As a new webmaster, a cPanel Dashboard lets you perform a lot more than just your site file access actions. It’s one of the most popular Linux-based control panels for web hosting accounts. Letting you conveniently manage all services in a single place.
Currently, cPanel is the industry standard and most web developers are well acquainted with it — and it’s very intuitive and easy to use. It empowers you to manage a web hosting account with maximum efficiency.
Whether that’s creating new FTP users and email addresses or monitoring resources, creating subdomains, and installing software. It’s important to realize, there’re thousands of alternatives to cPanel Dashboard hosting out there.
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And because every hosting provider is different, you’ll need to check with each potential host first. In order to get an idea of what control panel solutions they’re using. So, you too can join the thousands of other global web hosting providers growing their business with cPanel & WHM (learn more).
One thing for sure, cPanel or https://cpanel.net/ has for over two decades been powering the internet so well. By providing a platform for webmasters to install their web content. And from its birth to now 23 years old, cPanel has grown up a whole bunch too.
It has also learned a few lessons, served the global hosting community, and so much more. Let’s now have a look at its other workability features.
What Is A cPanel Dashboard?
A cPanel Dashboard is a popular web control panel that helps you manage your web hosting server using a human-friendly web-based interface — it’s especially popular with shared hosts. Where it’s the de facto solution provided by most affordable hosting providers.
Without a cPanel dashboard for your site content, you would need technical knowledge to manage your websites/server. But with a cPanel, you’re able to make all the changes using a graphical interface — with no additional technical knowledge required.
As popular as cPanel is, not every host uses cPanel to help customers manage their websites, though. And as far as mass-market hosting management solutions go, it’s pretty much the industry standard. But, what about the modern web hosts?
Many modern hosts, especially in the managed WordPress hosting industry, are opting for custom-built dashboards as a cPanel alternative. All in all, a good web control panel allows you to create an exceptional hosting experience. With an industry-leading hosting platform and with world-class support.
How A Cloud Hosting Platform Benefits cPanel Dashboard
As you know, you can’t use a cPanel Dashboard unless you’ve got a good cloud hosting platform in place. But, it’s not just that – you’ll need to choose the right host for your business too. For it will highly influence your overall website performance. What if you want to own a server for your business’s online needs?
With that in mind, that’s why a cloud hosting platform has become an essential part of the modern business landscape. And because it’s so convenient and scalable, it quickly became indispensable for businesses that rely on moving and storing huge amounts of data. Think streaming services like Netflix or Hulu.
Such services don’t want to be responsible for the huge time and money investment it takes to manage a hosting platform of their own. But, the scalability of a cloud hosting service means that even small businesses can benefit. Gone are the days where small-scale enterprises need to invest in their own always-on boxes that eat power and create heat.
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One of the biggest factors while choosing a good cloud hosting platform to install and manage your web/cloud server is cost. But, is it right to focus so heavily on price when the value for your business needs is clearly the primary focus? Well, the majority are looking to choose from the ‘big three’ cloud hosting platforms.
It comes as no surprise that Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure are the dominant horses in this race. That said, you can read and learn more about how to choose the right cloud hosting platform and other benefits.
How does the cPanel Dashboard look like?
First of all, there’s no single “look” for the cPanel dashboard. Obviously, because not only are there different core cPanel themes, but some hosts also apply their own unique styling. Basically, in the center area, you’ll find a number of different links.
Allowing you to manage various parts of your hosting account. Secondly, as soon as you get your own cPanel & WHM, on the right-hand sidebar, you’ll find some basic information about your server. With that being said, most cPanel dashboards should look roughly like this:
That said, you too should start serving your hosting business better — by using the key cPanel & WHM® features in that case. In order to manage your sites, servers, business, etc. Through a suite of hosting automation and optimization solutions for all webmasters and website owners.
In general, the main cPanel & WHM® service solutions is equipped with interfaces for both you and your customers — to simplify your site and server management. Below are more features you’ll get acquainted with while using a cPanel Dashboard:
cPanel & WHM
You’ll mainly use cPanel for your customers in order to create websites and domains in a few clicks. As well as launch and manage email networks or even manage and store web files. While WHM is used by webmasters externally to create cPanel accounts for customers.
WHM is also used to monitor and protect your server as well as transfer and backup data in a few clicks. In addition, you can create a premium hosting experience with the following add-on solutions too. Such as the CloudLinx OS, KernelCare, LiteSpeed Web Server, JetBackup, WHMCS, Imunify360, etc.
Read More: CloudLinux – For Hosting Providers & Data Centers
CloudLinux OS is a Linux distribution marketed to shared hosting providers — developed by software company CloudLinux, Inc. It’s based on the CentOS operating system, and it uses the Open VZ kernel and the rpm package manager.
