cPanel Tutorial: Installing Wordpress

The blog can no longer be called a fad, as it is more like a phenomenon.  Blogs have gone from small platforms to complete websites with all the works.  They are used by a range of demographics from teens and adults to freelance writers and well known online entities.  Many have used the blog as their vehicle to success.  Some have even gone on to say that no business should be without one.  Thanks to web hosting technology, blogs are no longer limited to their respective development community.

Control panels are powerful web hosting tools that enable users to build and administer their site with ease.  cPanel is regarded as one of the best and is currently the most widely installed.  This control panel is known for being user-friendly with a plethora of features.  cPanel allows you to manage your emails, set up domains, view web stats, backup data and much more right from the interface.  It also gives you the ability implement a variety of scripts to create message forums, chat rooms and even blogging software.

In this tutorial you learn how to install the popular Wordpress blogging software in cPanel by way of the Fantastico script installer.  If you make use of another control panel, we suggest referring to the Wordpress website for more details.

Getting Started

After logging into the cPanel account, click on the “Fantastico” icon.  When that window opens, open the “Full List” menu and click the “Wordpress” link in the “Blogs” category.  A separate page for Wordpress will open giving a short description on what the program is about.  After verifying that the server has adequate space, you will click on a link that reads “New Installation”.

Your next step is to make a few essential configurations, starting with the installation location.  Your options are “Install on Domain” and “Install in Directory”.  If you want to install Wordpress on your domain, access the drop-down menu and select the appropriate name.  If want to install it on the root of your domain, leave the “Install in Directory” section blank.  For example, if you want to access Wordpress in a different directory such as “blog”, you would type something like this into the field: http://mysite.com/blog.

After determining where to install the program, you will then need to assign a username and password, the credentials that will allow you to access the back-end of Wordpress.  Enter the following information into the main configuration section:

Administrative nickname: This is the name that will be display on your Wordpress administrative account

Administrative email: The email account where you want to receive administrative messages

Site name: The URL that represents your website

Description: A short description that describes your website

Once you have entered this information, click on the “install” button.  From there the installation will notify you of the updates that were made.  After clicking the “Finish Installation” button you’re done.  You then have the option of sending the details to a particular email account or returning to the overview section.

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Sep 19, 2008 : cPanel Tutorials No responses yet

Is cPanel the Best Control Panel?

Web hosting has taken the internet by storm with hundreds of companies offering service.  Hosting packages come with a plethora features, all of which are used to create and enhance the presence of your site.  Control panels are an essential part of web hosting as this software is what gives you the power to maintain a website.  cPanel is perhaps the most widely used control panel application, but is the best?  Lets have a look.

The control panel has become standard in the web hosting industry.  Despite it’s level of importance, not all control panels are created equal.  Some companies provide software that is less than stellar with minimal capability.  cPanel however, is far from the traditional control panel.  It offers an intuitive interface that is easy to use by webmasters at any level of experience.   This extraordinary program gives you the power to effectively manage your site from any computer that has an internet connection.  You’ll save a lot of time as domains, sub-domains and email accounts can be created in a matter of minutes.  Because cPanel interacts directly with the server, most the of the adjustments made are displayed right before you.

Features

cPanel is well known as a control panel packed with features.  While different versions of the program come with different features, here are some of the common perks you’ll enjoy with any cPanel program:

Mail - the mail feature allows you to create, add, and remove email accounts.  It also includes additional features such as autoresponders and email forwarding which allows you to automate your business and remain in close quarters with your clients.

Cron Jobs - Cron Jobs are easily configured with cPanel.  This comes in handy when you want your web pages and scripts to automatically run at predetermined intervals.

Database management - cPanel gives you the ability effectively manage all the MySQL databases that come included with your hosting account.  Databases are an essential part of any website using back-end scripts such as blogging software and chat rooms.  cPanel allows you to create and manage databases with a few simple clicks of the mouse.

Web statistics - when hosting with cPanel, you gain ccess to a variety of programs that allow you to view the statistics of your website.  It comes with comprehensive applications such as Webalizer and Awstats which display your statistics in easy to read charts and graphs.  This will help you to learn how visitors found your site and works as a great marketing tool.

