New hosting account? Ten steps to get started the right way
PrintYour hosting is live. What matters now is the domain, the website, the mail and keeping them safe. We have split the first steps into three stages, and you can work through them in this order on day one.
Stage 1: access and account
1. Hold on to the activation email
It has your cPanel login details, the server name and the nameservers to use. File it in a separate folder so you can find it easily later.
2. Review your client area details
Open your account details and check that the email address on file is an inbox you open daily. Invoices, payment reminders and support replies go there. If you pay on behalf of a company, fill in its details now as well.
3. Lock down your access
Use long passwords, a different one for the client area, cPanel and mail, and turn on two-factor authentication.
Stage 2: domain and website
4. Point the domain to your hosting
If the domain is registered with another provider, set the TopHost nameservers from the activation email there (normally ns4.tophost.md and ns5.tophost.md). See the guides for .MD domains and for international domains. The change spreads within a few hours, sometimes up to a day.
5. Check the SSL certificate
As soon as the domain reaches the TopHost server, the free SSL certificate is issued without you doing anything. You can follow its status in cPanel under SSL/TLS Status. If you have only just pointed the domain, give it a little time before worrying.
6. Get your website onto the hosting
- On WordPress Hosting and Business Hosting, WordPress can be installed automatically and is managed from WP Toolkit.
- On Web Hosting SSD, Softaculous offers about 450 scripts and CMSs, WordPress included.
- For a simple presentation site without code, there is the free Sitejet Builder.
- If your website already runs at another provider, read what to prepare for the move.
Stage 3: mail, speed and backups
7. Create email addresses on your domain
An address like office@yourcompany.md earns more trust than a free mailbox. Create it in cPanel under Email Accounts, then set it up on your phone or in Outlook.
8. Keep your mail out of Spam folders
In cPanel, open Email Deliverability and check that SPF and DKIM show as valid for your domain. The article on SPF and DMARC has the details.
9. Speed the website up
WordPress Hosting and Business Hosting run the LiteSpeed web server, so turn on the LiteSpeed Cache plugin. On Web Hosting SSD, which runs Nginx and Apache, choose a caching plugin that suits that setup. Either way, use a recent PHP version your site supports.
10. Make a backup of your own
JetBackup 5 backs up your account daily and keeps the copies for 30 days in two separate locations. Even so, once the website is ready, download a full backup and keep it yourself, off the server.
A monthly habit
Set aside fifteen minutes once a month: update WordPress, plugins and themes (easiest through WP Toolkit in cPanel), download a fresh backup and send a test message through your contact form. The renewal invoice is issued 14 days before the due date, so there is plenty of time to pay it.
If you get stuck
- Cannot find the activation email? Look in Spam, then open a ticket.
- Want to see the website before the DNS change? Follow the steps in the article on reaching the site while it is being delegated.
- Anything else? Tickets are handled around the clock, and on +373 795-800-80 we answer from 9:00 to 21:00. Include your domain and what you have already tried.