With CloudLinx (Starting at $16.00/mo), you can easily add greater stability to your shared hosting. Host more sites, optimize server performance and provide a more stable, secure environment for your shared hosting customers.
Read More: How to Install KernelCare – CloudLinux
For your information, KernelCare software is a commercial product that was first Beta introduced in March 2014 and was commercially launched in May 2014. It’s a live kernel patching service that provides security patches and bug fixes for a range of popular Linux kernels. And that can be installed without rebooting the system.
With KernelCare (Starting at $3.00/mo), you’ll be able to apply security patches automatically to a running Kernel. Automatically, it installs all the necessary security updates to running kernels. Not to mention, with no need to reboot your cPanel Linux servers.
Read More: What is LiteSpeed Web Server?
LiteSpeed Web Server is a proprietary web server software. It’s the 4th most popular web server, estimated to be used by 8.1% of websites as of December 2020. LSWS is developed by privately held LiteSpeed Technologies.
With LiteSpeed (Starting at $25.00/mo), you’ll be able to conserve more resources on your web or cloud server. As you also increase the performance of your machines. And even provide a better-shared experience with this replacement for Apache.
Read More: JetBackup – What is it and how do I use it? | Knowledgebase
JetBackup is the software that is used to back up web/cloud servers to its disaster recovery server located in a remote facility. Although it does not give you the ability to download a copy of your site as it is right now. Instead, it only grants you access to the backups they’ve already taken.
With JetBackup (Starting at $5.95/mo), you’ll easily be able to give your clients the backup functionality they deserve. Like customizing backups with unlimited backup jobs and destinations. Or even custom hooks, and self-service for cPanel users.
Read More: WHMCS | Web Hosting Billing & Automation Platform
By definition, WHMCS stands for Web Host Manager Complete Solution. They’re the go-to software that automates all the operations needed for online web hosting and domain registration. And until it was acquired by cPanel, WHMCS was a privately-owned company based in the UK.
With WHMCS (Starting at $15.95/mo), you can add automated billing for your customers. By seamlessly, integrating cPanel with a dynamic, all-in-one billing and automation platform. That meets all your web hosting business needs.
Read More: Imunify360 – Web Server Security Ultimate Solution – Plesk
Imunify360 is the security solution for Linux web servers based on machine learning technology. It utilizes a multi-layer approach to provide total protection against any type of malicious attack. Or even abnormal behavior including distributed brute force attacks.
With Imunify360 (Starting at $12.00/mo), you’ll have a next-generation, hands-off security solution, powered by AI. It provides you with complete protection against all attacks. While delivering sophisticated detection and display of security threats. More so, powered by a self-learning firewall with herd immunity.
Automation and in-house support
From my own user experience, cPanel & WHM allows hosting providers and users the ability to automate server management tasks so easily. While offering your customers the tools they need to manage their sites. It also comes with in-house, 24/7 support to help solve all your hosting needs.
Eventually, there are two types of cPanel Licenses you can get — the Cloud and Metal Licenses (view full pricing details). On one hand, their Cloud Licenses are available for VPS and Cloud Instances. It’s so perfect for use in a supported virtual environment. And it’s also ideal for growing and fluctuating bandwidth demands.
On the other hand, their Metal Licenses are Available for more Dedicated Servers. It’s so perfect for use in a dedicated environment. As well as for the ultimate amount of control and resources.
Third-party cPanel Apps
In reality, many developers love cPanel so much that some have even used it to create free apps and plugins! And as such, you too can check out dozens of useful and innovative applications to add to your configuration.
Not forgetting, they also offer free and discounted licenses to all qualifying non-profits and educational institutions. As well as free developer licenses for those building for cPanel & WHM. Thus, you can check out the Developer Center and find out about their free licenses for developers just like you.
Additionally, you can find out everything else you can do with the following features listed below:
What I know so far is that the cPanel providers are champions for their customers, the industry, and their employees (learn more). Meaning, they are fanatical and passionate about serving their customers, and their customer’s customers. Just like they serve the jmexclusives website needs.
In other words, they’re here for industry improvement. Always striving to be great citizens by nurturing and improving the hosting industry.
How a cPanel Dashboard works
As I mentioned, cPanel is a user-friendly dashboard that lets you manage your hosting account and server. Many hosts, especially shared hosts, provide cPanel to their customers. From cPanel, you can perform a number of important actions like:
- Installing WordPress
- Creating a new email account
- Adding a domain or subdomain
- Managing or uploading files to your server
- Backing up your site
And you can also perform many other actions that didn’t make the list. So, let’s consider the 5 helpful things you can do with cPanel from the above list. But first, here’s a general overview.
Assuming your host uses cPanel, your host should provide you with a direct link to access cPanel somewhere in your welcome emails. But if you can’t find that link, here’s a shortcut to access your site’s cPanel dashboard at any time:
If your site’s URL starts with
- http, append 2082 to the end of your domain.
