Knowledge Base

What is cPanel and Why Should I Use It?

cPanel is a web-based control panel used to manage Linux-based web hosting accounts. It allows you to easily manage your website, emails, databases, and many other features. Even users without technical knowledge can easily control their web hosting accounts thanks to cPanel's user-friendly interface.

Why Should You Use cPanel?

• Ease of Use: cPanel has an intuitive interface, making it easy to manage your website.
• Rich Features: It includes many features such as email accounts, databases, file management, security tools, and more.
• Automatic Installations: You can install popular CMS (Content Management System) platforms such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal with a single click.
• Security: cPanel offers various tools and features to ensure the security of your website.
• Widespread Support: Many web hosting companies support cPanel and it has a large user base, making it easy to troubleshoot and get help.

Real-Life Example: Ayşe Hanım, a small business owner, wanted to set up an e-commerce site. Since she had limited technical knowledge, she was able to easily set up her website, upload her products, and manage orders thanks to the ease of use offered by cPanel. Thanks to cPanel's automatic installation feature, she installed WordPress with a single click and developed her website with plugins.

How to Log in to cPanel?

Logging into cPanel is usually done with the URL, username, and password provided to you by your web hosting provider. This URL is usually in the form: http://yourdomain.com/cpanel or http://yourdomain.com:2083.

Step-by-Step Login Instructions:

1. Open your web browser.
2. Type the cPanel URL you received from your web hosting provider into the address bar and press Enter.
3. Enter your username and password on the page that opens.
4. Click the "Login" button.

If you are having trouble with your login information, you can contact your web hosting provider for assistance.

How to Manage Email Accounts with cPanel?

cPanel allows you to easily create, manage, and configure your email accounts. You can create email accounts, change passwords, set quota limits, and set up email forwarding. If you need more information about Setting Up cPanel Email Accounts, you can visit our relevant page.

Step-by-Step Email Account Creation:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. In the "Email" section, click on the "Email Accounts" icon.
3. Click on the "Create Email Account" button.
4. Enter the name (e.g., [email protected]) and password for the new email account.
5. Set the quota limit (optional).
6. Click on the "Create" button.

Code Example (Sending Email with PHP):

<?php
$to = "[email protected]";
$subject = "Subject";
$message = "Hello, this is a test email.";
$headers = "From: [email protected]";

if (mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers)) {
    echo "Email sent successfully.";
} else {
    echo "An error occurred while sending the email.";
}
?>

Important Note: For email sending, it is important to correctly configure SPF and DKIM records to prevent emails from being marked as spam.

How to Manage Databases with cPanel?

cPanel allows you to easily create, manage, and back up your MySQL databases. You can create databases, add users, configure permissions, and take database backups. You can visit the link for more information on Creating a cPanel Database.

Step-by-Step Database Creation:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. In the "Databases" section, click on the "MySQL Databases" icon.
3. In the "Create New Database" section, enter the database name and click the "Create Database" button.
4. In the "MySQL Users" section, create a new user or select an existing user.
5. Grant the user the necessary permissions on the database (e.g., ALL PRIVILEGES) and click the "Make Changes" button.

Database Management Tools:

• phpMyAdmin: A web-based MySQL management tool. You can view your database tables, run queries, and edit the database structure.
• MySQL Command Line: You can manage your MySQL databases via the command line.

Real-Life Example: Mehmet Bey, a web developer, was developing a dynamic website. Thanks to the easy database management offered by cPanel, he easily created the MySQL database, designed the tables, and managed the data. Thanks to the phpMyAdmin tool, he ensured the efficient operation of the website by running queries on the database.

How to Use cPanel File Manager?

cPanel File Manager is a tool that allows you to manage your website's files and folders through a web browser. You can upload, download, edit, delete, rename, and compress files. For more information, you can visit the cPanel File Manager page.

What You Can Do with File Manager:

• File Upload: You can upload files from your computer to the web server.
• File Download: You can download files from the web server to your computer.
• File Editing: You can edit text-based files (e.g., HTML, CSS, PHP) on the web server directly through the browser.
• File Deletion: You can delete files on the web server.
• File Renaming: You can rename files on the web server.
• File Compression/Extraction: You can compress files (ZIP, TAR.GZ, etc.) or extract compressed files.
• Directory Creation: You can create new folders.
• Permission Modification (CHMOD): You can change the permissions (read, write, execute) of files and folders.

Step-by-Step File Upload:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. In the "Files" section, click on the "File Manager" icon.
3. Navigate to the directory where you want to upload the files (e.g., public_html).
4. Click the "Upload" button.
5. Select the files you want to upload from your computer and click the "Open" button.
6. Wait for the upload process to complete.

Important Note: The main directory of your website is usually the public_html or www folder. You should upload your website's files to this directory.

How to Create an FTP Account with cPanel?

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a protocol that allows you to transfer files between your computer and your web server. By creating FTP accounts through cPanel, you can access and manage your website's files. You can visit the relevant link for detailed information on cPanel FTP Account Creation.

Advantages of Creating an FTP Account:

• Fast File Transfer: FTP allows you to quickly upload and download large files.
• Secure Access: FTP accounts are protected with a username and password, which prevents unauthorized access to your website's files.
• Multiple User Support: By creating multiple FTP accounts, you can grant different users access to different directories.

Step-by-Step FTP Account Creation:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. In the "Files" section, click on the "FTP Accounts" icon.
3. In the "Create FTP Account" section, specify the username, password, and access directory for the new FTP account.
4. Set the quota limit (optional).
5. Click the "Create FTP Account" button.

Using an FTP Client:

After creating your FTP account, you can connect to your web server using an FTP client such as FileZilla, Cyberduck, or WinSCP. You need to enter the username, password, and server address (usually your domain name or server IP address) of the FTP account you created in cPanel into the FTP client.

Table: Comparison of cPanel and Other Control Panels

What are the Security Features of cPanel?

cPanel offers various features to ensure the security of your website. These features include a firewall, SSL/TLS certificates, IP blocking, password protection, and security scans.

cPanel Security Features:

• Firewall: Protects your website from malicious attacks. You can use cPanel's built-in firewall or third-party firewalls like ConfigServer Security & Firewall (CSF).
• SSL/TLS Certificates: Provides a secure connection by encrypting your website's traffic. cPanel allows you to easily install free SSL certificates like Let's Encrypt.
• IP Blocking: You can block traffic from specific IP addresses. This is useful for blocking IP addresses that send spam or launch malicious attacks on your website.
• Password Protection: You can password-protect specific directories or pages of your website. This protects your sensitive information from unauthorized access.
• Security Scans: You can scan your website for security vulnerabilities and malware. You can use cPanel's built-in security scanner or third-party security scanners like Sucuri SiteCheck.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): You can add an extra layer of security to your cPanel account.

Code Example (Directory Protection with .htaccess):

You can protect a directory with a password by adding the following code to the .htaccess file:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Protected Area"
AuthUserFile /home/username/public_html/directory/.htpasswd
Require valid-user

For this code to work, you must first create a .htpasswd file and save the username and password information in this file. You can use the "Directory Privacy" tool in cPanel for this process.

Table: Security Tips

Remember, you can benefit from all these features provided by cPanel with Web Hosting Services. Choosing a provider that offers cPanel support when selecting web hosting will make managing your website easier. If you want to learn more about Web Hosting, you can visit our relevant page.