iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Need a server to try this on? Antihost offers Linux VPS plans with NVMe storage, full root access and a 14-day free trial.
Install WHM and cPanel only on a newly provisioned, supported 64-bit Linux VPS. The shortest official installation path is to log in as root, change to /home, and run:
cd /home && curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest && sh latestBefore running it, confirm a public static IPv4 address, working DNS resolution, sufficient CPU, memory and disk, and an operating-system image that cPanel currently supports. Do not pre-install Apache, a mail server, a database server or another hosting stack; the installer manages the services it needs and pre-existing components can cause compatibility failures.
Recommended Free Tools
What you need before installing
WHM (WebHost Manager) is the administrator interface for cPanel servers. cPanel is the account-level control panel that you provide to individual hosting accounts. Both are installed together by the cPanel & WHM installer; you do not install WHM as a separate package first.
The installation changes core operating-system services, so treat the VPS as a dedicated cPanel server rather than a general-purpose machine. Start with a newly installed image and log in directly as root. cPanel’s documentation states: “Only install cPanel & WHM on a freshly-installed operating system.”
- Root access: You must be able to open an SSH session as
root(or obtain an equivalent root shell before starting). - Public static IPv4: The server needs a public, non-changing IPv4 address. An IPv6-only server cannot be licensed.
- DNS resolution: The VPS must be able to resolve Internet hostnames during installation and normal operation.
- 64-bit CPU architecture: cPanel does not support ARM architecture.
- Fresh image: Do not reuse a server that already runs Apache, a mail transfer agent, a database, another control panel or similar hosting services.
- License or trial: Each server requires its own cPanel & WHM license. You can activate the available 15-day trial after creating a cPanel Store account with a verified email address.
Choose a supported Linux distribution
Compatibility changes with cPanel releases, so check the current cPanel operating-system matrix when you provision the VPS. The following options are the ones documented for this guide’s 2026 compatibility information.
| Operating system | Installation status | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, 64-bit | Supported | Documented minimum and recommended resources are listed below. |
| AlmaLinux 8, 9 or 10 | Supported when paired with a compatible cPanel version | Check the cPanel-version requirement for the exact AlmaLinux release. Avoid provider templates or pre-built images that are not a clean installation. |
| Rocky Linux | Do not select for a new installation | cPanel says new installations are no longer allowed and support for existing Rocky Linux installations has been removed. |
| ARM-based Linux images | Unsupported | Choose an x86-64/64-bit VPS instead. |
If your provider offers a one-click cPanel image, verify that it is a current, supported cPanel image and that you still receive root access. cPanel warns that pre-built images and templates can cause installation issues; a plain supported distribution image is the safer starting point.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsCPU, RAM and disk requirements
For Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, cPanel documents the following values. They are vendor requirements, not performance guarantees: the number of accounts, traffic, mail volume and enabled services can require substantially more capacity.
| Resource | Minimum | cPanel recommendation | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 1.1 GHz | 2 GHz | More CPU helps when many accounts perform backups, updates or resource-intensive application work. |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM | 4 GB RAM | The minimum may be too tight for a busy multi-account server. |
| Disk | 20 GB | 40 GB | Leave room for operating-system files, websites, mail, logs and backups. |
| Architecture | 64-bit | ARM is not supported. | |
| Installation and upgrade headroom | At least 5 GB additional space in /usr/local/cpanel |
This is additional working space, not a replacement for the base disk requirement. | |
For AlmaLinux, use the requirements associated with the cPanel version and release you intend to run. If the VPS plan barely meets the minimum, choose a larger disk and memory allocation before installation; resizing after the server is populated is more disruptive.
Provision the VPS correctly
1. Select the image and architecture
Choose Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 64-bit or a documented AlmaLinux 8, 9 or 10 release that matches the cPanel version available to you. Do not choose Rocky Linux for a new deployment, and do not choose an ARM plan even if the provider advertises it as a cheaper option.
