Sure! Here's a step-by-step, beginner-friendly tutorial on how to install the latest version of cPanel/WHM (Web Host Manager), including system requirements. ???? What is cPanel?
cPanel is a popular web hosting control panel that makes managing websites, domains, emails, databases, and files easy—even for non-techies. It’s usually used by hosting providers and server administrators. ✅ Minimum System Requirements
Before installing cPanel, make sure your server meets these:
1. Operating System (OS): ✅ AlmaLinux 8/9 ✅ Rocky Linux 8/9 ✅ CloudLinux 8/9 (Paid) ❌ Ubuntu, Debian, and Windows are NOT supported.
2. Server Type: A fresh, clean server (No other control panel installed) Root access (full admin rights) 3. Hardware Requirements:
| Component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
| CPU |
1 Core |
2+ Cores |
| RAM |
1 GB |
2 GB+ |
| Disk |
20 GB |
40 GB+ SSD |
| Network |
Static IP address |
Required |
⚠️ Dynamic or shared IP addresses will not work.
???? Pre-install Checklist
✅ Root SSH access✅ Static IP✅ Fully updated system✅ Hostname (e.g., server.yourdomain.com) ???? Step-by-Step Installation of cPanel
???? Step 1: Connect to Your Server
Use SSH to log in as root. You’ll need a terminal or software like PuTTY (on Windows).
ssh root@your-server-ip ???? Step 2: Set the Hostname
Set a valid hostname (e.g., host.yourdomain.com):
hostnamectl set-hostname host.yourdomain.com ???? Step 3: Update the System
Make sure your OS is updated:
dnf update -y ???? Step 4: Disable Network Manager (if prompted)
systemctl stop NetworkManager
systemctl disable NetworkManager
⚠️ Optional but sometimes required depending on the system.
???? Step 5: Download and Run the cPanel Installer
Switch to the home directory and run:
cd /home
curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest
sh latest ???? This process can take 30–60 minutes, depending on your server.
???? Step 6: Log into WHM
After installation, access WHM (Web Host Manager):
https://your-server-ip:2087
Use your root username and password to log in.
???? Licensing cPanel is paid software. After installation, it will start a 15-day free trial. You’ll need to buy a license from
https://cpanel.net. ???? Security Tips After Installation Set a strong root password. Configure the firewall (CSF recommended). Disable unused services. Take regular backups. ???? Summary
| Task |
Status |
| Server Ready (OS, IP) ✅ |
✔️ |
| Hostname Set |
✔️ |
| System Updated |
✔️ |
| cPanel Installed |
✔️ |
| WHM Login Working |
✔️ |
???? What Are Prerequisites?
Before installing cPanel, your server must: Have the correct OS Be updated Have a valid hostname Have required packages and configurations Let’s break it down for each supported distro.Here is a quick installer file to make things easy.
Simply copy the below as a cpanel-prereqs.sh file - Here is a single auto-setup script code that prepares your server for cPanel installation on AlmaLinux 8/9 or Rocky Linux 8/9 (and also works for CloudLinux with minor tweaks). #!/bin/bash
# cPanel Prerequisites Installer Script for AlmaLinux / Rocky Linux# Run this as root: bash cpanel-prereqs.sh
# Function to display a messageprint_msg() { echo -e "\n\033[1;32m$1\033[0m\n"}
print_msg "Starting cPanel prerequisites setup..."
# 1. Update systemprint_msg "Updating system packages..."dnf update -y
# 2. Install required packagesprint_msg "Installing required packages..."dnf install -y perl curl screen wget epel-release
# 3. Set hostnameread -p "Enter a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for your server (e.g., host.example.com): " fqdnhostnamectl set-hostname "$fqdn"print_msg "Hostname set to $fqdn"
# 4. Set timezone (Optional: change this to your timezone)print_msg "Setting timezone to Asia/Kolkata (you can change this)..."timedatectl set-timezone Asia/Kolkata
# 5. Disable NetworkManager (optional – only if facing issues)read -p "Do you want to disable NetworkManager? (y/n): " disable_nmif [[ "$disable_nm" == "y" ]]; then systemctl stop NetworkManager systemctl disable NetworkManager print_msg "NetworkManager disabled"else print_msg "Skipping NetworkManager disable step"fi
# 6. Confirm static IP noticeprint_msg "Please ensure your server is using a static public IP address."
# 7. Show completion messageprint_msg "✅ Prerequisites installed and system ready for cPanel installation!"
# 8. Suggest next stepecho -e "\nTo install cPanel, run the following commands:\n"echo -e "cd /home && curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest && sh latest\n"
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