname settings on a VPS or Dedicated Server. It makes the change through your InMotion Hosting account, which is why it’s the method InMotion Hosting recommends.

1. Log in to AMP at https://secure1.inmotionhosting.com/amp.
2. On the My Account dashboard, find the block for your VPS or Dedicated Server plan.
3. In that plan’s icon grid, click Change Hostname. It is the last icon in the grid.

4. On the Change Hostname page, review the Current Hostname line, then enter your new hostname in the Enter a new hostname field.
5. Click SUBMIT.

AMP confirms the change and the Current Hostname line updates to the new value. The page also shows a warning box that repeats the SSL and connection notes from the Before You Begin section.

Tip: AMP requires at least three dot-separated labels in the hostname, for example server.example.com. A bare domain like example.com is rejected. Not sure of your current hostname? The Account Technical Details icon in the same plan block lists it next to Hostname:.

Change Server Hostname in WHM (Alternative Method)

If you manage the server directly and prefer to stay in WHM, you can change the hostname there instead. Remember the note earlier: a WHM-only change is not recorded on your InMotion Hosting account, so follow up with the AMP method or Live Support once you’re done.

1. Log in to WHM as the root user.
2. Type host into the WHM search field.
3. Click Change Hostname under the Networking Setup section.
4. In the New Hostname: field, enter the hostname you want.
5. Click Change.

The change takes a few seconds. WHM shows the status and details on the same page once it finishes.

Note: Scroll to the bottom of the details on that page and click Add an A Entry if you don’t already have an A record for your new hostname. If your domain doesn’t use InMotion Hosting’s name servers, create the A record with your DNS provider instead.

Prefer the command line over the WHM interface? See how to change a server’s hostname using the command line interface for the equivalent steps over SSH.

Troubleshooting

AMP will not accept the hostname you entered

AMP requires at least three dot-separated labels, such as server.example.com, and rejects a bare domain like example.com. Each label can run up to 63 characters, and the full hostname up to 253 characters. Shorten or adjust the hostname and submit the form again.

Conclusion

You now know how to change server hostname settings in AMP or WHM, and why the AMP method is the one InMotion Hosting recommends: it makes the change through your InMotion Hosting account. Once your new hostname is live, open a support ticket to update your PTR record, and check the Managed VPS Hosting Product Guide for more on day-to-day server management.