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If Apache’s default page appears where your WordPress site should be, Apache is reachable but is answering with the wrong virtual host or the wrong DocumentRoot. WordPress is usually still on the server. Correct the DNS target and hostname, point the matching Apache virtual host at the directory containing wp-admin, wp-includes, wp-content, and index.php, enable that site, then validate and reload Apache.
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The fastest way to separate the possible causes is to test the hostname with an explicit Host header, compare it with a raw-IP request, and inspect which virtual-host log receives the request.
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What the Apache default page actually tells you
The default Apache page is evidence that the web server accepted the connection. It does not prove that WordPress files were deleted, that the database is broken, or that PHP failed. Apache selected a virtual host and served the files beneath that host’s DocumentRoot.
Name-based virtual hosting depends on two values agreeing: the hostname sent by the browser (the HTTP Host header) and a matching ServerName or ServerAlias in an Apache <VirtualHost> block. That block also needs a DocumentRoot identifying the directory whose files should be served. If no configured hostname matches, Apache uses the primary or default virtual host for that address and port. On many Debian and Ubuntu installations, that is the site showing the familiar default page.
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A request to a bare IP is especially likely to reach the default site: it does not provide the hostname you configured for WordPress. A correct WordPress installation in another directory remains invisible until Apache selects the virtual host that points to it.
Before editing Apache, confirm the request is going to the right server
Check the URL you are testing
Use the exact domain that should appear in WordPress, including whether you intend to use www. Do not diagnose the site only by entering the server’s IP address. The IP request can legitimately select a different virtual host because its Host header is different or missing.
Compare DNS records with the intended server
Check the domain’s A record (IPv4) and AAAA record (IPv6). Each should point to the server that contains this WordPress installation. A stale A record, an unintended AAAA record, or a record left at an old host can send browsers to a perfectly healthy Apache server that has no configuration for your domain.
Test the hostname rather than assuming that a DNS control-panel change has reached every resolver. If IPv4 and IPv6 point to different machines, test both paths or temporarily correct the inconsistent record while troubleshooting.
Use a hosts-file entry for local development
For a site that is not publicly delegated yet, add the intended hostname and server IP to the client computer’s hosts file. This gives that computer local name resolution so the browser sends the correct hostname to Apache. Apache’s own getting-started guidance describes this approach for testing. Remove the temporary entry when public DNS is ready, or update it whenever the development server changes.
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Interpret the first result
- If the domain resolves to the wrong IP, fix DNS before changing the server.
- If the domain reaches the intended IP but shows the default page, continue with virtual-host selection and
DocumentRoot. - If the domain works but the raw IP shows the default page, that is expected behavior for many name-based configurations; keep testing with the domain.
Locate the actual WordPress document root
Find the directory that contains all of the following:
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That exact directory is the normal WordPress DocumentRoot. If those files are in /var/www/example.com/wordpress, pointing Apache at /var/www/example.com will not automatically make the nested installation appear at the root URL. Conversely, pointing Apache at a parent directory containing unrelated sites can expose the wrong files.
Decide whether the public URL should be the domain root or a subdirectory before writing the virtual host. The choice affects the WordPress URLs and, in a subdirectory installation, the rewrite rules.
Create a virtual host that matches the domain
Minimal HTTP configuration
On a Debian or Ubuntu-style Apache installation, create a site configuration such as example.com.conf. Replace both hostnames and the filesystem path with your own values.
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com
<Directory /var/www/example.com>
AllowOverride All
Require all granted
</Directory>
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>ServerName should be the canonical hostname you intend to use. Add every alternate hostname that should reach the same site as a ServerAlias; otherwise a request for www.example.com can fall through to another virtual host even while example.com works.
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The DocumentRoot must be the directory identified in the previous section. The matching <Directory> block grants Apache access to that path and permits WordPress’s per-directory configuration through .htaccess. Keep the log files separate while troubleshooting so you can see whether requests are reaching this site.
Check the path and spelling
Linux paths are case-sensitive. A directory that looks correct in a file manager can still differ from the path in the configuration by one character. Confirm the path on the server and make sure the WordPress files are directly beneath the configured root, not one level deeper than expected.
Configure HTTPS separately
HTTPS normally uses a separate <VirtualHost *:443> block. Give it the same intended ServerName, aliases, and WordPress root, then add the certificate and key directives required by your certificate setup. A correctly configured port-80 site does not automatically make port 443 select the right virtual host. Test the HTTPS hostname explicitly after the TLS configuration is enabled.
Enable the site, disable the catch-all, and reload safely
On Debian and Ubuntu, enable the new configuration and, if it is intercepting requests, disable the default site. A typical sequence is:
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sudo apache2ctl configtest
sudo systemctl reload apache2Run the syntax check before reloading. The expected successful result is Syntax OK. If it reports an error, fix that error first; do not reload a configuration you have not validated. Distribution, service name, and enable/disable commands differ on RHEL-family systems, XAMPP, containers, control panels, and managed hosts. Use the equivalent commands for that platform and read the complete error output.
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Disabling the default site is not mandatory when hostname matching is unambiguous, but it removes a common catch-all while you diagnose a single site. If the server hosts other domains, leave their configurations enabled and ensure each has an explicit hostname.
Prove which virtual host Apache is selecting
Send a request with the intended Host header
From the server, or from a client that can reach it, request the loopback address while supplying the domain name:
curl -I -H 'Host: example.com' http://127.0.0.1/Then compare it with a request to the raw IP:
curl -I http://127.0.0.1/If the first request returns WordPress headers or a WordPress response while the second returns the Apache default page, Apache’s name-based routing is working. The remaining problem is usually DNS, the URL being used, or an omitted alias. If both requests return the default page, inspect the enabled site and the configured DocumentRoot.