- https, append 2083 to the end of your domain.
For example, you can access cPanel by going to:
http://www.yoursite.com:2082https://www.yoursite.com:2083
Once you visit that address, you’ll be prompted to log in with your cPanel username and password. By now, you should have received your cPanel username and password from your hosting provider. Usually, in the set of welcome emails, you received them immediately after signing up.
If you can’t find your username and password, I recommend contacting your host’s support for help as the process to find that information varies between hosts. And now that you know what it is and how it works, do you want to play around with cPanel yourself in a safe environment?
If so, you can check out the official cPanel demo. This trial demo provides a 100% working cPanel interface for you to practice on. The only thing you’re missing is an auto-installer that allows you to install WordPress. Simply, because it’s not tied to your live hosting account.
Thus, you can feel free to play around with all of the cPanel options without any danger of breaking anything. Below are some of the ways on how it works:
How to Install WordPress using Softaculous
Most hosts give you access to something called an “auto-installer” in your cPanel dashboard. This allows you to install WordPress, as well as lots of other software, with just a few clicks. Of these user-friendly auto-installers, Softaculous is probably the most popular.
Although it’s possible your specific host uses a different solution. To install WordPress using a cPanel Dashboard, all you’ll need to do is look for the auto installer’s section and click on the WordPress button. And then, follow the simple setup wizard to complete the WordPress installation process.
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Go to your control panel (e.g. cPanel or Direct admin) login page and enter the correct login details. And now, look for the Softaculous icon in the control panel. You can then click on the Softaculous icon which will take you to the Softaculous end-user panel (see all the steps).
cPanel also makes it easy to create your own email address using your unique domain name. To get started, look for the Email Accounts option under the Email section. Then, enter the desired address for your email account as well as a password and click Create Account.
Then, you can either access a webmail account right from cPanel or set up your new email account to work with a standalone email client.
How to Add a New Domain/Subdomain with cPanel
Equally important, cPanel lets you create two types of domains:
- Addon Domains: – these are completely standalone domain names, e.g. yoursite.com
- Subdomains: – these are prepended to your domain name, e.g. blog.yoursite.com
To add both types of domains, look for the relevant option in the Domains section.
How to Upload Files, Manage & Back-up your Site
While you can always upload and manage files using something called FTP, cPanel also provides a web-based interface to help you manage files called File Manager. To access it, look for the File Manager option in the Files section.
Clicking the button will open up a new interface where you can:
- Browse to different locations using the folder tree on the left
- Manage individual files in the center
- Perform various actions, including uploading and editing files, via the top bar
As long as your site isn’t too large (some hosts impose a limit), you can always manually back up your site from your cPanel dashboard. To get started, look for the Backup or Backup Wizard options in the Files section. Then, follow the wizard to complete your backup:
The Backup Wizard is a little more user-friendly, so I highly recommend it if it’s available.
How to use MyKinsta as an Alternative Platform
You should also know that there’s a great alternative to the main cPanel dashboard that’s offered by Kinsta. The MyKinsta Dashboard, in fact, includes a lot of features that cPanel doesn’t. Such as a site migration wizard to help you move a WordPress site to Kinsta.
It has a set of useful tools too including cache management, free SSLs, search and replace, and more. With detailed site analytics and performance monitoring. In addition to site deployment in 24 Google Cloud data centers around the world. And an easy-to-use one-click staging environment.
Kinsta also comes with a customizable snapshot, downloadable, and external site backups. And with a New Relic Integration for detailed performance monitoring. As well as insight into your WordPress site with a plugin overview.
If you want to find out more about our MyKinsta dashboard, be sure to check out their free demo — for the new beginner webmasters.
Final Words,
As a webmaster, what I have come to realize is that cPanel has a great cultural offering and job careers too. Whereby, the company hires people who do what they love. Making sure that they love where they work as well.
Ready to take your career to new places? — (view career opportunities). I ask you to share the cPanel brand too. As you let your customers know that you’re part of the cPanel fam with their downloadable logos. Or even check the brand guide for best practices — (see resource library).
Related Topic: How to Use FTP to Upload WordPress Files | Simple Steps to Follow
cPanel offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package with several options to help you care for yourself and your family. You can look forward to perks like a casual work environment, complimentary snacks, and much more!
All you’ll need to do is take a look at their open positions and see how you can become a part of their exceptional team.
Some key openings include:
Aside from the above list, you can also view more open positions that best suit your work environment criteria.
Finally, if there’s something else that demands our attention, or if you’ll have any additional questions, you can Contact Us and let us know how we can help you. You can also share some of your thoughts, suggestions, or any other general contribution to our other blog articles in our comments section.
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