Start here
A route from a brand new account to a secure, backed-up website with working email. Follow it in order, or jump to the step you’re on.
Before you begin
- Your Traxio welcome email, with your DirectAdmin login.
- A domain name you’ve registered, and the login for the company you registered it with.
- About two hours in total, though you can stop between any two steps.
Understand what hosting does
Web hosting explained simply: what a host actually provides, how a website reaches a visitor, and what you need besides hosting.
Log in to your account and DirectAdmin
Find your login details, sign in to the client area and DirectAdmin, and secure both with new passwords.
Connect your domain (do this first)
Point your domain at Traxio by changing its nameservers, then confirm the change has worked.
Know why your domain must point here
What DNS Guard checks during your first 30 days, the timings before an account can be suspended, how it restores automatically, and why Traxio does it.
Upload a website
Put an HTML or PHP website online by uploading it as a zip, extracting it into public_html and checking every page loads.
Or install WordPress instead
Install WordPress with Softaculous, sign in, and make the essential first changes so the site is ready to build.
Create your email address
Create a mailbox on your domain, test it in webmail, and add it to your phone and computer.
Check HTTPS is working
Confirm your free SSL certificate has issued, redirect all visitors to HTTPS, and clear up mixed content warnings.
Understand the DNS basics
The Domain Name System explained simply: how a domain becomes an IP address, what DNS records do, and why DNS matters for websites and email.
Secure your site and account
Lock down every login, enforce HTTPS, set permissions, harden WordPress and schedule updates and backups.
Take your first backup
Create a full DirectAdmin backup, download it, verify its contents and remove it from the server.