2. Allocate the resources
Use at least the documented minimums, preferably the recommendation of 2 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM and 40 GB disk for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Add capacity for your actual hosting workload and retain at least 5 GB of free working space in /usr/local/cpanel for installation and upgrades.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
3. Assign networking
Give the VPS a public static IPv4 address and confirm that outbound DNS lookups work. If the provider separates reverse-DNS or hostname controls from the VPS panel, locate those controls now. You will verify the hostname and DNS from WHM after installation.
4. Install a clean image
Do not restore an old server snapshot, a populated application image or a template that has already installed a web, mail or database stack. A clean image avoids files and service configurations that the cPanel installer cannot safely replace.
Prepare the operating system
Keep the service stack untouched
Do not install Apache, Nginx, PHP bundles, a mail server, a database server, another control panel or other competing services before cPanel. The installer installs and configures the services required by cPanel. Installing your own versions first can produce dependency conflicts, overwritten configuration or an installation that stops partway through.
Check security frameworks
On Ubuntu, do not install SELinux before cPanel. AppArmor is compatible with the documented Ubuntu installation path. If your image includes additional hardening software or provider agents, confirm that it does not block package installation or service configuration before proceeding.
Confirm the shell prerequisites
Open an SSH session as root and verify that the server can resolve external names and reach the Internet. The official command uses curl; use a fresh supported image in which the command is available, or install only the basic download utility without adding a hosting stack.
Run the official cPanel installer
- Connect as root. Open SSH using the VPS’s public IPv4 address and authenticate with the root credentials supplied by your provider.
- Change to the expected directory. Run
cd /home. Running from/homefollows cPanel’s documented installation procedure. - Download and execute the installer. Run the complete command exactly as shown:
cd /home && curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest && sh latestThe download URL is cPanel’s official installer endpoint: https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest.
- Leave the session running. Allow the installer to finish. Completion time varies with VPS performance and network conditions; cPanel does not publish a universal duration, so do not treat an elapsed-time estimate as a success test.
- Read the final output. The installer should finish without an error and provide the information needed to reach WHM. If it stops, preserve the terminal error and correct the underlying OS, resource, networking or compatibility problem before rerunning on a clean system.
Do not run the command a second time over a partially installed system unless cPanel support or the installer documentation specifically directs you to do so. A failed attempt can leave package and service changes behind; rebuilding the VPS from a clean image is often the more reliable recovery path.
Activate the license or 15-day trial
Every cPanel & WHM server needs its own license. A new installation can activate a free 15-day trial through a cPanel Store account with a verified email address. A trial is still tied to the server’s public IP and is not a way to run one license on multiple VPSs.
For ongoing use, cPanel’s pricing information identifies Cloud/VPS licensing and requires a public-facing static IP for a monthly license. The exact price can change, so check the live cPanel pricing page when you provision the server and include the license in your monthly hosting budget. The VPS price alone is not the total cost of a cPanel deployment.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
If activation fails, first confirm that the VPS has a public static IPv4 address, that the address is not shared or changing, and that the server is not IPv6-only. Also check that the hostname and DNS settings resolve correctly and that the trial account email has been verified.
Complete the initial WHM configuration
After the installer finishes, open the WHM address supplied for the server. Use the initial configuration wizard before creating customer accounts.
Review the license and identity
- Confirm that WHM recognizes the server’s license or displays the available trial state.
- Check the server hostname and make sure it resolves through your DNS setup.
- Verify that the public IPv4 shown by WHM is the address assigned to the VPS.
Configure DNS and nameserver details
Enter the DNS information required by your domain setup and confirm that the selected nameserver arrangement matches the DNS service you actually control. A WHM configuration that names servers you have not delegated or configured will make newly created accounts appear offline even though the cPanel installation itself succeeded.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallFinish the wizard before creating accounts
Complete the base WHM setup, save its settings and allow any required configuration tasks to finish. Create hosting accounts only after the hostname, DNS and license status are correct. This order prevents account-level troubleshooting from masking a server-level configuration problem.
Verify the installation
Use this post-install checklist before handing the server to a site owner:
- WHM opens at the server’s WHM address and accepts the administrator login.
- The license status is active or the 15-day trial is shown as available and activated.
- The hostname resolves from outside the VPS, not only from the server itself.
- DNS resolution works for external names from the VPS.
