How to install cPanel/WHM on a LifeinCloud VPS (manual install)

Step 1 — Connect to the VPS and Update the OS

SSH to the server as root:

ssh root@YOUR.SERVER.IP

AlmaLinux / Rocky:

dnf -y update

Ubuntu 22.04:

apt update && apt -y upgrade

Set timezone (optional) and a proper FQDN hostname:

timedatectl set-timezone Europe/Bucharest
hostnamectl set-hostname server.example.com
    

Tip: Point an A record for server.example.com to your VPS IP. You can issue SSL for the hostname later in WHM.

Step 2 — SELinux & System Prep (RPM-based OS)

AlmaLinux / Rocky / CloudLinux only: cPanel is not compatible with SELinux. Disable it before installation.

# Check current mode (Enforcing/Permissive/Disabled)
getenforce || sestatus

# Temporarily set to Permissive for this session (if Enforcing)
setenforce 0  # ignore if it errors (already Permissive/Disabled)

# Permanently disable across reboots:
sed -i 's/^SELINUX=.*/SELINUX=disabled/' /etc/selinux/config
# or manually edit /etc/selinux/config and set: SELINUX=disabled

# Reboot if SELinux was changed:
reboot
    

Ubuntu: Do not install SELinux; it’s not supported with cPanel. No action needed here.

Step 3 — (Optional) Add Swap if RAM Is Tight

If your VPS has low RAM, add a small swapfile to reduce out-of-memory risks during install:

fallocate -l 2G /swapfile
chmod 600 /swapfile
mkswap /swapfile
swapon /swapfile
echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' >> /etc/fstab
    

Step 4 — Run the Official cPanel Installer

Use the vendor-provided installer. It will fetch dependencies (including Perl if missing) and configure services.

cd /home && curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest && sh latest

Notes:

• Install only on a fresh OS without other control panels or LAMP stacks.
• Do not close your SSH session until the installer completes.
• If something fails, check the log: /var/log/cpanel-install.log

Step 5 — First Login to WHM and Initial Setup

• Open WHM: https://YOUR.SERVER.IP:2087
• Login with: root and your root password.
• Complete the setup wizard:
  • Enter a contact email for server alerts.
  • Confirm the hostname (server.example.com) and main resolvers.
  • Set up nameservers (or use external DNS first; you can change later).
  • Agree to terms and finish.

Step 6 — Open Ports (Only If You Later Enable LifeinCloud Firewall)

By default, LifeinCloud Firewall is off, so you can reach WHM/cPanel immediately. If you enable it later, allow:

• WHM: TCP 2087 (SSL)
• cPanel: TCP 2083 (SSL)
• Web: TCP 80, 443
• Mail (optional): TCP 25, 465, 587, 110, 995, 143, 993
• FTP (optional): TCP 21
• SSH: TCP 22 (or your custom port)

For licensing, ensure the server can reach cPanel via DNS (outbound UDP/TCP 53) and inbound 2083/2087 as applicable.

Step 7 — Post-Install Checklist

1. Secure WHM access: Change root password (if needed), add SSH keys, and restrict SSH password auth.
2. Hostname SSL: In WHM, issue an SSL for server.example.com so WHM/cPanel/webmail use a trusted certificate.
3. Packages & Features: Create hosting packages, enable services you need (Apache/PHP-FPM, Mail, DNS).
4. Backups: Configure automated backups (local + remote). Verify restores.
5. rDNS (PTR): If sending mail, set the PTR of your server IP to your hostname and add SPF/DKIM/DMARC.
6. Updates: Keep the OS and cPanel updated (WHM → cPanel Update Preferences).

Troubleshooting

• Installer failed: Check /var/log/cpanel-install.log. Ensure fresh OS, SELinux disabled (RPM-based), and sufficient RAM/disk.
• WHM won’t load: Use https://YOUR.SERVER.IP:2087. If you enabled firewall rules, confirm port 2087 is allowed.
• License issues: Verify a trial/paid license is active for your public IPv4, then run:

  /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt

• Change hostname later: WHM → Networking Setup → Change Hostname (use a valid FQDN).
• Service errors/logs: cPanel logs live under /usr/local/cpanel/logs/; installer log at /var/log/cpanel-install.log.