Once you’ve signed up for a web host, you’ll be given information on how to access your web host control panel. This panel gives you complete control over managing your site, your email accounts, and more. Through it, you’ll be able to see how many bandwidth and disk space you’re using, view reports concerning how many visitors you’ve received, and do much more. Most web hosts try to keep their control panels as simple as possible since they know some of their clients are first-time web users. These control panels make everything very simple, and many feature graphical interfaces and easy to use online help systems so that everyone, regardless of how much computer knowledge they have, can configure and run their website without any difficulty. While the default web control panel may be enough for many, some may want more. Some web hosts may give their clients various control panel options.
Control panels are installed on web hosts to make the client’s experience easier. Everything is right there at your fingertips, including applications and the ability to configure various services. In addition to these common applications, many control panels also feature options like site building templates, FTP access, backup wizards, image and database management tools, and even video tutorials. Some of these options may cost extra, though, so it’s important that you know what’s included in your control panel.
If you have the option of selecting a control panel to use, there are a few things you should consider. There are a number of different options out there, including cPanel, Plesk, WHM, SiteWorx, and Helm. Each has its own unique look and feel, and some offer more options than others. What you want to do is find the one that is set up in a way that is intuitive for you to use and focuses on the applications you need. Here are a few other things to think about when selecting your control panel.
What operating system does it support? If you’re using a Unix or Linux web host, you certainly want to have a control panel that will work with the operating system. Most control panels support Windows, but some may not. If you’re using a Mac to edit and control you website, then you certainly want to make certain your control panel is compatible.
Does the control panel do what you need it to? Does it fulfill all of your needs? If it doesn’t, don’t waste time with it. Make certain the control panel does everything you need it to, and then look at the additional options.
Finally, do the interface, design, and layout of the control panel work for you? If you can’t find the features you want or find yourself clicking through several different menus looking for an option, you may want to look for a control panel that is set up differently. You’ll be using this control panel often, so you want one that is easy for you to use.
