How to Get Your Website Online

Overview

You've purchased hosting, connected your domain, and now you're ready to put your website online.

There are several ways to do this depending on what kind of website you're building.

The most common options are:

Installing WordPress or another application
Uploading an existing website
Having a developer build or migrate your website
Using an existing website and moving it to your Have Freedom Hosting account

This guide provides a simple overview of the process and points you toward the appropriate tools.

Before You Begin

Before putting your website online, make sure you have:

An active Have Freedom Hosting account
A domain name
Your domain connected to your hosting account
Access to your Customer Portal
Access to cPanel

If your domain isn't connected yet, complete that step first.

Your domain needs to know where your website is hosted before visitors can reliably reach it.

Option 1: Install WordPress

If you're building a new website, WordPress is one of the easiest ways to get started.

You can install WordPress through Softaculous in cPanel.

A typical process looks like this:

Log in to cPanel.
Open Softaculous.
Select WordPress.
Choose your domain.
Review the installation settings.
Create your WordPress administrator account.
Start the installation.
Visit your new website.

Once WordPress is installed, you can manage your website through the WordPress dashboard.

You can then choose a theme, install plugins, create pages, and begin adding your content.

For detailed instructions, see our guide on installing WordPress using Softaculous.

Option 2: Upload an Existing Website

If you already have a website, you can upload its files to your hosting account.

You can generally do this using:

cPanel File Manager
FTP
Another supported file-transfer method

For a typical primary website, the files will be placed in:

public_html

For example:

public_html/
├── index.html
├── css/
├── images/
└── other website files

Once the files are in the correct location and your domain is pointing to the hosting account, visitors should be able to access the website.

Option 3: Move an Existing Website

If your website is currently hosted somewhere else, you can move it to Have Freedom Hosting.

A website migration may involve moving:

Website files
Databases
Email accounts
DNS settings
SSL configuration
Other application data

The exact process depends on how your website was built.

For a simple HTML website, moving the files may be all that's required.

For applications such as WordPress, additional steps may be necessary.

Important: Don't cancel your old hosting account until you've confirmed that your website and any other services you need are working properly on the new account.

Make Sure Your Domain Is Pointing to Your Hosting

Uploading your website files isn't enough by itself.

Your domain must also point visitors toward the correct hosting server.

This is controlled through your domain's DNS configuration.

Depending on your setup, this may mean:

Using Have Freedom Hosting nameservers
Pointing specific DNS records toward your hosting account
Keeping DNS with another provider and configuring the required records

If you've recently changed your DNS settings, allow time for those changes to become visible across the internet.

Check Your Website

Once your website is uploaded and your domain is connected, open your domain in a web browser.

For example:

https://example.com

Check that:

The correct website loads.
Images appear correctly.
Links work.
Pages open normally.
Forms work if you have them.
Your navigation works.
Your website isn't showing an unexpected error.

It's a good idea to test your website from more than one device or internet connection when possible.

Make Sure HTTPS Works

Your website should normally be accessible over HTTPS.

For example:

https://example.com

HTTPS encrypts the connection between your visitor and your website and helps protect information being transmitted.

If your website only works over HTTP, or your browser displays a security warning, check your SSL configuration before considering the website finished.

You may also need to update website settings so that your site uses HTTPS consistently.

If You're Using WordPress

After installing WordPress, there are a few basic things you should do before considering the site ready.

At minimum:

Log in to WordPress.
Set your site title and basic settings.
Choose a theme.
Create your important pages.
Configure your navigation.
Review your user accounts.
Install necessary updates.
Remove anything you don't need.
Confirm that HTTPS is working.
Test the site from a normal visitor's perspective.

Don't install dozens of plugins simply because they're available.

Only install what your website actually needs and keep everything updated.

If You're Using an Existing Website

After uploading an existing website, check for things that may depend on your previous hosting provider.

For example:

Database connections
PHP configuration
File paths
Email forms
API connections
Third-party services
Scheduled tasks
DNS records
SSL configuration

A website that worked perfectly on another server may require a few adjustments after being moved.

Don't Forget Email

Moving or connecting your website doesn't necessarily move your email.

Your email service may use separate DNS records, particularly MX records.

Before changing DNS settings, make sure you know where your email is hosted.

If you use Have Freedom Hosting for email, make sure the appropriate email configuration remains in place.

If you use another email provider, make sure its DNS records aren't accidentally removed when changing your domain's DNS configuration.

Common Problems

My Domain Shows an Old Website

Your DNS change may not have finished propagating, or your browser or network may still have cached the previous information.

Give DNS changes some time before assuming something is wrong.

My Website Shows a Directory Listing

Your website may not contain an appropriate index file, or the files may have been uploaded into the wrong directory.

Check that your website files are in the correct document root.

I Uploaded My Website but Nothing Changed

Make sure the files were uploaded to the correct location.

For most primary websites, this is:

public_html

Also make sure you're visiting the correct domain and that its DNS is pointing to your hosting account.

My Website Shows a Database Error

If your website uses a database, check that the database and database connection settings were moved or configured correctly.

This is particularly common when migrating WordPress and other database-driven applications.

My Website Says It's Not Secure

Check that your SSL certificate is installed correctly and that your website is actually loading through HTTPS.

Your website may also contain links or resources that still use HTTP.

Test Before You Call It Finished

Before announcing your new website, take a few minutes to use it like a normal visitor.

Try:

Opening the homepage
Visiting several pages
Clicking your navigation
Submitting a contact form
Testing your search function, if applicable
Checking images
Testing on a phone
Checking HTTPS
Testing important links

Small problems are much easier to fix before your visitors discover them.

Need Help?

Getting a website online can involve several different pieces, and it's normal to run into questions along the way.

If you're having trouble getting your website online, contact Have Freedom Hosting Support and tell us:

Your domain name
What type of website you're using
Whether it's a new or existing website
What you've already done
What you're currently seeing
Any error message you're receiving

The more information you provide, the easier it is to determine where the problem is.

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