It is important to set a correct hostname on your VPS. The hostname is used by many applications to identify themselves on a network / the internet. Therefore, an incorrectly configured hostname can cause unexpected problems.
Checking the hostname
The current hostname can be retrieved with the command:
hostnameOr for more extensive information use the command:
hostnamectlChanging the hostname
There are three methods to customize or view your hostname:
- thehostnamectl-command
- the/etc/hosts-file
- thehostname-command
Only the changes of the first two remain intact after a restart. You change your hostname with these options as follows:
-
Hostnamectl:
Use the command below and replace server.yourdomain.com with your desired hostname:
hostnamectl set-hostname server.yourdomain.com
-
/etc/hosts:
Open the /etc/hosts file with a text editor, for example:
nano /etc/hosts- The second line looks like this:
127.0.1.1 server.yourdomain.com server
- On this line, change server.yourdomain.com to the new hostname and replace ‘server’ with what is in front of yourdomain.com.
Then save your changes (ctrl + x> y> enter) and restart your VPS.
If you have not yet set a hostname, instead of the above example, you will see a placeholder with IP information, which looks like 123-123-123-123.colocation.transip.us
-
hostname:
Use the command below and replace server.yourdomain.com with your desired hostname:
hostname server.yourdomain.com- Please note that with the hostname command, the changes do not persist after a reboot of your VPS.
Should you have any questions left regarding this article, do not hesitate to contact our support department. You can reach them via the ‘Contact Us’ button at the bottom of this page.