{"id":1,"date":"2026-07-13T00:03:52","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T00:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1"},"modified":"2026-07-13T09:07:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T09:07:25","slug":"easy-install-guide-web-deck-control-panel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/2026\/07\/13\/easy-install-guide-web-deck-control-panel\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Install Guide &#8211; Web Deck Control Panel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>\n.wdg{--soft:color-mix(in srgb,currentColor 6%,transparent);--line:color-mix(in srgb,currentColor 16%,transparent)}\n.wdg .lead{font-size:1.2em;line-height:1.55;opacity:.85;margin:0 0 1.3em}\n.wdg .chips{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0 0 1.8em}\n.wdg .chips li{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:100px;padding:5px 14px;font-size:.85em;font-weight:600}\n.wdg .step{display:flex;gap:16px;align-items:flex-start;margin:0 0 1.5em}\n.wdg .n{flex:0 0 auto;width:34px;height:34px;border-radius:50%;border:2px solid currentColor;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:700}\n.wdg .step > div{flex:1;min-width:0}\n.wdg .step h3{margin:.15em 0 .35em}\n.wdg .cmd{border:1px solid var(--line);background:var(--soft);border-radius:10px;padding:14px 16px;margin:.8em 0;font-family:ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Consolas,monospace;font-size:.9em;overflow-x:auto;white-space:pre;line-height:1.6}\n.wdg .tip{border:1px solid var(--line);background:var(--soft);border-radius:10px;padding:14px 18px;margin:1.1em 0;font-size:.96em}\n.wdg .shot{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:10px;overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0}\n.wdg .ph{aspect-ratio:16\/9;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:4px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;background:var(--soft);font-size:.85em;opacity:.7}\n.wdg .ph b{font-size:.95em}\n.wdg .shot figcaption{padding:8px 14px;font-size:.85em;opacity:.65;border-top:1px solid var(--line)}\n.wdg .feats{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:1em 0}\n.wdg .feats li{padding:9px 0 9px 28px;position:relative;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.wdg .feats li:before{content:\"\u2713\";position:absolute;left:0;top:9px;font-weight:800}\n.wdg details{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);padding:14px 0}\n.wdg summary{cursor:pointer;font-weight:700;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px}\n.wdg summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}\n.wdg summary::after{content:\"+\";opacity:.55;font-weight:700}\n.wdg details[open] summary::after{content:\"\u2013\"}\n.wdg details p{margin:.7em 0 0;opacity:.9}\n.wdg .cta{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:12px;padding:26px;text-align:center;margin-top:2em}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"wdg\">\n\n  <p class=\"lead\">Setting up a hosting control panel used to mean an afternoon of\n  config files, a self-signed certificate warning, and a nagging feeling you&#8217;d\n  missed something. WebDeck is one command and a few minutes \u2014 and it hands you a\n  working panel with a proper padlock from the very first load.<\/p>\n\n  <ul class=\"chips\">\n    <li>\u23f1 About 10 minutes<\/li>\n    <li>\ud83d\udda5 Debian \u00b7 Ubuntu \u00b7 Rocky \u00b7 Alma<\/li>\n    <li>\ud83d\udcb7 Free to download<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <p>Here&#8217;s exactly what installing WebDeck looks like, start to finish. No prior\n  experience assumed \u2014 if you can copy and paste one line and follow a short\n  wizard, you can do this.<\/p>\n\n  <h2>Before you start<\/h2>\n\n  <p>You need one thing: a <strong>fresh server<\/strong>. WebDeck sets up the\n  whole stack itself \u2014 web server, database, mail, DNS, PHP and SSL \u2014 so it wants\n  a clean box it can own, not one that&#8217;s already running things.<\/p>\n\n  <ul class=\"feats\">\n    <li>A fresh Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky or Alma server<\/li>\n    <li>1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM and 10 GB disk is enough to start<\/li>\n    <li>Root access and a public IP address<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <div class=\"tip\"><strong>Spare VPS lying around?<\/strong> That&#8217;s the ideal way\n  to try it. A cheap cloud server for a few hours costs pennies, and you can wipe\n  it afterwards if it&#8217;s not for you.<\/div>\n\n  <h2>Step 1 \u2014 Run the installer<\/h2>\n\n  <p>Log in to your fresh server over SSH and paste in one command. The installer\n  works out which Linux you&#8217;re on and does the right thing.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"cmd\">wget https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/downloads\/webdeck-installer.tar.gz\ntar xzf webdeck-installer.tar.gz\ncd webdeck-installer-pkg &amp;&amp; bash install.sh<\/div>\n\n  <p>Then go and make a cup of tea. It takes a few minutes because it&#8217;s installing\n  a full hosting stack \u2014 you&#8217;ll see each part tick off as it goes.<\/p>\n\n \n  <figure class=\"shot\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/images\/install1.png\" alt=\"The WebDeck installer running in an SSH terminal, showing each step completing\">\n    <figcaption>The installer sets up the whole stack for you.