Possible brain failure - problems changing server IP address

My server went down last week and when I emailed the hosts they informed me "Our upstream provider lost our IP's and is now not able to get them back for us." :-| Nice of them to let me know at the time. So they then assigned me two new IP addresses. However, ever since, I've been unable to get back onto the sites.

It's been so long since I've changed IP addresses on a server I might've forgotten to do something simple, so just reaching out to see if I've missed a step?

I logged into 123reg and changed my DNS bit to have

@ A 123.123.123.123

(where 123.etc is my new ip), and

www A 123.123.123.123

and then changed the name servers from ns1.mysite.com and ns2.mysite.com to the default 123reg ones.

Now I can get something to load when I enter my url, but get a cpanel page saying apache is working (http://mobmms.com/cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi) and that's about it. I can't log in to WHM or Cpanel as it says I have an Unactivated License File.

Logging in via SSH and typing /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt as mentioned on the webpage throws up this error:

root ~>/usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt
Updating cPanel license.... Timeout while resolving nameservers, check /etc/resolv.conf ...info [cpkeyclt] /usr/bin/dig failed the usability test!

query failed: query timed out
info [cpkeyclt] /usr/local/cpanel/src/3rdparty/perl/perldig failed the usability test!

warn [cpkeyclt] No working dig found!
Done. Update Failed!
Error message:
License server hostnames could not be resolved to IP addresses

Building global cache for cpanel...Done

And now I'm totally stuck! Any ideas?!

I will read your post in more detail later tonight, but my first thought is to suggest that you change the TTL values associated with your domain to a very low value (say, 10 minutes).

Otherwise, every change that you make will take ages to take effect (most hosting companies use TTL values measured in days. )

Hi,

It sounds as though there is a problem with the nameservers you've currently got defined in your /etc/resolv.conf you should ask your host what these should be, typically the file will look like:

nameserver 1.2.3.4
nameserver 1.2.3.5

where the IPs are your hosts nameservers.

This should at least get you past the first issue you're having, you may well have some further IP issues though I'll try to advise you if you post them here. If your host are providing you with cPanel they should help you through these issues really!

Regards,

Darryl

The Apache configurations will need updating to reflect the new IP addresses.

This is simplest done using the WHM interface. So I'd be looking at sorting out that licensing issue first.

As posted elsewhere in the thread - get the correct nameservers from your provider and update resolv.conf as a first step. Once that is done the script to update the cPanel license should work.

I see you got it sorted. What was the problem?

By, the way, you still have some issues with your Name Servers :-

• You have one or more missing (stealth) nameservers
  
• One or more of the nameservers listed at the parent servers are not listed as NS records at your nameservers.
  
• Your SOA (Start of Authority) record states that your master (primary) name server is: ns.hosteurope.com.. However, that server is not listed at the parent servers as one of your NS records!
  
• Your SOA REFRESH interval is : 86400 seconds. This seems high.
  
• One or more of your mailservers is claiming to be a host other than what it really is
  

Contacting the hosts and waiting for their eventual reply got them to sort out the cpanel issue by fixing the resolv.conf file, and then I've finally managed to see something load today.

However, I think things are still a bit messy as you've noted My mail isn't working still so could be due to the mailserver thinking it's something else Are all these things fixable via WHM or do they need some special command line magic? I've tried to fix the obvious stuff via WHM but still seems to be bits of the old IPs floating around!

In reply to a post by aleco:

My mail isn't working still

Your MX records do not point to your server.

When I connect to port 25 (Mail) on your server, I get the right announcement for your domain

I'm getting even more confused now!

I don't really understand the MX settings in WHM so I'll google those tomorrow see if I can get anywhere.

Could it be settings still just need to filter through? I've ping'd one of the url's (mobmms.mobi) I didn't change the settings for in 123reg (so I think it should be pointed at the nameservers I had on my server, ns1.mob453.com and ns2.mob453.com, provided those are set up correctly still!), and from my server I get the right IP when it's pinged, but get a cannot resolve due to unknown host error from my own internet connection.

edit: actually same problem when i ping ns1.mob453.com and ns2.mob453.com - works on server but not on my connection?

Edited by deleted (Fri 15-Oct-10 01:32:41)

That's better. You may be getting mail now (or it may take a bit longer because of your high TTL value).

I suggest, that you use WHM to change a few values on your DNS zone file.

Go to WHM, then select 'edit a DNS Zone', then choose your domain name.

In the Edit DNS Zone screen:-

• Change the SOA TTL value down to 3600 (one hour)
• Do the same with all the other TTL values

Then any changes which you make will only take an hour to have full effect.

although you will initially need to wait for the current 2 day TTL value to timed out.

Are you aware of DNSstuff.com - they have some very usefull tools for checking DNS