Use the real server address instead of 127.0.0.1 when testing from another machine. For HTTPS, include the hostname in the TLS request as well as the HTTP request; otherwise certificate and virtual-host selection can produce a misleading result.
Inspect enabled sites and virtual-host mapping
List the configurations enabled by your distribution and use Apache’s virtual-host listing command (commonly apache2ctl -S on Debian and Ubuntu) to see which host is primary for each address and port. Look for duplicate ServerName values, a typo in the alias, or a port mismatch between the request and the virtual host.
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Read the logs before changing WordPress
Open the access and error logs named in the virtual host. A request appearing only in the default site’s log confirms that WordPress is not receiving the request yet. An entry in the intended site’s log means routing has progressed; then use the status code and error text to investigate PHP, permissions, or WordPress configuration rather than continuing to edit DNS.
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Expose the subdirectory intentionally
If the files are in /var/www/example.com/wordpress and the desired URL is https://example.com/wordpress/, use the directory containing wp-admin as the relevant web root for that path and keep the WordPress site URLs consistent with the /wordpress suffix. Do not configure a root URL while leaving the application unaware of its subdirectory.
Keep the public URL at the domain root
WordPress also documents a root-URL arrangement in which core files remain in a subdirectory while visitors use https://example.com/. This requires the WordPress URL settings to be deliberate, the root index.php front controller to point at the subdirectory, and a root .htaccess file with the appropriate rewrite rules. The .htaccess file is hidden; enable the display of hidden files when using an FTP client.
Choose one layout and apply it consistently. Mixing a root DocumentRoot, subdirectory URLs, and copied rewrite rules is a common way to replace the default-page symptom with redirects or 404 errors.
When the default page is gone but permalinks return 404
This is a second-stage problem. Once the WordPress virtual host is selected, Apache can reach WordPress even if pretty URLs fail. Check the following:
- The virtual host’s
<Directory>block includesAllowOverride All. - Apache’s rewrite module is enabled using the command appropriate to your platform (for example, the Debian/Ubuntu module utility).
- WordPress’s rewrite rules are present in the correct
.htaccessfile for the chosen root or subdirectory layout. - The WordPress site and home URLs use the same intended hostname, scheme, and path.
Do not treat a permalink 404 as proof that Apache is still serving its default site. Confirm the selected vhost in the logs first, then correct rewriting.
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Common symptoms and the precise next check
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Domain shows the Apache default page | No matching ServerName/ServerAlias, disabled WordPress site, or default site selected |
Run the explicit Host-header request and inspect the enabled-vhost list |
| Raw IP shows the default page, domain works | The request lacks the WordPress hostname | Use the domain for normal testing; do not use the IP as the site URL |
example.com works but www.example.com does not |
www is missing from ServerAlias or DNS |
Check the www record and add the alias to the matching vhost |
| Local test works, public domain does not | Public DNS points elsewhere or has not converged | Compare public A/AAAA results with the server address |
| HTTP works, HTTPS shows a default site | The port-443 vhost or certificate configuration does not match | Inspect the *:443 block and test HTTPS with the intended hostname |
| Default page is replaced by 404s on post URLs | Rewrite or .htaccess configuration is incomplete |
Verify AllowOverride All, rewrite support, and WordPress rules |
| Apache reload fails | Syntax error, missing path, or invalid directive | Run apache2ctl configtest and fix the reported line before reloading |
Self-managed Apache or managed WordPress hosting?
Fixing the virtual host is appropriate when you control the server and need direct access to DNS, Apache files, logs, TLS, and the WordPress filesystem. It also gives the clearest diagnostics: you can send a controlled Host header and see exactly which log receives it.
A managed WordPress service shifts routine DNS, TLS, backups, updates, and server configuration to the provider. That reduces operational work but limits access to virtual-host files and logs. Before migrating, verify that the service preserves the domain names, redirects, database contents, and filesystem paths your site depends on. A managed service cannot correct a domain whose DNS still points to the old server unless you change the DNS delegation or records.
Quick Recap
| Consideration | Self-managed Apache | Managed WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Direct access to vhosts, logs, TLS, and files | Provider controls most server configuration |
| Debuggability | Host-header tests and per-site logs are available | Support tickets or provider dashboards may be required |
| Operational burden | You maintain DNS, certificates, updates, permissions, and backups | Many routine tasks are handled by the provider |
| Migration risk | You control paths and redirects but must plan the move | Confirm domains, redirects, database data, and filesystem compatibility |
A safe recovery sequence
- Write down the canonical hostname, any
wwwalias, and whether the intended URL is HTTP or HTTPS. - Verify the domain’s
AandAAAArecords point to the server containing WordPress. - For local testing, map the hostname to the server in the client hosts file.
- Locate the directory containing
wp-admin,wp-includes,wp-content, andindex.php. - Set that directory as
DocumentRootin a vhost whoseServerNameand aliases match the URL. - Permit the directory with a matching
<Directory>block andRequire all granted. - Enable the site, remove the default catch-all only when appropriate, run the syntax check, and reload Apache.
- Compare the explicit
Host-header request with the raw-IP request. - Read the selected vhost’s access and error logs.
- Only after routing works, resolve HTTPS details, subdirectory URL choices, rewrite rules, or WordPress-level errors.
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