How to change the primary IP address of a WHM/cPanel server

This is for CentOS/RHEL based servers.

Steps in WHM:

• Log into WHM and go to Basic cPanel & WHM Setup
• Change the Primary IP here with the option that says “The IP address (only one address) that will be used for setting up shared IP virtual hosts“
• Note: This might not actually be necessary.

Log in to SSH, and do the following:

• Edit /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
  • Change the IPADDR and GATEWAY lines to match the new IP and Gateway for the new ip

• Edit /etc/sysconfig/network
  • Change the GATEWAY line here if it does not exist in the ifcfg-* file.

• Edit /etc/ips
  • Remove the new primary IP from this file if it is present
  • Add the old primary IP to this file with the format ::
    
     
• Edit /var/cpanel/mainip
  • Replace the old primary IP with the new primary IP

• Edit /etc/hosts
  • Replace the old primary IP with the new one if needed. The hostname’s dns will need to be updated too

• Restart the network service to make the new IP the primary
  • service network restart
  • Note: You’re probably going to be disconnected at this point, and have to log in to ssh using the new primary ip.

• Restart the ipaliases script to bring up the additional IP
  • service ipaliases restart
    
     
• Run ifconfig and make sure all IPs show up correctly

• Update the cpanel license to the new primary IP

Originally posted on January 28, 2021 @ 12:49 pm