How to Change A Server’s Hostname Using the Command Line Interface

Changing the hostname of your server may be necessary for several reasons. For example, if you are utilizing your server as a Mail Server for your domain(s) hosted, then changing the hostname can prevent your emails from going to Spam/Junk. In this article, you can learn how to change your server’s hostname from the command line.

Before You Begin

Review the warnings and notes below, to ensure a smooth transition from one hostname to another.

Change Hostname

  1. SSH into your server using the root user.

  2. Run the following command:

    hostname server.example.com
  3. The prompt should appear, without any output being displayed. You can run the following command to confirm the hostname has been changed:

    hostname

    The output should display similarly to the example below:

    [email protected] ~ $ hostname server.example.com

Congratulations! Now you know how you can change the hostname of your server from the command line.

JB
John-Paul Briones Content Writer II

John-Paul is an Electronics Engineer that spent most of his career in IT. He has been a Technical Writer for InMotion since 2013.

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