Step by Step Guide to Setting up a New WHM cPanel Server for Web
Hosting Accounts
This is a guide to setting up a new WHM/cPanel Server to be used
for web hosting accounts. It is intended for web hosting company
administrators and dedicated server owners. For under $99 per
month, it is easier than ever to manage and run your own
dedicated server. You can have guaranteed uptime from your
datacenter, and outsourced support starting at $30/month. All
you need to do is set up the server and get going. Whether it is
for a web hosting company or a couple of personal websites, an
inexpensive linux server is powerful, reliable, and easy to
setup.
WebHostManager(WHM) is a common linux based tool for managing
websites on a server. cPanel is a common control panel to manage
an individual website. It allows you to add email accounts, view
stats, make backups, install programs, etc. These 2 tools are
the most inexpensive set used commonly to manage hosting
accounts, and you will find them very prevalent in the budget
shared hosting world. It usually adds about $20/month to the
cost of a dedicated server but provides most of the features of
the more expensive tools.
Whenever you order a dedicated server from a datacenter, you
will receive a welcome email with details of the server
including the server name, ip addresses, and root password. This
information will allow you to setup and configure WHM so that
you can host websites and use your own custom Domain Nameserver
instead of a raw IP address.
The first thing you need to do is the setup of
WebHostManager(WHM). This includes configuring the default
Domain nameservers, main IP address, and server contact email
address.
1) Login to root WHM (http://:2086) 2) In the left
margin, click Next to run the setup wizard 3) Agree to the
end-user license agreement 4) Edit setup a. Server contact email
address: info@yourdomain.com b. Default Cpanel theme: x c.
Default home directory: /home d. Home directory prefix: home e.
Main shared virtual host IP: xx.xxx.xxx.xx (should be main IP of
server) f. Hostname: server.yourserver.com g. Primary
nameserver: dns1.yourserver.com h. Secondary nameservers:
dns2.yourserver.com i. Leave everything else unchanged j. Click
Save
Next, you need to setup the system quota. To do this follow
these instructions: 5) Click Next Step in left margin - system
sets up initial quota. No need to wait for initial quota to
setup....Click Next Step again 6) DO NOT enable namesever. Click
Next Step again
Now we need to setup the Resolver. This is specific to your
datacenter and the information will be provided in the Welcome
details for your dedicated server. 7) Resolver setup: a. Click
Continue b. Primary Resolver: xx.xx.xx.xx (this is datacenter
specific) c. Secondary Resolver: xx.xx.xx.xx (this is datacenter
specific) d. Tertiary Resolver: leave blank e. Click Continue f.
Click Next Step 8) Not necessary to enter a MySQL root password
9) Click Finish
Initial setup is done, and you should now be able to login to
root WHM. Now you can create the accounts needed to setup the
nameservers that you want to use on this dedicated server. 1)
Login to root WHM again 2) "Create a New Account" (this is to be
the main account: yourserver.com). Do not give this account a
dedicated IP.... It will use the main server's shared IP
address. 3) Under "IP Functions", click "Show IP address usage".
If only the main server IP is listed, that means you have to add
the additional IP address to the server. Click "Add a New IP
address", and enter: xx.xx.xx.xx-xx Leave subnet mask unchanged,
and click "Do It" 4) Click Show/Edit Reserved IPs, and check an
IP to reserve it, and enter a reason (i.e. dns2.yourserver.com)
5) Under "DNS Functions" click "Edit DNS Zone", then select
yourserver.com and click "Edit". Use the main IP address for the
first 2 lines and the next IP address assigned to the server for
the third line. a. Under "Add new entries below this line",
enter: server 14400 IN A xx.xx.xx.xx (leave far right box blank)
dns1 14400 IN A xx.xx.xx.xx (leave far right box blank) dns2
14400 IN A xx.xx.xx.xx (leave far right box blank) b. Note: The
above entries are DNS entries for the two nameservers being
created, and the sever name dana.hostyourself.com. Once you've
enter the three entries, click "Save" 6) If you get an "Error
reloading BIND" error, go to "Restart Services" and click "DNS
Server (BIND)", then click YES to restart Bind.
That's it! Now the server is all setup and ready to host cPanel
hosting account with the nameservers dns1.yourserver.com and
dns2.yourserver.com. Of course you still need to go to your
registrar and register these 2 new nameservers and wait for
normal propagation of 24-48 hours until the new nameservers will
work.
If this is a server being setup for a dedicated customer, be
sure to tell them: 1) IP addresses of nameservers so he can
register them with his registrar 2) Root login information 3)
Login info of main account you created for him 4) Tell him NOT
to delete the main account, since doing so will also delete the
DNS zones you setup above 5) New DNS zones should be added to
the old server to help with DNS propagation.
If you follow these simple instructions once you get your server
from the datacenter, then you will be ready to load websites and
hit the internet. With cheap outsourced support companies
available and world class datacenters providing under $99
servers there is no reason not to tackle the world of dedicated
servers and web hosting for yourself.