Who should use this DirectAdmin tutorial?
Use it when the host gave you a DirectAdmin username for one website. Stay on User. Admin changes the server. Reseller creates other customers. On the Evolution skin one login can show all three levels, and the switch is the menu at the top. If it says Admin, set it to User before you create mail or upload files.
- User covers your domains, mailboxes, files, databases, and the certificate for those names.
- Reseller covers packages and customer logins. Leave it until you sell hosting.
- Admin covers the hostname, IP addresses, and full server backups. Leave it unless the server is yours.
Shared plans on Linux hosting at WebJi® open cPanel, not DirectAdmin. The panel difference is on cPanel vs DirectAdmin. A DirectAdmin login on a VPS is quoted by email at support@webji.services before you pay. No DirectAdmin amount is printed for WebJi®.
How do you log in the first time?
The welcome mail has the panel address, the username, and the first password. The address is normally https, your hostname or domain, then :2222. A certificate warning on that port is the panel certificate, not your website. Continue only if the hostname matches the mail.
- Open that address and sign in. On Evolution, set the level menu to User.
- Open Account Manager, then Password. Save a password you do not use for mail or WordPress.
- Log out, then log in with the new password. The dashboard means it worked. If the menu still says Admin or Reseller, switch to User before the next section.
How do you create the first mailbox?
Open E-mail Manager, then Email Accounts. Add one address, such as info at your domain, with its own password and a quota inside the account limit. Open webmail from the same menu. Send a note to a mailbox you already read, and reply to it.
You are done when the reply shows in webmail. An address that only appears in the account list is not proof. If webmail sends and the outside mailbox never receives it, check the domain MX at the DNS host. Do not rebuild the server nameservers for one mailbox.
How do you upload the site?
Open File Manager and enter public_html for the main domain. Upload the files, or upload a zip and extract it in that folder. The index file belongs in public_html itself. A second public_html inside the first one hides the site.
Reload the domain. Your own page means the folder is right. A host placeholder, or a list of files, means the index is still one folder too deep. Move it up and reload.
How do you create the database?
Open MySQL Management. Create a database, create a database user, and grant that user every right on that database only. Open phpMyAdmin from the same area and click the new name.
An empty database in the left column means it exists. Write the database name, the user, and the password in a private note. Do not leave that password in a file under public_html before the application needs it.
How do you turn on HTTPS?
Open Account Manager, then SSL Certificates. Request the free Let's Encrypt certificate for the bare domain and for www if both should open. If you see a control to force HTTPS, turn it on. Refresh the site.
You are done when the address stays on https and the browser shows a padlock. If the request says the name does not point at this account, the A record is wrong. Change that record where DNS is hosted, wait until it answers, and request the certificate again.
How do you take a backup you can use?
Open Account Manager, then Create/Restore Backups. Include the domain files, the mailboxes, and the databases. Create the backup. When it finishes, download the archive from File Manager onto your computer.
You are done when that file opens and it is larger than a few kilobytes. A near-empty file is not a backup. Install WordPress only after the download. Softaculous and the manual database steps are on the DirectAdmin WordPress install.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I log in to DirectAdmin for the first time?
Open the https address on port 2222 from the welcome mail, sign in, and set the level to User. Replace the password under Account Manager, then log out and back in. The dashboard on the new password means it worked.
Should a beginner use User, Reseller, or Admin?
Use User. Reseller is for selling hosting accounts. Admin is for the person who runs the server. On Evolution, check the level menu says User before you create mail or upload files.
How do I create an email account in DirectAdmin?
Open E-mail Manager, then Email Accounts, and create one address with its own password. Send a test from webmail and reply to it. The reply in webmail means the mailbox works.
How do I upload files in DirectAdmin?
Open File Manager, go to public_html, and upload or extract the site there. The index file must sit in public_html, not in a folder under it. The domain should show your page, not a placeholder.
How do I install an SSL certificate in DirectAdmin?
Open Account Manager, then SSL Certificates, and request the free certificate for the domain and for www if you use both. Force HTTPS if that switch is there. The address should stay on https after a refresh.
Where do I take backups in DirectAdmin?
Open Account Manager, then Create/Restore Backups. Include files, mail, and databases, create the archive, and download it from File Manager. A file on your computer that is more than a few kilobytes is the proof.