- The expected public static IPv4 is displayed and is reachable through your provider’s network configuration.
- The server has the documented disk headroom, including at least 5 GB available for cPanel installation and upgrades in
/usr/local/cpanel. - No customer accounts are created until the initial WHM configuration is complete.
Troubleshoot common installation failures
The operating system is rejected
Check the image name and release. Rocky Linux is not an acceptable new-install target under cPanel’s current policy, and ARM images are unsupported. Rebuild the VPS with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 64-bit or a compatible AlmaLinux release instead of trying to bypass the installer check.
The installer reports insufficient disk space
Compare the VPS disk with both the base requirement and the additional 5 GB needed in /usr/local/cpanel. Remove the populated image and reprovision with a larger disk if the server is new. Deleting unrelated files from a partially installed system can remove packages or logs needed for recovery.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →License activation does not work
Confirm a public static IPv4 address, outbound connectivity, working DNS and a verified cPanel Store email. An IPv6-only VPS cannot be licensed. If the address was recently changed, make sure the provider and WHM both show the new address before attempting activation again.
Installation conflicts with existing services
Services installed before cPanel are a common compatibility cause. Do not try to preserve an existing Apache, mail, database or control-panel configuration. Rebuild from a clean supported image and run the official installer before adding application software.
DNS or hostname checks fail after installation
Verify the hostname in WHM, the provider’s reverse-DNS or hostname setting where applicable, and the authoritative DNS records. Test resolution from a separate network. Correct the DNS setup, then return to WHM and confirm the license and hostname status again.
The SSH session disconnects during installation
A disconnected terminal does not prove that the installer failed. Reconnect and inspect the installer output and server state before starting another installation. If the system is clearly incomplete or services are inconsistent, rebuild from a fresh image rather than layering a second run over the first.
How to evaluate a VPS for cPanel
When comparing providers, evaluate the complete cPanel deployment rather than the advertised monthly VPS price. These are the technical checks that determine whether the server can be installed and operated reliably:
| Comparison axis | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Operating-system image | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 64-bit or a compatible AlmaLinux 8, 9 or 10 image; confirm the cPanel version supports the selected release. |
| Root access | You can log in as root and rebuild the machine when a clean installation is required. |
| IPv4 and DNS | A public static IPv4, working outbound DNS and controls for hostname or reverse-DNS configuration. |
| CPU, RAM and disk | At least the documented resources, plus capacity for accounts, mail, logs, backups and cPanel’s 5 GB installation/upgrade headroom. |
| Virtualization | The provider’s virtualization type and any CPU, memory or disk limits that could throttle a busy hosting server. |
| Backups and snapshots | Whether snapshots are available before upgrades and whether backups are stored separately from the VPS. |
| Network reliability | Connectivity suitable for DNS, package downloads, account traffic and administrative access. |
| Total cost | VPS fees plus the per-server cPanel license; do not assume the license is included. |
Operational practices after installation
Keep the server’s base configuration stable while you add hosting accounts. Record the operating-system release, cPanel version, public IPv4, hostname, nameserver design and license status. Take a provider snapshot or an independent backup before major cPanel or operating-system changes, and verify that backups can be restored to a separate location.
Plan capacity around actual usage rather than the minimum installation numbers. Mail queues, logs, databases, website files and backup copies all consume disk, while simultaneous account activity consumes memory and CPU. Monitor free disk space so cPanel upgrades do not run into the 5 GB working-space requirement.
Use WHM for server-level changes and cPanel for individual account management. Avoid manually replacing services that WHM manages; when a configuration change is needed, use the corresponding WHM setting so the panel retains a consistent configuration.
Quick Recap
Installation decision checklist
- Supported 64-bit Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or compatible AlmaLinux image selected.
- Rocky Linux and ARM images excluded.
- Fresh operating system with no competing hosting services.
- Root SSH access confirmed.
- Public static IPv4 assigned; IPv6-only networking avoided.
- DNS resolution tested.
- CPU, RAM, disk and 5 GB cPanel working-space requirements met.
- cPanel license or 15-day trial account ready.
- Official installer run from
/home. - WHM hostname, DNS and license verified before account creation.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