<\/figcaption>\n  <\/figure>\n\n  <h2>Step 2 \u2014 Open your panel<\/h2>\n\n  <p>When it finishes, the installer prints a web address \u2014 your server&#8217;s free\n  hostname, something like:<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"cmd\">https:\/\/srv-a1b2c3.wd-server.co.uk:2087<\/div>\n\n  <p>Open it in your browser. Here&#8217;s the nice bit: it loads with a\n  <strong>trusted padlock straight away<\/strong>. No &#8220;your connection is not\n  private&#8221; warning to click through \u2014 WebDeck fetches a real certificate for that\n  hostname in the first minute, so a fresh install looks properly secure from the\n  word go.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"tip\"><strong>Keep the MySQL password.<\/strong> The installer prints\n  it at the end and saves it on the server. Copy it somewhere safe before you\n  close the terminal \u2014 you&#8217;ll be glad you did later.<\/div>\n\n  <!-- [SCREENSHOT 2] The panel login screen with the padlock -->\n  <figure class=\"shot\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/images\/install2.png\" alt=\"The WebDeck installer running in an SSH terminal, showing each step completing\">\n    <figcaption>WebDeck Setup Guide The panel login screen, padlock showing.<\/figcaption>\n  <\/figure>\n\n  <h2>Step 3 \u2014 Follow the six-step wizard<\/h2>\n\n  <p>The first time you open the panel, a short setup wizard walks you through the\n  essentials. There are no config files to edit \u2014 you just answer a few questions\n  and click through.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"step\"><div class=\"n\">1<\/div><div>\n    <h3>Licence<\/h3>\n    <p>Hosting elsewhere? Click <strong>Start a 14-day free trial<\/strong> to\n    unlock everything with no key. VM6 Networks clients are licensed\n    automatically and skip this step.<\/p>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"step\"><div class=\"n\">2<\/div><div>\n    <h3>Admin account<\/h3>\n    <p>Your username, email and a strong password. This account runs the whole\n    server, so pick a good password.<\/p>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"step\"><div class=\"n\">3<\/div><div>\n    <h3>Nameservers<\/h3>\n    <p>The <code>ns1<\/code> and <code>ns2<\/code> names your DNS will use. You&#8217;ll\n    point these at your server later with your domain registrar \u2014 the panel shows\n    you exactly how.<\/p>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"step\"><div class=\"n\">4<\/div><div>\n    <h3>Web server<\/h3>\n    <p>Apache, nginx or OpenLiteSpeed \u2014 your choice. You can switch later without\n    rebuilding your sites, so don&#8217;t agonise over it.<\/p>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"step\"><div class=\"n\">5<\/div><div>\n    <h3>Mail<\/h3>\n    <p>Set up the mail server, or skip it if you&#8217;re using an external provider\n    like Google Workspace.<\/p>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"step\"><div class=\"n\">6<\/div><div>\n    <h3>Done<\/h3>\n    <p>That&#8217;s it \u2014 you land on the dashboard, with your server&#8217;s health, and\n    everything ready to use.<\/p>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  <!-- [SCREENSHOT 3] The setup wizard, one of the steps -->\n  <figure class=\"shot\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/images\/install3.png\" alt=\"The WebDeck installer running in an SSH terminal, showing each step completing\">\n    <figcaption>WebDeck Setup Guide The panel login screen, padlock showing.<\/figcaption>\n  <\/figure>\n\n  <h2>Step 4 \u2014 You&#8217;re in<\/h2>\n\n  <p>You now have a full hosting panel. Add your first website and WebDeck creates\n  everything it needs in one go \u2014 the virtual host, the DNS zone, a free SSL\n  certificate and a PHP pool. From here you can host sites, set up email, manage\n  databases, schedule backups, and install WordPress and dozens of other apps in\n  a click.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- [SCREENSHOT 4] The dashboard after setup -->\n  <figure class=\"shot\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/images\/install4.png\" alt=\"The WebDeck installer running in an SSH terminal, showing each step completing\">\n    <figcaption>WebDeck Setup Guide The panel login screen, padlock showing.<\/figcaption>\n  <\/figure>\n\n  <h2>What you get out of the box<\/h2>\n\n  <ul class=\"feats\">\n    <li><strong>Trusted HTTPS from minute one<\/strong>, on a free hostname<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Websites<\/strong> with SSL, DNS and PHP set up in one step<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Email<\/strong> with DKIM, SPF and DMARC configured for you<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Backups<\/strong> you can actually restore \u2014 including full-server recovery<\/li>\n    <li><strong>38 one-click apps<\/strong>, WordPress included<\/li>\n    <li><strong>It fixes itself<\/strong> \u2014 a self-healing engine repairs configs and renews certificates before you notice<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <h2>Common questions<\/h2>\n\n  <details>\n    <summary>Is it really free?