Setup guides

Getting started

Find your way around your client area and cPanel

Where to pay invoices, change plans, and log in to cPanel, the control panel for your site.

4 min read Domains

Buy a domain from Porkbun or Namecheap and connect it

Register a domain at Porkbun or Namecheap and point it at your Dredge account.

6 min read Domains

Connect a domain from GoDaddy, Squarespace, or Cloudflare

Point a domain you already own at Dredge, with steps for GoDaddy, Squarespace, Cloudflare, and any other registrar.

6 min read Domains

Add a subdomain like blog.yourdomain.com

Run a separate site or app on a subdomain, with its own folder and its own HTTPS certificate.

3 min read WordPress

Install WordPress in one click

Start a brand-new WordPress site on your domain in about two minutes, no files or databases to set up.

3 min read WordPress

Move a WordPress site to Dredge

Bring an existing WordPress site over from another host without losing anything.

12 min read Email

Set up email on your domain

Create a you@yourdomain.com mailbox and use it on your phone and computer.

6 min read Email

Use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 email with Dredge

Keep your website on Dredge and your email with Google or Microsoft by adding the right DNS records in cPanel.

6 min read Your site

Upload a website with File Manager or FTP

Put an HTML site, or one exported from a site builder, live on your domain.

5 min read Your site

Move any website to Dredge

Bring a static, PHP, or database-driven site over from another host: copy the files, move the database, and switch your domain.

8 min read Your site

Connect with an FTP client

Use FileZilla or another FTP client to upload and manage files over a secure connection.

3 min read Your site

Turn on HTTPS everywhere

Get the padlock on every page and send visitors to the secure version of your site automatically.

4 min read Your site

Back up and restore your site

Download your own copy of your files, databases, and email, and know how to get them back.

5 min read Domains

Redirect a domain or page

Send visitors from an old URL to a new one, or redirect www to non-www.

3 min read Domains

Point multiple domains to one site

Make two or more domain names show the same website using aliases in cPanel.

3 min read Domains

Manage DNS records

Add or edit A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records in cPanel's Zone Editor.

4 min read WordPress

Update WordPress safely

Keep WordPress core, plugins, and themes up to date without breaking your site.

4 min read Email

Set up email forwarding

Forward mail from your domain to Gmail, Outlook, or any other address without creating a mailbox.

2 min read Email

Stop your email going to spam

Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC so mail from your domain lands in the inbox.

5 min read Your site

Create a MySQL database

Set up a MySQL database and user in cPanel so your app or CMS can store data.

3 min read Your site

Set up a cron job

Schedule a script or command to run automatically at regular intervals.

3 min read Your site

Change your PHP version

Switch between PHP versions when a plugin or framework needs a newer or older release.

2 min read Your site

Password-protect a directory

Lock a folder behind a username and password for staging sites or admin areas.

2 min read Troubleshooting

Fix "Your connection is not private" errors

Troubleshoot SSL certificate errors that show a warning page instead of your site.

4 min read Troubleshooting

Fix a 500 Internal Server Error

Track down the cause of a blank page or "Internal Server Error" using error logs and common fixes.

4 min read Choosing hosting

WordPress.com vs. WordPress on your own hosting

What changes when you run WordPress on your own hosting instead of WordPress.com.

4 min read Choosing hosting

Shared hosting vs. a VPS: which do you need?

Who runs the server, what skills you need, and when you've outgrown shared hosting.

4 min read Choosing hosting

Sitejet Builder or WordPress: which should you use?

Both come with every plan. How to pick the right one for your site.

3 min read