title: From WHM to Website
created at: Fri Oct 25 2024 12:02:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
updated at: Sat Feb 08 2025 14:22:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
---
# From WHM to Website
# Overview
This document describes how to quickly publish a website on a newly-provisioned cPanel & WHM server.
!! Important:
!! This procedure **only** covers the minimum steps to publish a website. We **strongly** recommend that you [read the rest of our documentation](https://docs.cpanel.net/) and configure all of the useful features on your cPanel & WHM server.
!! You can skip any steps that you have already performed (for example, [*Log in to WHM*](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/accounts/from-whm-to-website/#log-in-to-WHM) or [Set the hostname](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/accounts/from-whm-to-website/#set-the-hostname) ).
!! Due to networking requirements, you **cannot** run an IPv6-only cPanel & WHM server. You **must** have at least one IPv4 address.
# Prepare WHM
This section describes the minimum necessary configuration for a server to host a website.
Log in to WHM
!! Warning:
!! You **must** [purchase a license](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/how-to-purchase-a-cpanel-license/) for cPanel & WHM. New installations automatically receive a free [15-day trial license](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/how-to-sign-up-for-a-trial-license) .
To log in to WHM, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to the following URL, where `IPADDRESS` represents your server’s IP address:
```basic
https://IPADDRESS:2087/
```
1. Enter the `root` username and password.
2. Click *Log in*.
3. Agree to our software license terms. A new interface will appear.
4. Enter your email address in the *Email Address* text box.
5. Enter your default nameservers in the *Nameservers* text boxes. Your hosting provider or networking provider should provide these.
6. Click *Finish*. The WHM *Home* interface will appear.
For more information, read our [How to Log in to Your Server or Account](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/accounts/how-to-log-in-to-your-server-or-account/) and [Getting Started](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/the-whm-interface/getting-started/) documentation.
Set the hostname
Your server’s hostname uniquely identifies it on the internet. Most hosting providers will configure your server’s hostname as part of the provisioning process. However, you may need to perform these steps manually.
To set the hostname, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to WHM’s [*Change Hostname*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/networking-setup/change-hostname) interface (*WHM » Home » Networking Setup » Change Hostname*).
2. If you wish to change the hostname, enter a new hostname in the text box.
3. Click *Change*. A confirmation message will appear.
4. Click *Add an A entry for your hostname*. A new interface will appear that displays the main IP address of the server.
5. Click *Add Entry*. A confirmation message will appear.
!! Warning:\
After you change the server’s hostname, your browser may display a warning about a change to the server’s SSL certificate.
Confirm the DNS resolvers
Your server’s DNS resolvers allow your server to look up the IP addresses of other sites on the internet. Most hosting providers will configure your server’s resolvers as part of the provisioning process. However, you may need to perform this step manually.
To configure DNS resolvers on your server, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to WHM’s [*Resolver Configuration*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/networking-setup/resolver-configuration) interface (*WHM » Home » Networking Setup » Resolver Configuration*).
2. Click *Proceed*. A new interface will appear.
3. Enter the desired IPv4 or IPv6 addresses in the *Primary Resolver* and *Secondary Resolver* text boxes.
!! Note:\
If your hosting provider did not give you this information, you can use Google nameservers (`8.8.8.8` and `8.8.4.4`).
1. To configure a third resolver, enter that IP address in the *Tertiary Resolver* text box.
2. Click *Continue*. A confirmation message will appear.
Configure nameservers
!! Note:
!! We recommend that you set up the nameserver software on your server to ensure full functionality of all services.
!! If you’re using your domain registrar or your hosting provider to handle nameserver services, you can skip this section. Instead, contact your domain registrar and hosting provider for information on how to set your DNS registration and records.
Your server’s nameservers allow you to host your own DNS entries for sites. This allows you to control the branding of domains on your server when others look up information about them.
To select and configure nameservers on your server, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to WHM’s [*Nameserver Selection*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/service-configuration/nameserver-selection) interface (*WHM » Home » Service Configuration » Nameserver Selection*).
2. Select the nameserver software that you wish to use.
3. Click *Save*.
4. Navigate to WHM’s [*DNS Zone Manager*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/dns-functions/dns-zone-manager) interface (*WHM » Home » DNS Functions » DNS Zone Manager*).
5. Select your hostname’s zone file and click *Manage*.
6. Add A records for NS1 and NS2 entries.
7. Change the NS entries to your nameservers.
8. Click *Save*. A confirmation message will appear.
9. Go to your registrar’s website.
10. Change the nameserver records for your main domain to point to your own nameservers.
For more information, read our [How to Set Up Nameservers in a cPanel & WHM Environment](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/dns/how-to-set-up-nameservers-in-a-cpanel-environment/) and [Basic WebHost Manager Setup](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/server-configuration/basic-webhost-manager-setup) documentation.
Set up Reverse DNS
Reverse DNS uses pointer records (PTR) to convert IP addresses to domain names.
We **strongly** recommend that you set the PTR record of your server’s primary IP address to your server’s hostname. However, many hosting providers do **not** delegate authority for PTR records to their customers. Contact your hosting provider for assistance.
For more information, read our [How to Configure Reverse DNS in WHM](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/dns/how-to-configure-reverse-dns-in-whm/) documentation.
