WordPress Installation

Installing a WordPress website is not hard but you need to be aware of a few steps to take to make it a secure installation. We will be looking at how to do a WordPress installation and at what point you need to move away from the standard that WordPress suggest. You could use the much promoted Fantastico Script on your hosting cpanel, but I have found the process described below gives you more flexibility and control.

Pre- Installation Check

First of all, before you start with your installation you need to have these items in place:

• Your own domain en domain hosting package, this is were your installation will take place.
• The information from your database meaning: Name, Username and Password.
• Downloaded WordPress from wordpress.org , unzip it and upload it via FTP to your domain hosting root (mostly public html of www)

Once you have that in place, its time to start your installation.

Start the Installation

To install WordPress on your site you need to call your domain in you web browser, for example:

http://wpsitebuilding.com

Notice I did not use http://www.wpsitebuilding.com ? WordPress, after the installation, will redirect that www. to the non-www. version automatically. If you want www. in front of your domain start your installation with the www. and the non-www will be redirected to the preferred domain URL.

Creating the configuration file

If you call the URL of your preference you get a screen like the one below:

Next step, click on the option to “Create a Configuration File”

The WordPress Notice

The second screen is to tell you what you need before proceeding, so again check if you got the following items:

• Database name
• Database username
• Database Password
• Database Host
• Table prefix (if you have full access to the database you don’t need it right now)

Using the Installation Data

In the next screen you are going to need the data mentioned before, this is also where you need to do one different from the default installation guide…

You change the default values to0 the ones you got/created for accessing the database you want to use for your installation. On the last field it says Table Prefix and it has the standard wp_. Change that value! Make it something different than wp_. Most hacker scripts will target the table called wp_users and/or wp_options, bij changing the prefix you prevent being targeted with those basic attacks.

The values in this screens are of course not from a life site.

Run the Installation

If the data you entered in the previous step is correct you should see a screen that tells you that you can run the install, if so, push that button. If not, you get an error and you need to recheck if you entered the connection data correctly.

Finishing Up Your Installation

In the finishing screen you need to write the name of you blog and fill in your email address. This email address is to send you a mail with your username and password so make sure it is a correct mail address!  You will get an admin password assigned in the step following this one.

Succes! Your installation is done!

If al run well during the installation process, you get a screen with the user name “admin” and a system generated password.

Copy and post that password into a text editor like Notepad so you can use it to login to your fresh WordPress installation.

Accessing your WordPress Website Dashboard

Once your installation is done, you can click the “Log In” button in the previous screen, but you will only see this screen once.

If you want to login later on, you need to go to write after your main domain URL either /wp-admin or /wp-login.php for example http://example.com/wp-admin

You should that get the login screen of WordPress.

Your Dashboard awaits you

Once you are logged in you can start to explore your dashboard and all the options WordPress gives you to start using and extending your basic WordPress installation.

Now where to go to from here?

After Installation Options

Start with the WordPress Setup to make sure to get all the options in the settings and more setup the right way.

Below is a video that shows you the steps to take from getting WordPress, setting up your database and using FTP to upload the WordPress software. The installation process in this video is different because it starts with the creating and editing the configuration file.