Via Web Host Manager (WHM), upgrading and downgrading a package or site you have installed is an important aspect to master.  To start off, login to WHM.  Occasionally, you will want to upgrade or downgrade your hosting packages inside.  This is how you get that done.  Click on “Account Functions” and then go to “Modify an Account”. 

From the Modify an Account page you can select the exact account you wish to modify.  All you have to do is click on the domain for the package and click the “Modify” button.  Here you can see several things you can change. 

You can change the domain name, the cPanel theme, the language, the user name, the max e-mail accounts, the max ftp accounts, the max mailing lists, the max subdomains, the max SQL databases, the max parked domains, the max addon domains and if you can, you can add or remove shell access.

Once you are done changing the settings, hit the “Save” button on the bottom of the screen and you should be all done.  Now you can login to the cPanel for the account you edited to confirm all was changed correctly.

Your dedicated hosting account can be very mysterious if you don’t know where to start.  If you are using WHM (Web Host Manager) and cPanel though, there is no doubt that the most important thing you need to learn to do is how to create a new hosting package and add an account to your dedicated hosting setup.

The first thing you will want to do is login to WHM and click on “Account Functions”.  Then on the Account Functions screen, you need to click on the link for “Create a New Account”.  Now enter the domain name of the new account (without the www part in there).  WHM will automatically create a username for you based on up to the first 8 characters of the domain name.  You may use this or create your own.  Also please remember that a username can not start with a number.

Next you will need to create a password.  Make it 6-8 alpha-numeric characters and it should not contain the username.  You may set all the limits manually or select a pre-configured hosting plan you have already created before.  If you select a pre-configured plan all the account limits will automatically set based on the package selection.  This will save you time.

If you have a contact address you would like to associate with the account, you can enter it in the text box marked for the contact e-mail.  You can always add it later if you do not wish to do this step right now.

With the IP address setting, unless you need to setup an account with a dedicated IP, you should leave this on “Auto Assign”.  Doing so will assign the hosting account the shared IP address for the dedicated hosting plan.

Once that step has been taken care of then you can hit “Create” (at the top of the page) to create the account.  Once you get this done, you are done.  Your new account will be created, and your ready to do some web hosting on your dedicated server.

Windows web hosting and MS SQL databases go hand in hand, just like Linux web hosting and MySQL are the most compatible. But what happens if you’re looking to use MySQL with your Plesk control panel in your Windows Server Hosting account?

Here’s a simple tutorial that should help you access phpMyAdmin using Plesk.

First, you’ll want to login with the username and password you got from your dedicated web host.

In order to access phpMyAdmin, you must first have created a MySQL database, so if you have not done that yet, do so now before you proceed.

Once the database with MySQL has been created, click on the “Database” icon in your Plesk control panel and choose whichever database you want to manage. Finally, click on the “DB WebAdmin” icon, where a popup window will open for phpMyAdmin.

NOTE: If nothing pops up, your popup blocker might be preventing this, so double check your settings and proceed once you can access the phpMyAdmin popup.

From there, you can edit tables, fields, data, and perform backups and delete your MySQL databases, right from phpMyAdmin!

If you’re using cPanel, it’s a bit easier: simply click on the icon above the words “MySQL Databases” on the main cPanel interface screen and then you’ll see phpMyAdmin and you can go from there!

So either way, whether you’re using Plesk or cPanel, you will be able to access phpMyAdmin with your dedicated server.

By now, you already know that Silverlight is one of the fastest growing media technologies in the world right now. So if you’re planning to get or already own a dedicated server to run as media server hosting, you’ve got to know a thing or two about deploying Microsoft Silverlight applications on your dedicated server. For example, did you know you can run and install Silverlight applications using a Linux or Windows server?

The good news is that deployment of a Silverlight app is incredibly easy, and our friends at Lunarpages Dedicated Server Hosting have provided this amazing and easy-to-follow tutorial for your convenience.

1. Upload Your Silverlight Application

First, you’ll need to upload the actual application folder under the document root of your account. If you’re on a Linux server, remember that file names, folder names, and links are case sensitive, so ensure these are all correct before proceeding.

2. Specify the MIME Mapping

Working with cPanel on a Linux server, you should first click on the MIME Types icon. It looks like this: Then, add a MIME Type application/xaml+xml with extension xaml.

