Control panels

WHM initial setup: first steps after installing cPanel

The first things to do in WHM after a fresh cPanel install, from the licence agreement, contact email and nameservers to the hostname, resolvers and early security settings.

BeginnerLinux server4 min read

The first WHM login after installing cPanel takes you through a short setup screen, then drops you into a server with default settings. The defaults work, but a few choices made now save trouble later. This guide covers the setup screen and the first settings to check before you create any accounts.

Note: A new install runs on cPanel's trial until you buy a licence from cPanel or a partner.

Before you start

  • cPanel & WHM freshly installed on a Linux VPS.
  • The server IP and root password from your VPS provider's control panel.
  • A hostname such as server.example.com with an A record pointing at the server.
  • A working email address that you read. Server alerts go there.

Log in to WHM

Open WHM in your browser on port 2087:

https://203.0.113.10:2087

Sign in as root. The browser warns about the certificate because WHM uses a self-signed certificate at first. Continue for now. You will fix this with AutoSSL later.

Work through the setup screens

The exact screens vary a little between cPanel versions. On current versions they are short.

  1. Licence agreement. Read cPanel's end user licence agreement and accept it. You cannot use WHM without accepting.
  2. Contact email. Enter the address where WHM should send alerts, such as failed backups, disk warnings and licence notices. Use an address that is not hosted on this server, so you still get alerts if mail on the server breaks.
  3. Nameservers. Enter the nameservers new accounts should use, for example ns1.example.com and ns2.example.com. If you are not running your own nameservers yet, you can leave the defaults and change them later.
  4. Finish. WHM opens its home page.

Everything entered here can be changed later in Home » Server Configuration » Basic WebHost Manager Setup.

Check the hostname

Open Home » Networking Setup » Change Hostname and confirm the hostname is a full domain name such as server.example.com. It must:

  • resolve to the server IP;
  • not be the same as any website domain you will host.

If it is wrong, change it now, before mail and SSL settings depend on it. See change the server hostname in WHM.

Check the resolvers

Open Home » Networking Setup » Resolver Configuration. These are the DNS servers WHM uses to look up other domains. They must be working recursive resolvers. If the list is empty or contains addresses you do not recognise, add reliable public resolvers.

You can check from SSH:

Bash
cat /etc/resolv.conf
dig +short cpanel.net

dig should return an IP address.

Apply the first security settings

Do these before you host anything:

  • Install a firewall. cPanel recommends a cPanel-aware firewall. Install the cPanel-maintained CSF package, then turn off testing mode. See install CSF firewall on cPanel.
  • Turn on cPHulk. Go to Home » Security Center » cPHulk Brute Force Protection and make sure it is enabled. Add your own IP to the whitelist first.
  • Enable two-factor authentication for root in Home » Security Center » Two-Factor Authentication.
  • Run Security Advisor from Home » Security Center » Security Advisor and read every red and yellow item.

Warning: Before you enable cPHulk or a firewall, whitelist your own IP. If you are blocked, you can still log in through the browser console in your VPS provider's control panel.

Set up backups early

Open Home » Backup » Backup Configuration and enable backups before the first account goes live. Store copies off the server too. A backup on the same disk does not help if the VPS is lost.

Check it works

  • WHM loads at https://server.example.com:2087 (after SSL is set up) without a licence banner.
  • Home » Server Status » Service Status shows the main services as running.
  • Home » Server Configuration » Basic WebHost Manager Setup shows the contact email and nameservers you entered.

Troubleshooting

  • The setup screen appears on every login: a step did not save. Complete each screen and click through to the end.
  • No alert emails arrive: the contact address is on this server, or outbound mail is blocked. Use an external address and check port 25 outbound.
  • WHM warns the hostname does not resolve: create the A record for the hostname and wait for it to propagate.
  • Locked out after enabling cPHulk: use your VPS provider's browser console and whitelist your IP from the command line.

Next steps

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