Do you use cPanel? What do you not like?

[Robulosity2]

If your using cpanel manually updating packages, will normally break things.. Sure there's some things you can install that will not BUT, manually modifying configuration via vim/vi etc won't be respected if cpanel updates.. Only way to force that is via the WHM pages

[*Salvo*]

Yes, probably it's as you say.
I had since I've started with cPanel some minor stuff to install via ssh, because not available through the modules. And I did it without any problem. I don't remember what (maybe imagick or similar libraries). As for other stuffs, after some huge upgrade (example from php 5.2.x to 5.3.x ) I did something manually (via ssh). And even with the APC.

[Pete T]

cPanel all the way never liked Plesk and with cPanel its so easy to control with ssh but its what best for you really

[townie83]

Once you use it, especially alongside WHM, you wont go back to your old control panel thats for sure. It's so simple, but not only for you, but for any clients that you host too.

Not sure if the Windows Server version is out yet, I know last time I checked it wasnt far away!

[co19]

I've been using cPanel for a few years now on my servers and it's definitely made managing them incredibly easy. Not to mention setting up accounts for people is like heaven and anyone can manage their own account easily. It's very nicely made, you could go the whole time without entering the shell, and there's no bugs or anything that takes up your time.

The only downside is installing additional software. Did you want a different mail server? Nope, you're stuck with exim. Did you want a nice new IDS? Nope (but modsecurity and csf do a decent job). In the end it comes down to how experienced you are. I like to compare cPanel to a mac, it's very nicely made, and you can use it straight out of the box extremely well. But the moment you want to start going deeper you start breaking things. It's very limiting in my opinion.

With all that said, I'm still using it lol

[KittyCanuck]

I do not like how it manages domains.

It put add on domains in a sub folder of the default domain. I like how direct admin put each domain into it's own folder.

I've never had it handle domains for me that way. Perhaps it's how your host as it set up?

From strictly a user's standpoint, I like it way better than a custom admin panel like, say, DreamHost uses. cPanel is dead easy to use on the user side of things, and lets you control a lot of options for your site.
I have no experience from a server manager's point of view, but as a user I love it.,

[Amy T]

I've never had it handle domains for me that way. Perhaps it's how your host as it set up?

From strictly a user's standpoint, I like it way better than a custom admin panel like, say, DreamHost uses. cPanel is dead easy to use on the user side of things, and lets you control a lot of options for your site.

I have no experience from a server manager's point of view, but as a user I love it.,

I have had more then 12 hosts with cpanel and have yet to find one that does not have it set that way. It could be your host has cpanel set up different from the default settings for it.

Just to make sure though when you set up a new domain on your host it does not put it in the public html so where does it put it?

[.Peter]

I currently have 6 different hosts, most of them are shared hosts and three of them use custom control panels, 1and1, iPage and FatCow.. Using those are SO complicated as I'm so used to cPanel. I have cPanel + WHM installed on my dedicated server and I love it, I can easily go in and create new accounts in seconds.

One thing I don't like is my installation has an issue and if the server ever gets restarted it "forgets" the IP addresses connected with it and I have to log in via shell and fix it, everytime lol. Other than that I don't really ever have to log into shell it's truly an install and forget.

[Cmarenburg]

HI,

I am currently getting my VPS set up with Webmin :) My friend uses it on his VPS and it is very nice. To be honest i *don't* need to install it my self but i want to so i know how to. My VPS host offers an option of having it pre-installed, not on ubuntu though, i prefer ubuntu.

[.Peter]

I've never been a fan of running a server in ubuntu.. I always use Centos I like that one.

[Robulosity2]

Your not stuck with Exim on cPanel

I've been using cPanel for a few years now on my servers and it's definitely made managing them incredibly easy. Not to mention setting up accounts for people is like heaven and anyone can manage their own account easily. It's very nicely made, you could go the whole time without entering the shell, and there's no bugs or anything that takes up your time.

The only downside is installing additional software. Did you want a different mail server? Nope, you're stuck with exim. Did you want a nice new IDS? Nope (but modsecurity and csf do a decent job). In the end it comes down to how experienced you are. I like to compare cPanel to a mac, it's very nicely made, and you can use it straight out of the box extremely well. But the moment you want to start going deeper you start breaking things. It's very limiting in my opinion.

With all that said, I'm still using it lol

Your not stuck with Exim on cPanel and you haven't been for a very long time.. Unsure as to why you think that

[Cmarenburg]

I've never been a fan of running a server in ubuntu.. I always use Centos I like that one.

It's the only one i am used to. But my server Turns off and well not turn back on GRRRRRRRRR. Going to get it reformatted

[Rhett]

Anyone giving props to cpanel, hasn't seen or used the other options available. :smile: If cpanel is all you have experience with, than it would be better to stick to the question asked here by the OP.

Also rating a panel that you only use the front end of, is a little flawed.... install each one, set it up, use it, upgrade it, then come back and you will have a different opinion. :smile:

[Pete T]

I have had more then 12 hosts with cpanel and have yet to find one that does not have it set that way. It could be your host has cpanel set up different from the default settings for it.

Just to make sure though when you set up a new domain on your host it does not put it in the public html so where does it put it?

Amy T

When you add domain in cPanel you don't have have it in sub folder you can have it pointing to /public_html the idea having sub folder is if you like use it as different account so to speak or someone else using that domain can have different log in for ftp.

[.Ian]

Enjoying cPanel much more than Plesk. The only annoying thing is that I cannot find a way for parked domains to use the DNS of the parent domain - so for domains pointing to Google, for example, you have to enter the DNS for every domain by hand, which is a pain.

Most other items are much easier to handle.

[Jeuhen]

Plesk is a nono. I've tried running a VPS using plesk once and luckily it was a monthly contract which i stopped immediately ofcourse.

I've been using cPanel for a long time and i don't ever want to switch back to another panel, however, DirectAdmin would be my 2nd choice.

[Jaymez]

I don't like updating whm/cPanel at all..i dont do it enough to feel confident about it, but overall, cpanel all the way. skinning/branding it is easy and most ppl know it or have used it. i didn't like plesk.

[Robulosity2]

I don't like updating whm/cPanel at all..i dont do it enough to feel confident about it, but overall, cpanel all the way. skinning/branding it is easy and most ppl know it or have used it. i didn't like plesk.

As long as you set your update preferences to Stable, you should be golden that and as long as your making configuration changes via WHM and not ssh/vim/nano etc it will respect them.. If there's a case where it cannot you will be told

The main thing is, if your using a cluster make sure that your taking advantage of their DNS Clustering but if your NOT serving DNS requests make sure to disable the DNS server since it has a decent memory footprint.

Also, I've had great success with layering cPanel with Webmin

[Alexander V]

Ram is probably the cheapest part to replace/improve in a server, so resources shouldn't be that much of an issue. For the less tech-savvy ones, cPanel is marvelous.

If however you need advanced set ups and you would run a server instead of a host, I would ALWAYS recommend Webmin as it is much more flexible, much lighter and has much more features.

[Zhana]

I use DA and I'm happy with it. With that being said, I have 3 other different hosting accounts on which I use CPanel.

[Jim O]

Real men don't use a control panel. On a private server why would you need one? If I really felt the need to have config files written for me I'd use Webmin. I believe that it can be started and stopped without interfering with running daemons. On my private servers I don't use anything. I like having the control myself.


That said, I have a small hosting business and I use cPanel on those servers for my customers. That's pretty much what people expect in a shared hosting environment. I used to offer a choice of cPanel or Plesk but rarely had any takers on the latter so I discontinued it.