Working with Plesk on a Windows server is just slightly more complicated, though not by much. First, click on the Web Directories shortcut on the Domain Management page and select the MIME Tabs tab. Add New MIME Type and put .xaml as extension, select content as Custom, and write application/xaml+xml in the next edit box, and click OK.

That’s it! In two simple steps, in Windows or Linux, you have effortlessly deployed your new Microsoft Silverlight application! And you probably didn’t even break a sweat. That’s how easy dedicated server hosting can be when you have great tutorials from great web hosting providers like Lunarpages.

What are the costs involved in setting up my Dedicated Server?

This all depends on what you’re ordering. It’s like if you go to Subway and get a sandwich – if you’re just ordering turkey on wheat, you can get it for a base price. If you want turkey on wheat with extra cheese and extra meat, plus a second sub of similar value, there’s going to be an additional cost per extra cheese, extra meat, and for the second sub. It’s the same way for dedicated servers – if you want extra RAM, extra bandwidth, or a second server, charges will vary.

Remember, your dedicated web host should work with you to provide the best server experience possible, as well as the most minimal cost. Ask about dedicated hosting coupons and get a quote on the server before you buy. If you get a better offer elsewhere but would like to use the more expensive service, be upfront and tell them you found a better deal. More than likely, they will work with you.

Okay, but really – how much should I be expected to pay per month or year?

Let’s take a real-life example. You are a web designer and you want to host all your clients on a Linux dedicated server. So far, you have 50-100 clients and don’t expect to grow more than 5 clients per month. Each client requires 1GB of storage space and 1GB bandwidth/month. Your clients prefer cPanel as a control panel, so they (and you) can manage their services for them. Here’s your dedicated server quote:

• Dedicated Hosting Charge Per Month = $99
• Dedicated Hosting Setup Fee (including setup for cPanel) = $160**
• cPanel Control Panel Charge Per Month = $35

TOTAL CHARGES***:    $294.00

** This setup fee can be removed if you choose to pay for 3, 6, 12, or even 24 months upfront.
*** This is only the first month’s charge, so don’t let it scare you! Next month, you wouldn’t have to worry about setup fees, which means your monthly charge will only be $134.

How can I get the best discounts available on purchasing my first server?

1) Call the dedicated web host – ask for the best discount for your situation
2) Go with our recommendation for LPDedicated.com and use coupon code DSHRAM for 1 Free Month + 1 Free GB RAM or use coupon code DSH for $55 off
3) Go with a longer billing cycle – if you’re not paying month-to-month or if you commit to 12 or 24 months upfront, you can save quite a bit in the long haul

Step 6: Edit Files in SSH Shell

Login to your SSH Shell into your server as root and open the following 2 files to edit using the information below:

* file 1:
nano /etc/resolv.conf

From there, the file needs to be edited. Make sure it looks like this:

domain yourwebsite.com
search yourwebsite.com
nameserver 127.0.0.1
nameserver IP1
nameserver IP2

At this point you should save by typing ctrl+o and entering. Then, close the file by typing ctrl+x.

* file 2:
nano /etc/nameserverips

The file needs to be edited, just like File 1. Make sure it looks like this:

IP0=0
IP1=ns1.yourwebsite.com
IP2=ns2.yourwebsite.com

**Please note IP0=your server IP**

Save and close as per File 1.

Step 7: Setup Nameservers in WHM

In WHM, select Edit Server again and set your Primary Nameserver to ns1.yourwebsite.com and assign the IP Address once more – it should now be the correct IP. Then click Add an A Entry for This Nameserver and repeat the process for the Secondary Nameserver using ns2.yourwebsite.com. Make sure you save.

Then you can double check that everything is setup properly by selecting Manage Nameserver IPs in WHM. If you see the 2 IPs and nameservers, you’re all set.

Step 8: Reboot Your Dedicated Server

Get into the Shell via SSH as root and type the simple command: reboot

Step 9: Point Your Domain Nameservers

If you host with LPDedicated.com or Lunarpages, you can login via the instructions in our previous post to manage your domain nameservers. Make sure they are pointed correctly, and once they fully propagate (24 hours or so), your nameservers will be listed properly and your website will resolve on your dedicated server!

