How to Install CloudPanel on an Ubuntu VPS A Step-by-Step Guide

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When it comes to hosting and managing websites, a good control panel can make all the difference. While there are plenty of options out there, CloudPanel is one of the most popular choices, especially for those using a VPS with Ubuntu. It’s lightweight, fast, and offers a lot of powerful features. Whether you’re running a small blog, an e-commerce site, or even a more complex web app, CloudPanel makes server management easy and efficient.

In this post, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know to install CloudPanel on an Ubuntu VPS. We’ll also take a look at the hardware requirements to make sure your server is ready to go.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!

What is CloudPanel?

CloudPanel is a modern web hosting control panel designed to work seamlessly with Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS systems. It’s specifically optimized for managing cloud servers, which makes it a great option for those using VPS hosting. The interface is user-friendly and intuitive, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced system administrators.

Some of the key features of CloudPanel include:

  • Easy server management: Install and manage web applications like WordPress, Laravel, and more with just a few clicks.
  • Automatic software updates: Keeps your system and applications up-to-date with minimal effort.
  • Full-stack support: Apache, Nginx, MySQL, PHP, and more.
  • Performance monitoring: Get real-time performance metrics to keep track of your server’s health.

Now, let’s talk about what you need to get CloudPanel up and running.

Hardware Requirements for Installing CloudPanel

Before jumping into the installation process, it’s essential to understand the hardware requirements for running CloudPanel. While CloudPanel itself is lightweight, the hardware specifications of your VPS will depend on the number of websites or applications you intend to host.

Minimum Hardware Requirements:

  • RAM: 1 GB (minimum) – For basic websites or small web applications.
  • CPU: 1 CPU core (minimum) – This is enough for smaller projects and testing purposes.
  • Storage: 10 GB SSD (minimum) – A solid-state drive is recommended for better performance, especially when hosting multiple websites or databases.
  • Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04 or later (this tutorial will focus on Ubuntu 20.04).

Recommended Hardware Requirements:

  • RAM: 2 GB or more – For hosting multiple websites or more resource-intensive applications.
  • CPU: 2 CPU cores or more – This is ideal for running more than one website or handling more traffic.
  • Storage: 20 GB SSD or more – SSD storage ensures faster read/write speeds, which is crucial for hosting websites.
  • Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04 or later (again, this tutorial is based on Ubuntu 20.04).

It’s always a good idea to choose a VPS plan with at least the recommended specs to ensure smooth performance.

Step 1: Preparing Your Ubuntu VPS

Before installing CloudPanel, make sure your Ubuntu VPS is set up and ready for use. If you haven’t already, follow these steps to prepare your VPS:

  1. Log in to your VPS via SSH: Open your terminal (or use an SSH client like PuTTY if you’re on Windows) and run the following command to connect to your server: ssh root@your_vps_ip Replace your_vps_ip with your VPS’s actual IP address. Once you enter the command, it will prompt you for the root password, which you should have received from your VPS provider.
  2. Update the system: It’s always a good idea to make sure your system is up-to-date. Run the following commands to update the Ubuntu package lists and upgrade the packages: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y This will ensure that all your system packages are current and reduce any potential issues during the installation.

Step 2: Installing CloudPanel on Ubuntu

With your system updated, it’s time to install CloudPanel. Here’s how you can do it step-by-step.

1. Install Required Dependencies

Before we install CloudPanel, we need to install a few dependencies. Run the following commands:

sudo apt install -y curl wget gnupg2 lsb-release apt-transport-https

This installs utilities that will help us manage the installation process.

2. Download and Install CloudPanel

Now it’s time to download and install CloudPanel. You can install it with a single command provided by the CloudPanel team:

curl -sSL https://get.cloudpanel.io | sudo bash

This will download the installer script and automatically run it. The script will start installing all the necessary software and dependencies for CloudPanel.

3. Wait for the Installation to Complete

The installation process may take a few minutes, depending on your server’s specs and internet connection. During the process, CloudPanel will automatically install:

  • Nginx for web server functionality.
  • MariaDB as the database management system.
  • PHP-FPM for handling PHP requests.
  • Other essential packages for hosting websites.

Once the installation finishes, you should see a message indicating that CloudPanel is successfully installed.

Step 3: Accessing CloudPanel Web Interface

Once CloudPanel is installed, you can access the web interface to manage your server and websites.

  1. Access the Web Panel: Open a browser and navigate to the IP address of your VPS on port 8443: https://your_vps_ip:8443 Replace your_vps_ip with your actual VPS IP address. You may see a security warning due to a self-signed SSL certificate. Simply proceed by clicking “Advanced” and then “Proceed to your_vps_ip (unsafe).”
  2. Log in to CloudPanel: On the login page, you’ll be asked to enter the admin credentials. These credentials were generated during the installation process. You should see the following message at the end of the installation: CloudPanel Admin credentials: Username: admin Password: [randomly_generated_password] Use these credentials to log in.

Step 4: Setting Up Your First Website

Now that you have access to CloudPanel, let’s set up your first website!

  1. Add a New Website: From the CloudPanel dashboard, click on the “Websites” tab and then click the “Add Website” button.
  2. Enter Website Details: You’ll be prompted to enter the following details for your new website:
    • Domain Name: Enter the domain name you want to use for the site (e.g., yourdomain.com).
    • PHP Version: Choose the PHP version you want to use (usually the latest stable version is recommended).
    • Database: Select whether you want to create a new database or use an existing one.
  3. Set Up DNS: Make sure that your domain is pointing to your VPS’s IP address by updating the DNS records at your domain registrar. Create an A record for yourdomain.com that points to your VPS IP.
  4. Upload Website Files: Once your domain is configured and DNS has propagated, you can upload your website files to the document root directory (/var/www/yourdomain.com by default).

Step 5: Configuring Additional Settings

After setting up your website, you can further configure CloudPanel’s settings to meet your needs. Some things you can do include:

  • Set up email accounts: You can configure email services for your domain.
  • Install SSL certificates: CloudPanel allows you to easily install free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for secure HTTPS access.
  • Configure backups: CloudPanel has built-in tools to set up automated backups for your websites and databases.

And that’s it! You’ve successfully installed CloudPanel on your Ubuntu VPS and set up your first website. With CloudPanel, managing your VPS and websites becomes much easier, thanks to its clean, intuitive interface and powerful features.

Whether you’re hosting one website or multiple, CloudPanel makes server management simple and efficient. Plus, because it’s built with Ubuntu in mind, it’s lightweight and optimized for cloud servers.

So, go ahead and explore all the features CloudPanel has to offer. You now have the tools to create a fully functional hosting environment, all at your fingertips.

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