Managed VPS

Getting started with your Managed VPS

Help centre Managed VPS

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This guide covers your first half hour with a new Managed VPS: logging in, adding your first website, pointing your domain and switching on SSL.

1. Log in to DirectAdmin

When your server is ready we send you an email titled Your Managed VPS Is Ready!. It contains your control panel address, username and password. Keep it somewhere safe.

Open the control panel address in your browser and log in. Your server is managed in DirectAdmin, the same control panel we use across our hosting.

2. Add your website's domain

  1. In DirectAdmin, open Domain Setup.
  2. Click Add Domain, enter your domain name (for example example.co.uk) and save.

If you'd like separate logins for different websites or clients, see Adding websites and user accounts on your Managed VPS.

3. Upload your website

  • File Manager in DirectAdmin lets you upload files straight from your browser. Website files go in the domain's public_html folder.
  • For larger sites, create an FTP login under FTP Management and use an FTP program such as FileZilla.
  • If your site needs a database, create one under MySQL Management.
  • To install WordPress, use WordPress Manager in DirectAdmin.

Moving an existing site? We'll do it for you free of charge. See Moving your websites to your Managed VPS.

4. Point your domain at the server

Set your domain's A record to your server's IP address, which is in your welcome email. Set it for both the domain itself and www. If your domain is registered with us, open a ticket and we'll do this for you.

DNS changes usually take effect within a few hours, although some networks take up to 24 hours to catch up.

5. Switch on free SSL

Once the domain points at your server, open SSL Certificates in DirectAdmin and choose the free, automatic certificate from Let's Encrypt. It renews itself, so there's nothing to remember.

Email

Email isn't hosted on your server, so a full mailbox can never affect your websites. Your email runs on Professional Email, which we set up for you; mailboxes are charged at the normal Professional Email price. Open a ticket with the addresses you need. If you'd rather run mail on your own server, say so in the ticket: we'll switch it on once you've agreed that delivery and blacklisting are then your responsibility.

Need a hand?

If anything doesn't look right, open a ticket and we'll take a look.