Now that your webhost and domain name has been setup and configured from Part 2, it is now time to install wordpress on your website. WordPress is a blogging system used by millions of people and is customizable. Setting up wordpress is not a difficult task, however it does take some care.
WordPress Requirements
In order to run wordpress on your web host, your host must meet some specific requirements. First, you need to be running an mysql server, version 4.0 or greater. Your host must also be running php version 4.3 or greater. This is for wordpress version 2.8.4. Future versions of wordpress may have different requirements. If your host does not meet these requirements, contact and suggest they upgrade to current versions of php and mysql. These requirements are minimal, and there is no reason a web host should be using such outdated versions of php and mysql.
Deleting Old Files
The next step is to delete the old startup files on your server. Your server most likely came with files stating your site was under construction. It is important we remove these files so they do not confuse us later. The easiest method is to FTP into your account and remove the files that way. You will need to setup FTP access on your server, click here for a tutorial for FTP. Once you have access to your files, you need to delete everything on the site except the following folders: cgi-bin, cp, webalizer, and your robots.txt file. (If these directories do not exist, do not worry about it). Make sure to delete any other files listed, like index.html and info.html.
Download WordPress
Now that your site is clear of the old installiation files, it is time to download wordpress. Go here and download the latest version of wordpress. At this stage it would be a good idea to create a directory on your computer where you will house all your site’s files. Name the directory the same as your domain, this way you do not get confused. Now, you have two options, to unzip wordpress in the root of your site, or to unzip wordpress into it’s own directory. If you plan for your entire site to be your blog, then unzip all wordpress files into the root of the directory. If you want to create a website that is separate from wordpress, but includes your wordpress blog, unzip all wordpress files into it’s own directory. Once you have unzipped all files, FTP them to your web host. It is best to send your entire directory so you will make sure to get all files.
Database Creation
WordPress uses a database to store all the information in your blog. The next step in the process is to create a database at your web host for wordpress. Each web host is different, so the steps required to make a database may differ from host to host. Look for an option called Mysql Server and click it. Click the link titled, “Add Database”, and then provide a name for the database. Often a web host will append a name to the front of the database, usually the name of the account. The name of your database will include the appended name, and the name you provide. Keep it simple and input wordpress in the blank. To give an example, suppose your account appends the name Tomms_ to the front of your database name. In the blank, you will put in wordpress. Below is the actual database name:
Tomms_wordpress
Later you will be required to input this name in a file, so keep it handy. If your host does not append a name to the database, then your database name will be the following:
wordpress
You may also be able to input a database description, title it, “My WordPress Database”. Press the next button to continue. Now it is time to create a user that will have access to the database. If you already have a database on the server you can grant the existing user permissions to access the database. If you do not, then you need to create a new user. To do so, in the username box, type in the name you want for your username. Try to make this name unique, and do NOT make it a username you use all the time. You do not want your database username and password to be public knowledge, or people could access and destroy your blog. Your host may append the account name to the beginning of your username, exactly as with the database, so if you see the appended name in front of the username, make sure to remember the appended name plus the name you provide is your real username. Now, input your password, and under User Role, choose DBA. Now click the finish button.
Now your database is complete. Now we need to get some specific information for setting up wordpress. After you have made your database, you should see a list of databases on your server. Click on the one you just created, and write down the host name, database name, and the database user. Also have the password you used handy.
PHP Modification
Now we are going to add the database details in a php file that came with wordpress. Go to the directory you installed wordpress into on your computer, and notice the file named wp-config-sample.php. You want to rename it to wp-config.php (just remove the -sample part). This is the file that tells wordpress your database information. Now, we need to edit the file and input your database configuration. Right click on the file, and open the program with notepad (or any web based editor: Dreamweaver, Frontpage, Expression Web, etc).
Now, look for the line listed below:
define('DB_NAME', 'putyourdbnamehere');
Change putyourdbnamehere with the name of your database.
