Cpanel is a web hosting control panel that provides a graphical interface and automation tools designed to simplify the process of hosting a website. Cpanel is most commonly used by shared web hosts, but can also be found on some virtual private servers and dedicated servers.
If you’re looking to have total control over your web hosting server, cPanel makes it easy to do so without needing to learn complicated coding languages like PHP or HTML.
The cPanel makes it easy for a user of any level to manage the settings all from one place. Whether it’s creating a new FTP user, monitoring resources, installing softwares, or creating subdomains, everything is possible with cPanel.
Why Do You Need a cPanel?
If you’re planning on starting a website, you’re going to need a web hosting account and a way to manage your server. One of the most popular methods for managing a server is through cPanel. It offers a simple dashboard and the buttons, links, navigation, and graphics to make file management understandable and accessible. The main areas where cPanel comes in handy are:
- Install WordPress On Your Server: If you’re not somewhat familiar with File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or phpMyAdmin, installing WordPress can be a little tricky.
- Create Backups of Your Site: cPanel comes with its own extensive backup functionality. Specifically, you can either manually make backups of your site, or use a backup wizard:
- Help You Utilize FTP: FTP enables you to access your server. You can use it to install WordPress as well as upload, edit, and delete files such as images, themes, and plugins.
- Manage Your Site’s Email Accounts: Another bonus that comes with having cPanel is that it enables you to conveniently create, modify, and delete email accounts.
- Maintain Your WordPress Site’s MySQL Database: MySQL Databases tool enables you to manage your databases, creating new ones, modifying existing ones and creating, managing and removing database users.
- Secure Your Site: Lastly, you’ll be able to add security features to your WordPress site through cPanel. There are numerous add-ons available that can help you prevent data breaches and other serious issues.
How to Access cPanel and Logging In?
Most hosting providers give you a direct link to access the cPanel. However, if you don’t have one, here’s what you can do.
- Go to web browser and type your domain name like this:
- If your website begins with an “http,” add: 2082 at the end of the URL (http://www.yourwebsitename.com:2082)
- If your site begins with an “https,” add: 2083 at the end of the URL (https://www.yourwebsitename.com:2083).
- You can also log in to your cPanel by typing in /cpanel after your website address. It would look like this: (https://yoursite.com/cpanel).
Now, you will be taken to the cPanel login page. In order to log in, you will need your server’s IP address, username, and password provided by your host. Click on the Login button. Most of the hosting providers send credentials in the mail.
Note: To create email address for your domain in cPanel. This will allow you to have a professional email address that uses your domain name, which can make a better impression on customers and help promote your brand.
What Features are in cPanel?
cPanel is split into different areas that correspond to each aspect of managing a server or website. We will explain each section along with the main functions.
Files
In this section, we’ll manage all your website files using cPanel. The cPanel has a Files section to manage files, images, directories, FTP accounts, plugins, themes, and much more.
File Manager allows you to upload files such as images, videos, documents, or audio files by dragging them into the window or browsing for them using a file browser. You can also create new folders on your server and move, copy, rename, or delete files within it.
You can even use the Files section to find details for checking your disk usage, connecting via FTP, and much more.
Databases
The Databases section lets you manage your databases and database users. If your website uses a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, it will need a database to store all the important data and information, such as usernames, passwords, and posts.
Most of the task are mostly done via MySQL Databases and phpMyAdmin. You can create a new database using the cPanel or view the currently active site files.
Domains
The Domains section provides the features for all domain-related tasks, such as managing domain names, setting up addon domains for newly purchased domain names, and creating parked domains.
The primary options to manage using cPanel are:
- Domains – You can add a new domain for your new WordPress site using these options.
- Addon Domains – You can create additional domains that you use for other sites.
- Aliases – Using this option, you can link other domains to your primary domain. These extra domains serve as “Aliases.” That means your site is available on all domains that you specify here.
- Redirects – You can direct a certain URL to another URL using the redirect option.
- Subdomains – You can make a subdomain for your site instead of managing a new domain.
The cPanel dashboard includes an Email section for adding and maintaining the email addresses.
Email Accounts is used to create new email addresses, change passwords, get setup information, and even login! Both Email Filters and Global Email Filters let you set up specialized filters to discard or reroute certain types of mail. By combining those filters with cPanel’s Spam Filters, you can dramatically limit the amount of spam you’re receiving in your inbox. Be sure to turn spam filtering on, as it isn’t on by default!
Metrics
cPanel offers a number of different monitoring and statistics tools to help you administer your hosting account. These tools include Visitors, Errors, Bandwidth, Raw Access, CPU and Concurrent Connection Usage, Webalizer and Webalizer FTP.
- Visitors, Awstats, Raw Access, Webalizer focus on your website visitors’ data, such as the traffic rate. The presentation differs between each of these options.
- The Errors option shows the most recent website entries on your logs.
- The Bandwidth option lets you see the bandwidth usage of your server.
- The Webalizer FTP option shows the data of all the visits via the FTP protocol.
Preferences
Preferences tab, you can customize various settings on your hosting account. For example, you can change the default editor for certain actions or change which diskspace quota applies to certain website. You’ll also find some basic troubleshooting tips here.
Which Web Hosts Provide cPanel?
In order to use cPanel, you must first sign up with a web hosting provider that offers the software. Some of the most popular hosts that provide cPanel include Bluehost, HostGator, and DreamHost.
- Bluehost offers the fastest speeds on the market today and is a great option for those looking for cPanel web hosting.
- HostGator always gets the latest version of cPanel with your hosting plan, as well as additional incentives like: SSL, Website builder, Unlimited bandwidth, SEO tools, and Unlimited email aliases.
- Dreamhost comes with cPanel reporting that gives you a detailed insight into speed and website performance and keeps track of all the activity involving your site with built-in log programs Awstats, Webalizer, and Analog.