This guide covers how to install WordPress manually on your HOSTDOG hosting account. You will download the WordPress package, upload it to your hosting via File Manager or FTP, create a MySQL database, and run the WordPress installer to complete the setup.
Prerequisites
- An active HOSTDOG hosting account
- Access to your hosting control panel
- A domain name pointed to your hosting
- An FTP client (such as FileZilla) or access to the File Manager in your control panel
Download WordPress
Go to wordpress.org/download and download the latest version as a .zip file. Save it to your computer.
Create a MySQL database
WordPress needs a MySQL database to store all its content. Follow the instructions in our How to create a MySQL database guide. You will need four pieces of information for the WordPress installer:
- Database name (e.g.,
myaccount_wp) - Database username (e.g.,
myaccount_wpuser) - Database password
- Database host:
localhost
Upload WordPress files
Log in to your control panel and open the File Manager. Navigate to the public_html directory (or the document root for your domain if you are using an addon domain). Click Upload, select the WordPress .zip file, and wait for the upload to complete.
Alternatively, you can upload via FTP using an FTP client. Connect to your hosting using the credentials from your welcome email and upload the zip file to public_html.
In File Manager, right-click the uploaded wordpress.zip file and select Extract. This creates a wordpress folder inside public_html. You need to move all files from the wordpress subfolder into public_html directly.
Select all files inside the wordpress folder, click Move, and set the destination to /public_html/. Once the files are moved, you can delete the now-empty wordpress folder and the zip file.
yourdomain.com/blog), leave the files in the wordpress folder and simply rename it to your preferred directory name.
Run the WordPress installer
In your browser, go to https://yourdomain.com (or https://yourdomain.com/blog if you used a subdirectory). The WordPress setup wizard appears. Select your language and click Continue.
On the database configuration screen, enter the four details you noted in Step 2:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Database Name | Your full database name (e.g., myaccount_wp) |
| Username | Your full database username (e.g., myaccount_wpuser) |
| Password | The password you set for the database user |
| Database Host | localhost |
| Table Prefix | wp_ (change this for added security, e.g., site1_) |
Click Submit. If the connection succeeds, click Run the Installation.
Enter your site title, admin username, a strong password, and your email address. Uncheck Discourage search engines unless you want the site hidden initially. Click Install WordPress.
admin as the username — choose something unique to reduce brute-force risk. Use the built-in password generator or create a password of at least 12 characters.
Once the installation completes, click Log In. Enter your admin credentials to access the WordPress dashboard at https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin. Your WordPress site is now live.
Post-installation steps
After installation, take a few minutes to secure and configure your site:
- Delete the
wp-config-sample.phpfile from your document root - Set file permissions:
wp-config.phpshould be644or600 - Install an SSL certificate and force HTTPS
- Update WordPress, themes, and plugins to the latest versions
- Configure SMTP email sending for reliable email delivery
Troubleshooting
Double-check the database name, username, password, and host in wp-config.php. Make sure you used the full prefixed values (e.g., myaccount_wp, not just wp). Also verify the user was added to the database with All Privileges.
Check that the index.php file is in the correct directory (public_html or your addon domain's document root). If you forgot to move the files out of the wordpress subfolder, your domain will show an empty directory listing or a 403 error.
The WordPress zip file is typically 20-25 MB. If the upload times out, try using an FTP client instead, which handles large file uploads more reliably.