Fantastico - the Fantastico script installer is perhaps the main attraction of cPanel.  This powerful application allows you to enhance the presence and functionality of your website in a number of different ways.  Fantastico comes included with a variety of scripts such as the WordPress blogging software and popular content management systems like Drupal, Joomla and PHPBB.

cPanel is a very capable control panel and offers many features to enhance your web hosting experience.  Is it the best control panel on the market?  That remains questionable.  This program has stiff competition in software like Plesk, DirectAdmin and V-Deck, all of which are very reliable as well.  While there may not be a decisive winner, cPanel is indeed a control panel that provides everything needed to build a dynamic website and a presence that’s sure to stand out with the best of them.

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Sep 03, 2008 : Control Panels No responses yet

DirectAdmin And VPS Hosting

DirectAdmin is a control panel application commonly used in web hosting.   It said to be much easier to navigate than programs like cPanel and Plesk and also includes a live update feature.  DirectAdmin comes with all the basics, though it lacks some of the features of cPanel.  At the same time, it has become a preferred choice to new webmasters because of a simplified format.  DirectAdmin is most widely used in VPS (Virtual Private Servers) environments.  VPS can be described as a combination of dedicated and shared hosting service.  This type of hosting comes with the capabilities of dedicated hosting but the server is shared by numerous VPS users.  While dedicated hosting generally calls for a greater level of technical skill, DirectAdmin offers ease of use similar to the shared hosting platform.

DirectAdmin Features

DirectAdmin has quickly established a reputation for being one of the most user friendly control panels on the market.  It is also known for a fast, smooth performance and stability.  It has the ability to automatically recover from system crashes, reducing the amount of downtime a user may have to endure.  In regard to price, a web host using DirectAdmin can be up to 50% cheaper than one who provides cPanel.

Direct Admin supports 3-level user administration in a VPS environment.  A DirectAdmin VPS administrator has the ability to create or modify accounts for additional administrators and resellers as well.  Since resellers accounts are predefined, DirectAdmin allows administrators to effectively choose the appropriate packages for their resellers, eliminating the need to manually set up each account.  DirectAdmin provides an IP address menu which enables easy management of all IP addresses associated with the server.

DirectAdmin also serves many benefits to the reseller as well.  Resellers have the power to create, modify or delete accounts.  Similar to a website administrator, the reseller can select from predefined hosting packages and distribute them to clients.  They can also view the resource usages of their clients to monitor bandwidth and storage.  DirectAdmin allows resellers to interact with clients via a built-in support ticket system.  It also includes a feature that enables the creation of personalized name servers for the benefit of end-users.

End-users or domain owners can use DirectAdmin to create POP3 email accounts and are able to manage features for each account.  They have the ability to create FTP accounts and have access to a DNS menu which offers full control.  Similar to administrators and resellers, domain owners can view comprehensive reports of their website statistics.  Some of the other features they’ll enjoy include site building tools, File Manager, data backup utilities and a number of security functions.

The DirectAdmin control panel is the perfect solution for all of your VPS hosting needs.  While cPanel and Plesk are quality programs in their own right, DirectAdmin is designed to be more scalable and suits a number of different users and purposes.  Just like with any kind of hosting, you want a provider that offers a reliable uptime and solid security.  You are sure to find a worthy DirectAdmin provider by reading the many web hosting reviews posted online.

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Sep 02, 2008 : Control Panels No responses yet

Web Hosting With Plesk

Plesk is known throughout the world as one the most reliable control panels in the web hosting industry.  It is a popular choice among leading providers offering shared, virtual and dedicated services.  Plesk is a control panel that facilitates the installation and management of all the tools needed for efficient web hosting.  Plesk has been labeled as the most stable and effective control panels for Windows-based hosting.

Plesk offers easy management and administration for your website.  It gives you the ability to create domains and sub-domains, produce dynamic content with comprehensive web building tools, maintain MSSQL databases and configure SSL certificates to protect your online transactions.  You can also set up and manage email accounts and configure email forwarding and autoresponders.  The Plesk control panel gives you the benefit of managing and creating your site with the File Manager or Microsoft FrontPage.  You can also monitor the usage of bandwidth and view the statistics of your website.

