Knowledgebase

Welcome to your new web hosting account! This guide will walk you through the essential first steps to get your website up and running safely and efficiently.

Step 1: Log Into Your DirectAdmin Control Panel

1. Access Your Control Panel
   • Open your web browser and navigate to your DirectAdmin URL (provided in your welcome email)
   • Enter your username and password
   • Click "Login"
2. Familiarize Yourself with the Interface
   • Take a moment to explore the main dashboard
   • Notice the main sections: Account Manager, E-mail Manager, Advanced Features, and Extra Features
   • The interface is organized into logical groups - don't worry about understanding everything immediately

Step 2: Secure Your Account Immediately

Change Your Default Password

1. Click on "Change Password" in the Account Manager section
2. Create a strong password that includes:
   • At least 12 characters
   • Mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
   • Numbers and special characters
   • Avoid personal information or dictionary words
3. Consider using a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (if available)

1. Look for "Two-Factor Authentication" or "2FA" in your Account Manager
2. Follow the setup instructions using an authenticator app like Google Authenticator
3. Save your backup codes in a secure location

Step 3: Upload Your First Website

Option A: Using File Manager (Recommended for Beginners)

1. Click on "File Manager" in the Account Manager section
2. Navigate to the "public_html" folder - this is where your website files go
3. Delete any placeholder files (like "index.html" if present)
4. Click "Upload Files" and select your website files
5. If uploading a ZIP file, extract it after upload

Option B: Using FTP (For Advanced Users)

1. In DirectAdmin, go to "FTP Management"
2. Create a new FTP account or use your main account credentials
3. Use an FTP client like FileZilla with these settings:
   • Host: Your domain name or server IP
   • Username: Your DirectAdmin username
   • Password: Your DirectAdmin password
   • Port: 21 (or 22 for SFTP)

Test Your Website

• Open a new browser tab and visit your domain name
• If you see your website, congratulations! If not, check that your files are in the "public_html" folder

Step 4: Create Your First Email Account

1. Go to "E-mail Accounts" in the E-mail Manager section
2. Click "Create Account"
3. Choose a username (e.g., info, contact, your name)
4. Set a strong password
5. Set a quota (mailbox size limit) - 1GB is usually sufficient to start
6. Click "Create"

Access Your Email

• Webmail: Go to yourdomain.com/webmail
• Email Client: Use the settings provided in your DirectAdmin email section

Step 5: Set Up SSL Certificate (HTTPS)

1. Navigate to "SSL Certificates" in Advanced Features
2. Click "Free & Automatic" if Let's Encrypt is available
3. Select your domain and click "Save"
4. Wait 5-10 minutes for the certificate to activate
5. Test by visiting https://yourdomain.com

Step 6: Understand Your Automatic Backup Protection

Good News: Your Data is Already Protected!

We automatically create offsite backups of your entire hosting account every day and keep them for 7 days. This means:

• Daily automatic backups of all your files, databases, and email
• Stored offsite on separate servers for maximum protection
• 7-day retention - we keep a full week of backup history
• Self-Service restore - Self-Service restore available alternately contact support 
• No action required - this protection is included with your hosting

If You Need Support to Restore Data:

1. Contact our support team with your restoration request
2. Tell us what you need restored and from which day (up to 7 days back)
3. We'll restore your data quickly from our offsite backup system

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

File Upload Errors

• ❌ Don't upload to the wrong folder - Always use "public_html" for website files
• ❌ Don't forget to extract ZIP files - Uploaded ZIP files need to be extracted
• ❌ Don't leave test files - Remove any "test.html" or placeholder files

Security Oversights

• ❌ Using weak passwords - "password123" or your domain name are easily guessed
• ❌ Skipping backups - Always backup before making major changes
• ❌ Ignoring SSL - Modern browsers warn users about non-HTTPS sites

Email Setup Issues

• ❌ Using admin@ or root@ - These may conflict with system accounts
• ❌ Setting unlimited quotas - This can fill up your hosting space
• ❌ Forgetting to test - Always send a test email to confirm it's working

Next Steps Checklist

After completing these first steps, you should:

• Successfully logged into DirectAdmin
• Changed your password to something secure
• Uploaded your website files to public_html
• Created at least one email account
• Enabled SSL (HTTPS) for your domain
• Understood your automatic backup protection

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues during these first steps:

1. Check our Knowledge Base - Search for specific error messages or topics
2. Contact Support - We're here to help! Include:
   • Your domain name
   • What you were trying to do
   • Any error messages you received
   • Screenshots if helpful
3. Common Solutions:
   • Clear your browser cache if pages look strange
   • Wait 24-48 hours for DNS changes to propagate
   • Check that files are in the correct folder (public_html)

What's Next?

In the coming days, you'll receive additional guides covering:

• Advanced email setup and client configuration
• Domain and DNS management
• Website building tools and options
• Security best practices
• Performance optimization

Welcome aboard, and congratulations on taking the first steps with your new hosting account!