WHM/cPanel VPS Setup: From Root Access to First Account

WHM (Web Host Manager) sits above cPanel and is how you administer the server itself — creating accounts, managing packages, and handling server-wide settings. Here’s the path from a fresh VPS to your first live site.

Accessing WHM

Log in at https://your-server-ip:2087 as root using the credentials from your VPS provisioning email. WHM runs a first-time setup wizard covering your hostname, nameservers, and IP allocation — confirm these match what you intend to use before continuing.

Initial configuration checklist

• Basic WebHost Manager Setup — set your contact email (used for server notifications) and nameserver names.
• Tweak Settings — review defaults for things like PHP handler and shell access; most defaults are sensible for a first setup.
• Service Configuration > Manage Service SSL Certificates — confirm the hostname’s own SSL is valid, since WHM/cPanel’s own interface uses it.

Creating a hosting package

Under Packages > Add a Package, define resource limits (disk space, bandwidth, email accounts, databases) that will apply to accounts using this package. This lets you offer different tiers if you’re reselling, or just set sensible defaults for your own sites.

Creating your first cPanel account

1. Go to Account Functions > Create a New Account.
2. Enter the domain, username, and password, and select the package you created.
3. WHM provisions the account, its own cPanel login, and a default AutoSSL certificate once DNS is pointed correctly.

Ongoing server admin

Check Server Status > Service Status periodically to confirm all services (Apache/LiteSpeed, MySQL, Exim) are running, and keep WHM/cPanel itself updated under cPanel Update Preferences so security patches apply automatically.