How to Set Up Free DNS Branding on ClouDNS

DNS Branding (also known as Vanity Name Servers or White-Label DNS) lets you use your own domain for DNS servers instead of your provider's default nameservers. For example, if you own example.com, you can create ns1.example.com and ns2.example.com rather than using ns1.cloudns.net and ns2.cloudns.net.

Normally, DNS Branding on ClouDNS is a paid feature. According to their pricing page, only Premium paid accounts can use this functionality. But here's the thing: there's actually a way to configure DNS Branding completely free if you know the right steps.

Sounds too good to be true? I'm using it myself right now. Check the NS records for my domain and you'll see custom nameservers running on a free ClouDNS account.

Let me show you exactly how to set this up.

What You'll Need Before Starting

Two requirements must be met before you begin:

1. A domain where you can add Child Name Servers (also called Glue Records or Private Nameservers)

Not sure if your domain registrar supports this? Contact their customer support to confirm. Most registrars offer this feature, though the menu name varies.

2. A ClouDNS account with "Free (Legacy 2018)" status

This is the catch. The Free (Legacy 2018) account type was available to users who signed up with ClouDNS before they changed their free tier. New free accounts won't have this designation, and I haven't tested whether this tutorial works with the current free tier. Based on ClouDNS's official pricing restrictions, I'm skeptical it will work without the Legacy 2018 status.

If you have both of these prerequisites, let's get started. 👉 Want reliable DNS management with advanced features? Check out ClouDNS's premium options for professional-grade DNS hosting that scales with your needs.

Step 1: Create a New DNS Zone

First, add your domain to ClouDNS. Click "Add New" then select "Master Zone."

Leave the default settings as they are and enter your domain name. Click CREATE.

For this example, I'll use the domain ifran.dev.

Step 2: Add A Records for Your Custom Nameservers

Now we'll create the A records that will become your branded nameservers. You'll need the IP addresses of ClouDNS's nameservers, which are displayed in the bottom right corner of your ClouDNS dashboard. These IP addresses vary by account, so use the exact values shown in your dashboard.

For example, let's say your dashboard shows:

ns101.cloudns.net
IPv4: 185.136.96.66

ns102.cloudns.net
IPv4: 185.136.97.66

These are the IPs you'll use for your DNS Branding configuration.

Important: The IPs shown above are examples only. Always use the actual IP addresses from your own ClouDNS dashboard.

Let's say you want to create ns1.ifran.dev and ns2.ifran.dev as your custom nameservers. Add these A records in ClouDNS:

ns1.ifran.dev → 185.136.96.66
ns2.ifran.dev → 185.136.97.66

Click "Add new record" and enter these values. You can actually name your nameservers anything you want (like bacon.ifran.dev and eggs.ifran.dev), but the standard convention is ns1 and ns2.

After adding both records, your DNS zone should contain four total records: the default SOA and NS records, plus your two new A records.

Step 3: Point Your Domain to ClouDNS Nameservers

"Wait, why are we doing this?"

Good question. To register custom nameservers with your domain registrar, those nameservers must already be responding with valid IP addresses. But how can ns1.ifran.dev respond if the DNS isn't connected to the domain yet?

That's why we temporarily point the domain to ClouDNS's default nameservers first. This establishes the A records so that ns1.ifran.dev and ns2.ifran.dev can actually resolve.

In your domain registrar's control panel, change the nameservers to the ClouDNS defaults shown in your dashboard. For example:

ns101.cloudns.net
ns102.cloudns.net

Remember, your nameservers might be different. Check your ClouDNS dashboard for the correct values.

After making this change, wait at least one hour for DNS propagation, though it can take up to 24 hours in some cases.

Step 4: Register Your Custom Nameservers with Your Registrar

Every domain registrar has a different interface for adding Child Name Servers (also called Glue Records or Private Nameservers). The menu is typically labeled one of these names. If you can't find it, contact your registrar's support team.

At my registrar, this feature is called "Private Nameserver." You'll need to enter the subdomain and its corresponding IP address exactly as you configured them in ClouDNS.

Using our example:

ns1.ifran.dev → 185.136.96.66
ns2.ifran.dev → 185.136.97.66

Register both nameservers before proceeding to the next step.

Step 5: Switch to Your Branded Nameservers

Once you've registered the glue records, your custom nameservers are ready to use. But first, verify they're working properly.

Ping your custom nameserver (for example, ping ns1.ifran.dev). If it responds with the correct IP address you configured, you're good to go.

Now update your domain's nameservers in your registrar's control panel. Replace the ClouDNS default nameservers with your branded ones:

ns1.ifran.dev
ns2.ifran.dev

Step 6: Update NS Records in Your ClouDNS Zone

The final step is updating the NS records within ClouDNS itself to reflect your new branded nameservers.

Go back to your ClouDNS dashboard and open the DNS zone for your domain. Find the NS records (they'll currently show the default ClouDNS nameservers) and edit them.

Change the values from:

ns101.cloudns.net → ns1.ifran.dev
ns102.cloudns.net → ns2.ifran.dev

Click the pencil icon next to each NS record to edit it, then enter your custom nameserver. Repeat this for all NS records in the zone.

When you're done, all NS records should display your branded nameservers instead of ClouDNS's defaults.

That's it. You're done.

Wrapping Up

Wait up to 24 hours for full DNS propagation. Once complete, your custom nameservers will be fully operational and handling DNS queries for your domain.

To verify everything's working, use an online DNS checker tool. Enter your domain and you should see your branded nameservers responding correctly.

Your domain is now running with professional-looking custom nameservers, completely free.

If you run into any issues following these steps or notice something isn't working as described, feel free to reach out. And if you're managing multiple domains or need more robust DNS features, 👉 explore ClouDNS's premium plans for enterprise-grade reliability and support.