The Plesk control panel provides an automated web hosting platform.  It reduces costs in regard to operating and resources by automating a significant amount of important tasks.  Plesk essentially has four levels of logins, each of which have their own responsibilities.  Here is an overview of their functions:

Administrator: Administrator is considered to the be the highest of server-level login.  It allows website administrators to configure and manage system content.  Plesk enables multiple servers to be centrally managed with the administrator level login.

Client: This is the second level login account.  The client level allows users to obtain domain creation rights from system administrators.

Domain Owner: The third level login is a domain owner.  This account allows predetermined permissions for single domain administration.    

Mail User: The last level of server login is for individual mail accounts.  It allows users to log into their own private area where passwords, spam filters and anti-virus features can be managed.

The Plesk control panel is well suited for a professional web hosting environment, and is known to be the perfect solution for efficient server management.  This software was designed with stability and security in mind, making it one of the most reliable control panels available today.  Plesk is capable of supporting hundreds to thousands of accounts on a single server, adding great value to your online business.

Plesk comes included with a number of built-in features, many of which have been improved since it’s inception.  The program also offers a feature known as Parallel Business Automation, a highly customizable tool that allows you to easily integrate applications for blogs, chat rooms, bulletin boards and guestbooks.  It also enables the automated creation of e-commerce tools like shopping carts and web forms for your clients.  Other notable features include the Auto-component updater, the Migration Manager and a web-based installation tool which is similar to the Fantastico script installer of cPanel.

Offering numerous benefits, it’s no wonder why Plesk is the preferred control panel option for many clients hosting in the Windows environment.  Whether you’re starting up with a small company or transferring your established business to the web, Plesk provides all the features needed for the success of your website.

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Aug 21, 2008 : Control Panels No responses yet

Getting Familiar with cPanel

cPanel is one of the most useful features in web hosting, a control panel offered by a number of different providers. Despite it’s extremes capability, it is often one of the most overlooked features as well. We will take a minute of your time to overview some of cPanel’s most attractive features so you do not make the mistake of taking them for granted. After learning how easy this program is to use and what it’s capable of, you will understand why this is the most popular control panel on the market.

Getting Started

Logging into the cPanel program is easy. Simply type the following format into your web browser: “your.domain.com/cpanel”. Remember to replace “yourdomain” with the actual name of your website. From there, a pop-up box will display on the screen, prompting you to enter the username and password for your account. If you do not remember the password, refer to the message sent with the confirmation received upon first opening the account. If you deleted the message for some reason, contact your web hosting provider to retrieve it.

After logging into the control panel, you should notice that the interface has a similar look and feel to that of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Since this is your first time using the program, it is recommended that you refer to the “Getting Started Wizard”. Don’t worry about initiating this function as a pop-up box will display asking if you want to use it. If you answer “no”, the Wizard can be accessed at a later time from an easy accessible link on the control panel.

The wizard will guide you through an overview of the features included in your account. It will teach you how to easily drag and drop files from your hard drive into the server of the web host. It also shows you how to set up email accounts, instructs you on using webmail and keeping your contact information up to date. After completing this task, you can then add, delete or modify your email accounts from the “Email Manager” area of the control panel.

From the “Site Management” section you can review the total of amount of bandwidth and storage that has been used, backup your entire website, create, modify or delete databases and even add, edit or remove content from the site.

All of the domains associated with your hosting package can be effectively managed from the “Domains Section”. This includes sub-domains and parked domains. Your additional domains can be distinctively designed and set to function as their own site.

The “Software/Services” section is where the magic truly happens. This is where you will find a number of scripts that can be installed. The Fantastico program is also located in this area, featuring more than 70 scripts and applications that allow you to implement blogs, message boards, guestbooks and much more.

The “Statistics” section gives you access to programs such as AwStats and Webilizer. This is where you can learn just who visited your site and how they found it. You can even learn exactly what keywords were used to find your website.

cPanel includes all of these wonderful features and much more. Designing and maintaining a website seems like a lot of work but is made much easier with this powerful control panel. If you want to control every critical aspect of your site, inquire within a web hosting provider and find out if they offer cPanel.

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Jul 08, 2008 : Control Panels No responses yet