When you purchase a dedicated server hosting plan, you will need to specify which nameservers you want to use. Unlike shared web hosting where you can only use your web host’s company name servers, with dedicated web hosting you can create your own private nameservers! This means your website will point to ns1.yourwebsite.com and ns2.yourwebsite.com

Step 1: Register Your Domain Name

If you purchase dedicated web hosting with LPDedicated.com, you can get your domain name registered for free. Otherwise, you can purchase the domain from a domain registrar or if you already have it purchased, just skip this step.

Step 2: Purchase 2 Dedicated IP Addresses

LPDedicated.com provides 2 Free IP Addresses for your dedicated server, both of which can be used for this purpose. Otherwise, IPs normally cost under $5 per IP per month.

Step 3: Register Your Nameservers

If you purchased hosting with LPDedicated.com or Lunarpages, you can do this easily. Simply read through this quick tutorial on Registering Your Name Servers. If you purchased through an outside domain registrar, contact them and let them know you need to register your domain as a nameserver. Most registrars normally take about 3 days to propagate.

Step 4: Fix NDC

You’ll need to login via SSH into your server at the root and run the following command:

/scripts/updatenow
/scripts/fixndc

Then, if you’re hosting with LPDedicated.com, in WHM on the left window pane, restart DNS/Nameserver (BIND). If you’re hosting elsewhere, check with your provider for further instructions.

Step 5: Set Up Your Nameservers in WHM

Visit your WHM panel again, and select Edit Setup near the top fo the left window pane and then set the Primary Nameserver to ns1.yourwebsite.com. Then assign the IP Address and repeat the process using ns2.yourwebsite.com for the Secondary Nameserver. Make sure you save your work!

Joomla web hosting is becoming a very popular choice for novice and experienced users alike due to its incredible power for maintaining and editing websites. With Joomla, users have an easy way to create websites, because Joomla is a content management system (CMS), a tool that assists in managing your website. CMS web hosting puts you in control of your website’s features, content, etc.

Because Joomla is a CMS, you are able to login to one simple interface to manage all aspects of your website. You can add images, polls, chat scripts, content text, advertising banners, links, music, video, blogs, and more, all from the same easy-to-understand control panel.

Because Joomla is open source or free software, web hosting providers can provide it to you for free via the Fantastico Script Library. With one click, you can install Joomla into your website in any location you’d like – from yourdomain.com to joomla.yourdomain.com, etc. If you have a dedicated server, you can download Joomla from their website instantly and download it yourself in several very simple steps. Once installed, you can immediately start using it.

With Joomla web hosting, you can maintain your website with ease.

With your control panel options out there for dedicated web hosting, there are a lot of places and people tossing things together these days in bundles.

If you need an example, just look at cPanel and Fantastico. Many servers these days are packaged with control panels that help in their own right with bringing together a lot of scripts and services to one spot. They help you manage your server, automate tasks and make working with the server itself a lot easier. When it comes to installing your own software or scripts on a dedicated account you will need to make sure it meets up with the requirements of the machine and everything you need to have installed (such as additional features and support) has been done or can be done before you get started.

Have a look around your own dedicated hosting control panel and see what perks you get. If you fish around in there, looking here and looking there (like any good game of hide and seek) you might really be surprised to see what you have at your fingertips.

Do you access your email primarily from a Yahoo or MSN webmail account but are too embarrassed to put that email address on a business card? There’s actually a secret workaround for this kind of instance, as most webmasters prefer answering their email via an environment that they are familiar with. Oftentimes, the webmail provided by your dedicated web host isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, or you just prefer the tools of Gmail or the link. So here’s a quick workaround!

Email Forwarding

If you access your MSN or Yahoo accounts more than your hosted email addresses, just set up email forwarding to send all messages received at anything@yourdomain.com to anything@yahoo/msn/gmail.com. It takes about 2 minutes to setup via cPanel or Plesk and is the best choice for new webmasters and dedicated experts alike.

Setting Up Hosted Accounts Via Gmail or Outlook

Gmail and Outlook are the popular choices for hosted email accounts, because you can actually send your emails from their interface, just by configuring a simple solution. You actually only need to provide Gmail with your username and password and it does the rest, after confirming you own that email by sending a test email to the address provided. Outlook is a bit more complicated, but you only need to setup the login details, ports (if necessary), and server information before you can start emailing away!

Accessing your email on a dedicated server just got incredibly easier.