<\/summary>\n    <p>Yes. WebDeck is free to download, and free forever for VM6 Networks\n    clients. Host elsewhere and you get a 14-day free trial with every feature\n    unlocked \u2014 no card required to start.<\/p>\n  <\/details>\n\n  <details>\n    <summary>Can I install it on my existing server?<\/summary>\n    <p>Use a fresh one. WebDeck configures Apache or nginx, Postfix, Dovecot,\n    MariaDB and PowerDNS \u2014 on a server that&#8217;s already running those, it&#8217;ll\n    conflict. A clean box is the way.<\/p>\n  <\/details>\n\n  <details>\n    <summary>What if I don&#8217;t like it?<\/summary>\n    <p>Nothing&#8217;s locked in. WebDeck sets up standard, open software, so your\n    sites, databases and mail keep running the same way with or without it. Wipe\n    the test box and you&#8217;ve lost nothing but a cup of tea&#8217;s worth of time.<\/p>\n  <\/details>\n\n  <details>\n    <summary>Which Linux should I use?<\/summary>\n    <p>Any of Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky or Alma. The installer detects your\n    distribution and installs the right packages. If you&#8217;ve no preference, Debian\n    or Ubuntu are the most common.<\/p>\n  <\/details>\n\n  <details>\n    <summary>I&#8217;m coming from cPanel \u2014 do I have to rebuild everything?<\/summary>\n    <p>No. The built-in cPanel importer reads standard cPanel backups and\n    recreates the account \u2014 websites, databases, email, DNS and files. You can\n    import one account or a whole server.<\/p>\n  <\/details>\n\n  <div class=\"cta\">\n    <h2 style=\"margin-top:0\">Try it on a spare box tonight<\/h2>\n    <p>One command, a few minutes, and you&#8217;ll know whether it&#8217;s for you.<\/p>\n    <p><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/downloads\">Download WebDeck free<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<!-- ===== SEO structured data \u2014 keep at the bottom ===== -->\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"HowTo\",\n  \"name\": \"How to Install WebDeck\",\n  \"description\": \"Install WebDeck, the free hosting control panel for Linux, in about ten minutes. One command, then a short setup wizard \u2014 no config files to edit.\",\n  \"totalTime\": \"PT10M\",\n  \"supply\": [{ \"@type\": \"HowToSupply\", \"name\": \"A fresh Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky or Alma server with root access\" }],\n  \"step\": [\n    { \"@type\": \"HowToStep\", \"name\": \"Run the installer\", \"text\": \"Log in to your fresh server over SSH and run the WebDeck installer. It detects your Linux distribution and installs the full stack automatically.\" },\n    { \"@type\": \"HowToStep\", \"name\": \"Open your panel\", \"text\": \"The installer prints your server's free hostname. Open it in a browser \u2014 it loads with a trusted certificate straight away.\" },\n    { \"@type\": \"HowToStep\", \"name\": \"Follow the six-step wizard\", \"text\": \"Set your licence or trial, admin account, nameservers, web server and mail. No config files to edit.\" },\n    { \"@type\": \"HowToStep\", \"name\": \"Start hosting\", \"text\": \"You land on the dashboard with a working panel. Add a website and WebDeck sets up the vhost, DNS, SSL and PHP in one step.\" }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script>\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Is WebDeck really free?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. WebDeck is free to download, and free forever for VM6 Networks clients. Host elsewhere and you get a 14-day free trial with every feature unlocked.\" } },\n    { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Can I install WebDeck on my existing server?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Use a fresh server. WebDeck configures Apache or nginx, Postfix, Dovecot, MariaDB and PowerDNS, so on a server already running those it will conflict. A clean box is best.\" } },\n    { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What if I don't like it?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Nothing is locked in. WebDeck sets up standard open software, so your sites, databases and mail keep running the same way with or without it.\" } },\n    { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Which Linux should I use for WebDeck?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Any of Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky or Alma. The installer detects your distribution and installs the right packages.\" } },\n    { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do I have to rebuild everything when moving from cPanel?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. The built-in cPanel importer reads standard cPanel backups and recreates the account \u2014 websites, databases, email, DNS and files. You can import one account or a whole server.\" } }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Setting up a hosting control panel used to mean an afternoon of config files, a self-signed certificate warning, and a nagging feeling you&#8217;d missed something. WebDeck is one command and\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions\/21"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.webdeckpanel.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}