Adding a Virtual Domain
to Loblolly.net in Apache

A general guide/check list for Loblolly.net

(This guide assumes knowledge of using vi, the unix editor.)

Note-1: because Loblolly.net is using Virtual Hosts, all new domains hosted by
Loblolly.net will have an IP address of either 216.61.157.139 for the main web server
or 216.61.157.141 for the secondary web server.

Note-2: if you do a nslookup on either number you will get adsl-216-61-157-139.ds1.hstntx.swbell.net or
adsl-216-61-157.141.ds1.hstntx.swbell.net and not www.loblolly.net or www2.loblolly.net.. Loblolly.net
is not authoritative of the IP's; Southwest Bell is.. So far this has not been a problem, as nslookup of www.loblolly.net
or any of the domains hosted by loblolly.net gives the correct IPS.

Note-3: Hope to have a setup script for automating this process..(August 1999?)

Ok .. Onward to Litlle Bighorn...

logon to Loblolly.net

do a whois to see if Loblloly.net is authoritative for the domain.
Where newdomainname is the domain name and ??? is either net, com or org.

$ whois newdomainname.???

For Loblolly.net to be authoritative for the new domain, you should see Loblolly's two dns servers listed;
dns1.loblolly.net 216.61.157.137 and dns2.loblolly.net 216.61.157.138.

Do a nslookup to see if it's setup, mail servers, where, etc.

$ nslookup -type=any newdomainname.???

This should give something like the following, using lobloly.net as an example:

$ nslookup -type=any loblolly.net
Server:  dns1.loblolly.net 
Address:  216.61.157.137
loblolly.net
        origin = loblolly.net
        mail addr = hostmaster\@loblolly.net
        serial = 1999051212
        refresh = 28800 (8H)
        retry   = 7200 (2H)
        expire  = 604800 (1W)
        minimum ttl = 86400 (1D)
loblolly.net    nameserver = dns1.loblolly.net
loblolly.net    nameserver = dns2.loblolly.net
loblolly.net    preference = 10, mail exchanger = mail.loblolly.net
loblolly.net    internet address = 216.61.157.139
loblolly.net    nameserver = dns1.loblolly.net
loblolly.net    nameserver = dns2.loblolly.net
dns1.loblolly.net       internet address = 216.61.157.137
dns2.loblolly.net       internet address = 216.61.157.138
mail.loblolly.net       internet address = 216.61.157.140 

 

If the DNS is not setup for this new domain, then you will need to go to the DNS setup now or later...

Gain root. You must be root to do the following.

$ su

Now to change to the Apache configuration directory

# cd /usr/local/apache/conf

# vi httpd.conf

This will allow you to edit the Apache configuration file.. The latest versions of Apache recommend using only
the httpd.conf and not the access.conf or the srm.conf.

Check and make sure it has not been entered already by searching through the document with (Esc /domainaname)

Now to add the domain to the end of httpd.conf (a (shift g) will take you to the end of the file.)

You can cut, paste and/or edit to add the following:

<VirtualHost 216.61.157.139>
ServerName www.newdomainname.???
DocumentRoot /home/user/public_html/directory
</VirtualHost>

Remember to leave a space above the first line and the last entry. Also user is the username whose directory
this is to be pointed to and directory is an optional directory for the domain..

Save the file (shift zz).

Make sure that both the user and directory exist or it may/will crash Apache on restart.

# cd ~user/directory will make sure that user and directory exist.

Now to restart the Apache web server.

# /usr/local/apache/apachectl restart and watch for error messages..

You can also check the error logs

# tail -f /usr/local/apache/logs/error_log

Note: you can mv the error_log to another name and apache will recreate a new error_log on restart.

Now to start up a web browser and check and see if it works!

Last edited on June 4, 1999
Mailto:hostmaster@loblolly.net