Logging Into cPanel for the First Time

When your VPS finishes provisioning, SiteServing emails you a cPanel URL, a username, and a temporary password. Here's exactly what to do with them.

1. 1. Find your login URL

   cPanel runs on port 2083 (HTTPS) by default: https://yourdomain.com:2083. If your domain isn't pointed at your server yet, use the server's IP address from your welcome email instead.

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Username & password · from your welcome email

2. 2. Log in with your temporary credentials

   Enter the username and password exactly as they appear in the email; both are case-sensitive. Click Log in.

3. 3. Change your password immediately

   cPanel prompts new accounts to set a new password on first login. Use a unique passphrase you're not reusing anywhere else.

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Files

   Domains

   Databases

   Email

   Security

   Software

   Password & Security

4. 4. Take the security prompt seriously

   Set up two-factor authentication if it's offered (covered in a separate guide), and confirm your contact email is one you actually check, cPanel uses it for password resets and quota warnings.

A Tour of the cPanel Dashboard

cPanel's layout hasn't changed its bones in years, for a reason: everything you need is one search away. Here's how it's organized.

1. 1. The search bar

   The fastest way to find any tool is to type its name, like "SSL" or "cron", into the search box directly under the header.

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Type to jump to any tool →

2. 2. The sidebar categories

   Files, Databases, Domains, Email, Metrics, Security, Software, and Advanced group every feature by what it does, not by menu depth.

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Files

   Domains

   Databases

   Email

   Metrics

   Security

   Software

3. 3. The Stats sidebar

   A running list shows disk and bandwidth usage, your PHP version, and your server's IP address, without opening a single tool.

4. 4. Your account info

   Click your username in the top-right to change your password, contact email, or language, and to log out securely from shared computers.

Creating a New cPanel Account in WHM

Every cPanel account on your server starts the same way in WHM, whether you're hosting a second site of your own or onboarding a reseller client.

1. 1. Open Account Functions → Create a New Account

   This lives in WHM's left sidebar, in the Account Functions group.

   server.siteserving.net:2087

   Account Functions

   Packages

   DNS Functions

   Service Configuration

   Security Center

   Plugins

   Create a New Account

2. 2. Fill in the domain and username

   WHM suggests a username from the domain automatically. Override it if you'd rather set your own.

3. 3. Set a password and choose a package

   Pick an existing package to apply its disk, bandwidth, and feature limits automatically, or set custom limits for just this account.

4. 4. Review DNS and email settings, then click Create

   WHM shows a live log as it provisions the account. When it finishes, the new account's cPanel is ready to use immediately.

   whm · account creation log

   ✓ creating user account…

   ✓ setting up dns zone

   ✓ applying package limits

   account setup complete

Understanding WHM Packages and Resource Limits

A package is a template of limits and features, disk space, bandwidth, email accounts, and which cPanel tools are even visible, so you're not setting them by hand for every new account.

1. 1. Open Packages → Add a Package

   Name it something you'll recognize later, like "Reseller-Starter" rather than "Package 1".

   server.siteserving.net:2087

   Account Functions

   Packages

   DNS Functions

   Service Configuration

   Security Center

   Plugins

   Add a Package

2. 2. Set disk quota and bandwidth

   Use "unlimited" sparingly, a soft cap protects you from one account quietly filling the disk.

3. 3. Set add-on limits

   Addon domains, subdomains, email accounts, and databases are all capped per-package, independent of disk space.

4. 4. Choose a feature list

   Feature lists control which cPanel tools an account can even see, hide advanced tools from client accounts that don't need them.

How to Update Apache on Your Server

On a cPanel server, "updating Apache" almost always means one of two things: letting cPanel's own update process refresh it, or rebuilding it through EasyApache 4 after new packages are available. Here's both, and when to use each.

1. 1. Check your current version

   WHM → EasyApache 4 shows the installed Apache (httpd) version and every module currently compiled in.

   server.siteserving.net:2087

   Account Functions

   Packages

   Service Configuration

   EasyApache 4

   Security Center

   Plugins

   apache/httpd · v2.4.58

2. 2. Let automatic updates handle routine patches

   WHM → Update Preferences controls how often cPanel checks for and applies updates, including Apache security patches. Most servers should leave this on "Automatic".

3. 3. Rebuild your Apache profile for a version bump

   Open EasyApache 4, choose "Customize Profile" on your current profile, and step through the wizard. Even with no module changes, re-running it recompiles Apache against the latest available packages.

4. 4. For an immediate manual check, use the command line

   SSH in as root and check for a newer package, then apply the update through EasyApache 4 rather than updating httpd directly, so cPanel's configuration stays in sync.

   root@server · ssh

   $ dnf check-update httpd

   httpd.x86_64 2.4.60-1 · updates

   → apply via WHM · EasyApache 4

Switching From Apache to LiteSpeed (Step by Step)

LiteSpeed Web Server is a drop-in replacement for Apache that reads your existing virtual host configuration, which is why most migrations are far less disruptive than people expect. Here's the real sequence.

1. 1. Confirm licensing and compatibility first

   Decide between OpenLiteSpeed (free, self-managed) and LiteSpeed Enterprise (licensed, integrates more deeply with WHM), and confirm your control panel version is on LiteSpeed's supported list.

