How to Manage an Unmanaged WordPress VPS Hosting Plan
WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) used by millions of websites worldwide. A WordPress VPS hosting plan allows you to run WordPress sites at massive scale without needing to worry about hardware restrictions or performance.
While the concept behind a VPS hosting plan is fantastic, the lack of technical support can make it frustrating to use. For instance, if you’re stuck using a proprietary API to access your WordPress site rather than a web browser, then you’re going to be limited in your functionality. In this article, we’ll cover some of the common gotchas that you might encounter when running a WordPress VPS hosting plan and how to work around them.
Common Gotchas When Managing a WordPress VPS Hosting Plan
One of the major drawbacks of running a WordPress VPS hosting plan is that you’re going to have to handle the administrative aspect of the server on your own. So if you’re not technically inclined, then this might be a challenging task. Luckily, there are a few common issues that you’re likely to face when setting up a WordPress VPS hosting plan and we’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks to help you work through them efficiently.
The first issue that you’re likely to encounter is connecting to your server via CLI rather than a web browser. The reason for this is that most web hosting services limit the number of connections that you can have to your server. The good news is that you can get around this restriction using a few browser extensions and the CLI. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to log in to your server via CLI every time you want to update WordPress or use plugins or other extensions that require you to connect to the server directly. This is going to be quite the ordeal if you’re not used to working with servers or operating systems.
How To Work Around The Limitations Of An Unmanaged WordPress VPS Hosting Plan
Running a WordPress VPS hosting plan without any sort of technical support can be frustrating, to say the least. If you want to get the most out of your web hosting plan, then it’s essential that you learn to work around the limitations of an unmanaged server. In this section, we’re going to cover a few of the most basic things that you can do to ensure that your website works the way you want it to – without any hassles.
The first step is to make sure that you have the most recent version of WordPress installed on your server. Keeping your WordPress version up to date is one of the most critical aspects of managing a successful WordPress site. If you’re running an unmanaged server and you don’t have the latest version of WordPress, then you’re going to encounter a lot of problems that are going to be difficult to trace back to their original source. In most cases, an outdated WordPress version is responsible for a number of errors and problems that you’re going to have to troubleshoot individually.
Use A VPN To Manage Unmanaged WordPress VPS Hosting Plan
One of the most essential things that you can do if you want to effectively manage a WordPress VPS hosting plan is to use a VPN. A VPN allows you to securely connect to a server located in a different country to save you from potential geo-restrictions, data breaches and privacy issues. For instance, if you’re based in the UK but your server is located in the US, then you might experience issues when using UK based VPNs due to data restrictions imposed by the government (your ISP might also have restrictions – see Netflix for streaming limitations). Using a VPN allows you to get around these issues by saving your personal details securely on the remote server. The most popular and reliable VPNs are offered by reputable companies such as PIA, Private Internet Access and NordVPN, which is why we recommend them.
Additionally, many VPNs are extremely easy to use. All you have to do is connect to the server via the web browser extension (iOS and Android) or the app (if you’re on mobile) and you’re good to go. You don’t need to have previous experience to use a VPN effectively, so it’s a great choice for beginners who want to get the most out of their web hosting plan.
Use A CDN To Manage Unmanaged WordPress VPS Hosting Plan
A content delivery network (CDN) is a group of remote servers that are configured to speed up your website. Instead of your visitors having to wait for pages to load, they can access content faster via the CDN. The most popular and reliable CDNs are Akamai, Cloudflare and MaxCDN. You can use a tool such as Cloudflare’s free DNS manager to easily create DNS records pointing to their CDN. Once you have the DNS records set up, simply visit your site and you should see significant improvements in performance.
The great thing about using a CDN is that it’s completely free. The only downside is that you have to keep in mind a few things. First, make sure that you’re using a supported CDN with fast, reliable performance. If you choose Cloudflare, for example, then you’re going to need to make sure that you’re not using their free plan as it has limited resources.
Use The Right Browser Extensions To Manage Unmanaged WordPress VPS Hosting Plan
The right extensions can make a world of difference if you’re trying to effectively manage a WordPress VPS hosting plan. For instance, if you’re using Cloudflare as your CDN, then you might find that their free web browser extension is not sufficient. In these cases, you can use their dedicated IP VPN client to get around most restrictions and reach the full functionality of your Cloudflare account. Additionally, you can also use their free Let’s Encrypt certificate to encrypt your site’s connection to hide your personal details and credit card information from hackers and data thieves. Finally, using the NoScript addon gives you the ability to easily block scripts, adverts and pop-ups on your website, which can boost performance and security.
Configure Your Automated Backups
One of the most critical things that you can do to effectively manage your website is to configure automated backups. This way, if your server is ever compromised or destroyed by a hack, then you can quickly restore your site to its previous state via the backups. The best automated backup services allow you to perform backups manually or automatically (via scheduled tasks or cron jobs).
If you have automated backups configured, then you’re going to need to make sure that you test them regularly. The reason for this is that bugs and glitches are common when first developing web applications or plugins. Rather than spending hours identifying the issue manually, it’s better to have a backup that you can restore to test if the problem still exists or has been fixed. If you’re using a free service like WordPress Backup, then you can easily test your backups via the WP-CLI.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
A multi-factor authentication (MFA) protects your account by requiring a user to input a code that’s sent to them via text message or phone call. The amount of codes required varies between services, but it’s usually two-factor authentication. This prevents cyberattacks from unauthorized users because they don’t have access to your account information unless they’ve hacked your phone or email. Unfortunately, not all services support MFA, so it’s up to you to ensure that you use a service that does.
Additionally, make sure that you regularly change your password. If an attacker manages to guess or find your password, then they can change it and login to your account to see your personal details. You should always use strong passwords and avoid using phrases that are commonly used as passwords (such as “123456” or “password”). If you forget your password, then you can request a new one via email.
Use HTTPS To Manage Unmanaged WordPress VPS Hosting Plan
If you’ve ever tried to access a website that’s not served via HTTPS, then you might have noticed that your browser attempts to connect to the site insecurely, which can leave you vulnerable to hackers and data thieves. The best way to secure your connection to a site is to use the HTTPS protocol, which encrypts all of your information, including credit card details, before it’s transmitted to the server.
The HTTPS protocol ensures that everything is encrypted, preventing any unwanted snooping by third parties. Additionally, using strong certificates and up to date antivirus software also adds an extra layer of security.