Knowledgebase

Setting up WordPress on a VPS (Virtual Private Server) is one of the best ways to improve your website’s speed, reliability, and security. This tutorial will guide you through each step, from choosing a VPS provider to configuring and installing WordPress, ensuring a smooth setup process for users of all levels.

Step 1: Choose and Set Up Your VPS Provider

• 1.1 Selecting a VPS Provider
  • Discuss popular VPS providers (e.g., DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AnonVM) and what to consider when choosing one, like price, scalability, customer support, and server location.
• 1.2 Setting Up Your VPS
  • Guide to purchasing and setting up the VPS server.
  • Choose an OS (e.g., Ubuntu 20.04, CentOS 8, Debian) and explain the benefits of each for WordPress hosting.

Step 2: Connect to Your VPS Using SSH

• 2.1 What is SSH and Why It’s Important

  • Explanation of SSH (Secure Shell) and its importance for secure server access.

• 2.2 Connecting to Your Server

  • Provide commands to connect from Windows (via PuTTY) and macOS/Linux (via Terminal):
     

    ssh root@your-server-ip
  • Steps to confirm your SSH connection is secure.

Step 3: Update Your Server

• 3.1 Update Package Lists and Installed Packages

  • Run these commands to ensure your server has the latest updates:
     

    sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade

• 3.2 Rebooting the Server (if needed)

  • Reboot your VPS to apply updates:
     

    sudo reboot

Step 4: Install a Web Server (Apache or Nginx)

• 4.1 Installing Apache

  • Provide commands to install Apache:
     

    sudo apt install apache2
  • How to verify Apache installation and test by visiting your server IP in a browser.

• 4.2 Configuring Firewall for Apache

  • Allow HTTP and HTTPS through UFW:
     

    sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'

• 4.3 Alternative: Installing Nginx

  • Commands to install and configure Nginx if preferred:
     

    sudo apt install nginx

Step 5: Install MySQL (Database)

• 5.1 Installing MySQL

  • Command to install MySQL:
     

    sudo apt install mysql-server

• 5.2 Configuring MySQL for WordPress

  • Set a strong root password:
     

    sudo mysql_secure_installation
  • Create a database and user for WordPress:
    sql

     

    CREATE DATABASE wordpress_db; CREATE USER 'wordpress_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wordpress_db.* TO 'wordpress_user'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Step 6: Install PHP and Additional Modules

• 6.1 Install PHP

  • Command to install PHP and required modules for WordPress:
     

    sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-xml php-mbstring php-curl

• 6.2 Configuring PHP for WordPress

  • Update PHP settings to optimize performance for WordPress sites.

Step 7: Download and Configure WordPress

• 7.1 Download the Latest Version of WordPress

  • Commands to download and extract WordPress files:
     

    wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz tar -xzvf latest.tar.gz

• 7.2 Move WordPress Files to Web Directory

  • Move WordPress to your server’s web directory:
     

    sudo mv wordpress/* /var/www/html/

• 7.3 Set Correct Permissions for WordPress Files

  • Adjust file permissions to ensure security:
     

    sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/ sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/

Step 8: Configure WordPress Database Settings

• 8.1 Create the wp-config.php File

  • Rename the sample configuration file:
     

    cp /var/www/html/wp-config-sample.php /var/www/html/wp-config.php

• 8.2 Update Database Information in wp-config.php

  • Edit wp-config.php with your database details:
     

    define('DB_NAME', 'wordpress_db'); define('DB_USER', 'wordpress_user'); define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password');

Step 9: Finalize WordPress Installation in Browser

• 9.1 Access Your WordPress Installation

  • Open your browser and go to http://your-server-ip to complete the WordPress setup.

• 9.2 Complete WordPress Installation Steps

  • Follow the on-screen prompts to set your site title, create an admin user, and complete the setup.

Step 10: Securing Your WordPress VPS

• 10.1 Enable SSL with Let’s Encrypt

  • Command to install Certbot and configure SSL:
     

    sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache sudo certbot --apache

• 10.2 Basic Security Best Practices

  • Tips like disabling root login, enabling a firewall, and regularly updating software.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed WordPress on a VPS. By following these steps, you’re now equipped with a scalable, secure, and high-performance WordPress site that can grow with your needs. Remember to keep your WordPress installation and server software updated for security and performance improvements.