In this guide you will learn how to install the WordPress blogging software on your web host manually. This method of installing WordPress is a little more complicated than installing WordPress via Softaculous or installing WordPress via Fantastico De Luxe. If you are new to installing the WordPress blogging software I would recommend using one of those methods if they are available to you.
Software Needed to Install WordPress
Here is the list of software you will need installed on your computer to be able to install WordPress software manually:
- FTP Client: FileZilla
- Text Editor: Notepad or Crimson
- ZIP Compression Tool: 7-Zip or WinZip
- WordPress Software: Latest.zip, Latest.tar.gz
You may already have the above software installed on your computer. If not you can download them for free, except WinZip. WinZip is a paid for software, although you can download a trial. I would recommend installing the free software.
Create an SQL Database for WordPress
Login to your web host and create an SQL database for WordPress. Your web host most likely uses cPanel. To access cPanel go to http://your-domain-name.com:2082 and type in your username and password.
Scroll down until you see the Databases section and click on the MySQL® Databases once loaded you can create a database in the section that says Create New Database. Some web hosts will have a prefix to the database name already added so remember this for later. You can make the name whatever you like, as long as you remember it for the next few steps, after that you won’t need it anymore. You can make it as simple as site01 and remember the prefix your web host already has added if any. Click go back.
Create a Database User
On the same page you are already on scroll down further to MySQL Users. Here we will create a username and password for your database, again this can be anything and will only be needed for the next few steps even the password. Then you can forget them forever.
Your username will probably already have a prefix to it as well so remember this for the next few steps. You can make this user01 if you like. After you fill out the username and password click Create User. Click go back.
Add User to Database
Now we need to add the user you just created to the database we created. Telling the MySQL server that the user you created is allowed to access the database you created.
Scroll down just below MySQL Users and you will see Add User To Database. Select the user you created and the database you created. Click add. Now you need to tell the MySQL server what privileges this user is allowed to have for this database. Select all privileges. Now click make changes. Click Go Back.
Extracting WordPress Software Files
Now that you have the all the needed software installed on your computer, we can start installing WordPress software. First we need to extract the WordPress software. You will use 7-zip or WinZip for this part.
Right click on the WordPress software you downloaded and select Extract. Now depending on which software you are using different windows may appear, but what they will ask you is where you want to extract the files. Just make sure you put the WordPress files that get extracted in an easy to find place like you Desktop or My Documents. Just remember where you put the WordPress files.
Edit WordPress Configuration File
Open the WordPress folder that you just extracted.
Right click on wp-config-sample.php and select rename. Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php
Open wp-config.php in your text editor (notepad or crimson). Open notepad or crimson first then go to file > open and select the wp-config.php file.
There are 4 settings we need to edit in the wp-config.php file.
define('DB_NAME', 'wpsitename');
Change wpsitename to the database name you created above. Remember the prefix as well it yours had one. So now it should look like: define('DB_NAME', 'prefix_site01');
define('DB_USER', 'wpsqlusername');
Change wpsqlusername to the user you created for your database. Don’t forget the prefix if you had one. So now it will look like define('DB_USER', 'prefix_user01');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'wpsqlpassword');
Change wpsqlpassword to the password you created for your database user. This does not have a prefix and is whatever you made it. So now it will look like define('DB_PASSWORD', 'mYkRazePASwoRD0123');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
This is probably correct already unless your web host specifically said use mysql01.webhost.com as your database server hostname then you don’t have to change this. If they did, your’s will now look like define('DB_HOST', 'mysql01.webhost.com');
Save your WordPress configuration file, but don’t close your WordPress config file, there is 1 more section to edit before we are done. Go to WordPress Secret Key Service and copy the 4 lines of text. Go back to your config file fine the 4 lines that look like this:
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');
Delete them then paste the 4 lines you copied from WordPress Secret Key Service.
Save your configuration file, close your editor, and forget the database name, username, and password as you should never need it again.
Upload the WordPress Files to Your Web Host
Now you need to upload all of the files in the WordPress folder to your web host using the FTP client software you downloaded and installed.
Open FileZilla and connect to your web host by entering your domain name, username, and password for your website. Then hit enter, this will connect to the web host.
On the left pane will show your local computer files stored on your hard drive. On the right pane will show the remote web host’s file on your web host’s hard drive.
On the left pane (your computer hard drive) navigate to inside of the WordPress folder, you should now see all the files inside the WordPress folder like wp-config.php, wp-admin, wp-content, etc.
On the right pane (web host’s hard drive) navigate to your domain name’s root directory. Most likely /public_html but if you have multiple domain names, it will probably be /public_html/yourdomainname
Now we need to upload the files on the left to the right, so select all the files on the left (wp-config.php, wp-admin, wp-content, etc.) after they are all selected click and drag them to the right side. Your files will begin to upload. This may take a few minutes depending on your internet connection speed.
Close the FTP client software after the transfer is completed.
Run the WordPress Install Script
Open your web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome) and go to http://yourdomainname.com/wp-admin/install.php
You should now see the WordPress install script screen. This will ask you a few basic settings for your website. Follow the directions on the WordPress install script’s screen, which is basically entering your web site’s title and your e-mail address. Click next, click install.
IMPORTANT: This WordPress install script will generate your password for you, the username will be admin. The password that was generated will be displayed on the screen, copy and paste this password to a text file or write it down. You will need this password to login to your new website.
Click login button, which will take you to http://yourdomainname.com/wp-admin/ enter your username, which is admin, and the password that was generated for you.
Change Your Password
I highly recommend changing your password from the password that was generated for you to a password you will remember. This password will be the password you use every time you want to work on your website.
Once your are logged in to your WordPress website click on the top right where is says Howdy, admin. Now scroll to the bottom type in your password in the first box, then in the second, click Update Profile.
Setup WordPress Options
Now your done installing WordPress software via FTP. Hope everything worked correctly for you. I would suggest reading How to Setup WordPress Options to learn how to setup your WordPress website to be most effective for affiliate marketing.