2. 2. Install the LiteSpeed WHM plugin

   From WHM's plugin installer, add the official LiteSpeed package for cPanel. This adds a dedicated "LiteSpeed Web Server" section to WHM.

   server.siteserving.net:2087

   Account Functions

   Packages

   Service Configuration

   Security Center

   Plugins

   Install LiteSpeed Web Server

3. 3. Run the official installer

   LiteSpeed's installer script detects your existing Apache vhosts and imports them automatically, so you're not rebuilding every domain's configuration by hand.

   root@server · ssh

   $ sh lsws_whm_install.sh

   detecting apache virtual hosts…

   ✓ imported 14 vhost configurations

   ✓ litespeed installed on port 8088

4. 4. Test before you commit

   LiteSpeed can run alongside Apache on an alternate port first, so you can load a test URL and compare before switching ports 80/443 over.

5. 5. Switch over and monitor

   Once you're satisfied, point LiteSpeed at ports 80/443 and keep an eye on WHM's service status and your site's error logs for the first day.

   server.siteserving.net:2087

   Service Status · litespeed: running

Enabling PHP-FPM for a cPanel Account

PHP-FPM (FastCGI Process Manager) handles PHP requests more efficiently than the older suEXEC/CGI model, especially on busier sites, and cPanel makes turning it on a per-domain toggle.

1. 1. Open WHM → MultiPHP Manager

   server.siteserving.net:2087

   Account Functions

   Packages

   MultiPHP Manager

   Security Center

   Plugins

   PHP-FPM · toggle per domain

2. 2. Select the domain (or domains)

   You can change PHP-FPM status for one account or several at once from the same list.

3. 3. Toggle "PHP-FPM" on, then click Apply

   cPanel restarts PHP handling for the selected domains without touching the rest of the server.

4. 4. Adjust the FPM pool settings if needed

   Under the PHP-FPM settings, you can raise max children and idle timeout for high-traffic accounts.

Setting Up a New Email Account in cPanel

cPanel handles mailbox creation, webmail, and IMAP/POP configuration from a single screen, no separate mail server login required.

1. 1. Go to Email → Email Accounts → Create

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Files

   Domains

   Databases

   Email

   Security

   Software

   Email Accounts · Create

2. 2. Choose the address and set a mailbox quota

   A sensible default (1–2 GB) keeps one account from filling shared disk space.

3. 3. Set a password

   cPanel shows a strength meter; use a generated password if this mailbox will be used with an app rather than typed by a person.

4. 4. Open "Connect Devices" for ready-made settings

   cPanel generates the exact IMAP/SMTP host, port, and encryption settings for whatever device or client you're setting up next.

Creating a MySQL Database and User in cPanel

Almost every application, from WordPress to a custom PHP app, needs a database and a database user with the right privileges. The MySQL Database Wizard does both in one flow.

1. 1. Go to Databases → MySQL Database Wizard

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Files

   Domains

   Databases

   Email

   Security

   Software

   MySQL Database Wizard

2. 2. Name your database

   cPanel automatically prefixes it with your username, like user_appname, which is normal and required.

3. 3. Create a database user

   Also prefixed automatically. Set a strong, generated password and store it in your app's config, not in plain text anywhere public.

4. 4. Assign privileges

   For most applications, "All Privileges" is correct. For a reporting-only connection, choose just SELECT.

Installing a Free SSL Certificate with AutoSSL

AutoSSL issues and renews free domain-validated certificates automatically, so most cPanel sites never need a manual SSL install at all.

1. 1. Confirm a provider is enabled

   In WHM, go to SSL/TLS → Manage AutoSSL and confirm a provider is enabled, Let's Encrypt or Sectigo, depending on your setup.

   server.siteserving.net:2087

   Account Functions

   Packages

   Manage AutoSSL

   Security Center

   Plugins

   Provider: enabled · running

2. 2. Run AutoSSL for the account

   Wait for the nightly automatic run, or trigger it immediately from the account's row in "List Accounts".

3. 3. Check the results

   AutoSSL logs show which domains got a certificate, and flag any that failed domain validation, usually a DNS issue.

4. 4. Confirm from the cPanel side

   The account holder can check Security → SSL/TLS Status in their own cPanel to see the certificate's issue and expiry dates.

Adding an Addon Domain in cPanel

An addon domain lets you host a second, fully separate website under the same cPanel account, each with its own document root.

1. 1. Go to Domains → Create A New Domain

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Files

   Domains

   Databases

   Email

   Security

   Software

   Create A New Domain

2. 2. Enter the domain name

   cPanel suggests a document root and a matching FTP/email username automatically; change the folder if you'd rather keep it somewhere specific.

3. 3. Decide whether to share the document root

   Leave this off unless you specifically want the new domain to serve the exact same files as an existing one.

4. 4. Click Submit

   cPanel creates the DNS zone entry, the document root folder, and, optionally, a matching email/FTP account in one step.

Generating and Downloading a Full cPanel Backup

A full backup bundles your files, databases, email, and account configuration into a single archive, useful before any major change, or just as a periodic safety net.

1. 1. Go to Files → Backup

   yourdomain.com:2083

   Files

   Domains

   Databases

   Email

   Security

   Software

   Backup

2. 2. Choose "Download a Full Account Backup"

   This differs from the partial backups further down the same page, which only cover one piece, just databases, for example.

3. 3. Pick a backup destination

   Home Directory is simplest for a quick download; a remote destination (FTP, etc.) is better for backups you want to keep off the server itself.

4. 4. Wait for the notification

   cPanel emails you when the archive is ready, since large accounts can take a while to compress.

   backup · progress

   compressing account archive…

   ✓ siteserving_backup_2026-09.tar.gz ready

We're still writing this one, it's on the list. In the meantime, here's where to start, or browse the rest of the Knowledge Base.