Configure WP Toolkit
If you plan to use WordPress to create your website, read our [WP Toolkit for WHM](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/plugins/wp-toolkit-for-whm/) documentation.
Create the account
To create the cPanel account, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to WHM’s [*Create a New Account*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/account-functions/create-a-new-account) interface (*WHM » Home » Account Functions » Create a New Account*).
2. Enter a domain name in the appropriate text box. The interface will suggest a username.
3. Enter a password and confirm it. The *Password Generator* feature can generate a strong password for you.
4. Enter a contact email address for the account.
5. Click *Create*. A confirmation message will appear.
!! Note:
!! If you chose to use your hosting provider or registrar’s nameservers, be sure to configure the DNS records for your domain on their nameservers.
# Prepare cPanel
This section describes the minimum necessary configuration for an account to host a website.
Log in to cPanel
To quickly log in to your new site’s cPanel account, click *Go to cPanel*.
For more information and other methods to log in to a cPanel account, read our [How to Log in to Your Server or Account](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/accounts/how-to-log-in-to-your-server-or-account/) documentation.
Create an email account
!! Note:
!! If you plan to use another mail provider for your site, you can skip this section.
To create an email account for your site, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to cPanel’s [*Email Accounts*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/email-accounts) interface (*cPanel » Home » Email » Email Accounts*).
2. Click *Create*.
3. Enter a username in the appropriate text box.
4. Set a password in the appropriate text box.
5. Click *Edit Settings*.
6. Enter the storage space for the account in the appropriate text box.
7. Click *Create*.
For steps to test your email account, read our [Email Deliverability](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/email-deliverability-in-cpanel) documentation.
# Prepare the website
This section describes how to publish a website on your account.
## Select a publishing method
Perform the steps for the publishing method that you plan to use.
Create a website with Sitejet Builder
If you plan to create a website with the [Sitejet Website Builder (Content Management System)](https://help.sitejet.io/article/536-overview-website-builder-cm) , read our [*Sitejet Builder*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/domains/sitejet-builder/) interface (*cPanel » Home » Domains » Sitejet Builder*) documentation.
Create a WordPress website
!! Note:
!! The [*Onboarding Assistant*](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/onboarding-assistant) automatically creates a WordPress website for the new cPanel account if the user selects the *WordPress* option.
If you plan to create a WordPress site, read our [*WP Toolkit*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/domains/wp-toolkit-for-cpanel/) interface (*cPanel » Home » Domains » WP Toolkit*) documentation.
For information about how to install, configure, and manage WordPress sites with *WP Toolkit*, read Plesk’s [WP Toolkit](https://docs.plesk.com/en-US/obsidian/administrator-guide/website-management/wp-toolkit.73391/#) documentation.
For more information about WordPress, visit the [WordPress Support](https://wordpress.com/support/) website.
Create a placeholder page with Site Publisher
If you plan to upload your own site content, you should display a placeholder page while you build your site. To set up a placeholder for your account, read our [*Site Publisher*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/domains/site-publisher) interface (*cPanel » Home » Domains » Site Publisher*) documentation.
Upload your own content
To securely upload your own content to the website, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to cPanel’s [*Web Disk*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/web-disk) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » Web Disk*).
2. If you run Microsoft Windows Vista, 7, 8, or 10, perform the following additional steps to enable Digest Authentication:
* Click *Enable Digest Authentication*. A new window will appear.
* Enter your cPanel account’s password.
* Click *OK*.
3. Click *Configure Client Access* next to the system user email account.
4. Select your operating system.
5. Install the software.
6. Connect to your Web Disk account. It will now appear on your workstation as another drive.
7. Drag and drop content to your server as needed.
You can use the following interfaces to upload your content:
* cPanel’s [*Git Version Control*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/git-version-control) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » Git Version Control*)
* cPanel’s [*File Manager*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/file-manager) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » File Manager*)
* cPanel’s [*FTP Accounts*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/ftp-accounts) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » FTP Accounts*)
# Perform additional steps
Now that your site is running, we recommend that you perform the following additional steps to secure and protect your server:
* Confirm that [AutoSSL](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/ssl-tls/manage-autossl) has obtained an SSL certificate for your website.
!! Note:\
After you secure your site with a certificate, be sure to update any WordPress installations to use `https:` secured locations instead of `http:` insecured locations.
* Create [reseller accounts](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/accounts/guide-to-reseller-accounts/) , [packages](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/packages/add-a-package) , and [feature lists](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/packages/feature-manager) to simplify selling hosting plans to your customers.
* [Schedule and configure backups](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/backup/backup-configuration) of your server.
* Run [EasyApache 4](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/software/easyapache-4-interface) to select Apache and PHP modules for your server.
* [Update MySQL or change to MariaDB](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/sql-services/mysql-or-mariadb-upgrade) for your server’s databases.
* Set notification preferences for your [server](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/server-contacts/contact-manager) and [websites](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/preferences/account-preferences) .
* Configure your server’s [How to Configure Your Firewall for cPanel & WHM Services](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/general-systems-administration/how-to-configure-your-firewall-for-cpanel-services/) and [cPHulk](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/security-center/cphulk-brute-force-protection) for security purposes.
* Purchase and install [KernelCare](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/third-party/how-to-purchase-a-kernelcare-license/) to manage your operating system’s kernel.