Do the same for database username, database password, and hostname. Note: If your host did not specify a host name, then keep the value as localhost in the hostname box. If you are having a problem with this step, go here to visit wordpress’s guide on this step.
We are not yet done, we still have some work to do. We now need to define your security keys. The security keys are a protection measure you must have configured within the wp-config.php file. Scroll down into the file until you see the following region:
define('AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('SECURE_AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('LOGGED_IN_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('NONCE_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
You are going to fill in the values with unique keys wordpress will give you. WordPress has an online generator located here that will give you these values. Copy all the code from the generator and paste it over the code in your site. Below is what it should look like after, with different codes of course.
define('AUTH_KEY', 'hT{c8J9+Mq{bics) 6b+zJIDx%7YU.3]R5s23Z30+wr+4TAki+QqT[+Wk0|?Hr/{');
define('SECURE_AUTH_KEY', 'ZkX_ubfK_9O-C,ZH_SEexmt5O3 B)_S>WAdKvB_=zFRuKR3-5^F=/0`+^r(]r/kM');
define('LOGGED_IN_KEY', '52AG~Tv-k:b* ,c{-I1G-Z(HjoJ$^Tgljz3@^3&`%11yqAY<39vWRXl,<^0jceLf');
define('NONCE_KEY', '2x{EG><dbxJf^Ae4^+!hp@Kf?0.@;L{OrfA;I0|AT5lRB`.;^mr2~VkP{*f&>|DD');
Now that the code has been copied, save the file. Now, upload the file to the server to the same location you found it on your computer. It is now time to run the wordpress installation script.
WordPress Installation script
If you installed wordpress in the root directory of your site, go here: http://example.com/wp-admin/install.php
If you installed wordpress in it’s own directory of your site, go here: http://example.com/blog/wp-admin/install.php
Replace Blog with the name of the folder you used to store your wordpress files. If everything worked, you should see the following:
If you do not and it says you cannot connect to the database, make sure all the information is correct. If you have imported an already existing database user to have access to your wordpress database, it may also fail. If so, create a new user and input your wp-config.php file with the new user’s information. It should work then. If you still are having problem, go to wordpress’s help file, located here.
Now, put in the title you want for your blog. You can change this later if you wish. Also put in a working e-mail address. I suggest you create a new e-mail address on your host, and use that new address for your contact information. Also checlk the box stating you want to appear in search engines. Do not worry, your robots.txt file is still in effect, so you will not be listed until you are ready. Now click the install wordpress button. After a few seconds, it will be done. You should have a screen similar to the following:
Yes, it was that easy. Now, log in to your new blog. You are going to want to change your password from the automatically generated one. A warning in red will appear just as you log in which will take you to the profile page. Go ahead and change your password, and fill out the information there. If you want a new username, you need to create a new user, set that user to be an administrator, then delete the admin account after logging as the new administrator. Remember, wordpress requires each user to have unique e-mail addresses, so if you want to create a new user, this user must have a different e-mail address then the one you currently have. If needed, input a fake e-mail address, then after you have deleted the admin user, set the e-mail address to your real e-mail address. You do not need to create a new user, admin works fine.
Now, go to your website address and your blog should appear. It should look like the following:
In Conclusion
Your blog is now created and functional. I suggest you create a couple of test posts to get familiar with your blog. Even though your blog will work, it is far from finished. In the next article, I will cover how to configure your blog with new themes, plugins, and enhancements you will need in order to establish yourself online.
Table of Contents: How to Establish Yourself Online
Part 1: Plan
Part 2: Domain Name and Web Host
Part 3: Setting up WordPress
Part 4: Customizing WordPress
Part 5: WordPress SEO
About the author: Psychcomp is owned and maintained by Nathan Driskell, a Licensed Professional Counselor - Intern and Internet Addiction Specialist. Nathan has worked for the past five years creating and maintaining websites, and has experience managing small business networks.
Contact Nathan at the following locations:
ndri...@psychcomp.com">E-Mail
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- WordPress Attack: Upgrade Now
- Example robots.txt for WordPress and PHPBB3
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