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Short answer: Install CyberPanel only on a fresh 64-bit AlmaLinux 8 or Rocky Linux 8 server with root SSH access, then choose CyberPanel with OpenLiteSpeed in the installer. AlmaLinux 8 is the safer choice for this version-specific walkthrough because CyberPanel’s detailed installation documentation explicitly names it. Rocky Linux is listed on CyberPanel’s current support pages, but Rocky Linux 8 compatibility should be confirmed by the current installer before you proceed.
This guide covers preparation, installation, firewall rules, first login, DNS, SSL, website deployment, verification, and recovery from common failures. It focuses on the free OpenLiteSpeed edition, not CyberPanel Enterprise.
What you are installing
The free CyberPanel edition is a hosting control panel built around OpenLiteSpeed. Depending on the options selected, it can also install and manage:
- PHP/LSPHP
- MariaDB
- PowerDNS
- Postfix mail services
- Pure-FTPd
- CyberPanel’s administration service
CyberPanel Enterprise uses LiteSpeed Enterprise instead. The installer presents both choices, but this guide uses CyberPanel with OpenLiteSpeed. CyberPanel describes the OpenLiteSpeed edition as free and supporting unlimited domains; that does not mean unlimited server CPU, RAM, bandwidth, storage, backups, or support.
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AlmaLinux 8 or Rocky Linux 8?
Both distributions belong to the RHEL-compatible family, and OpenLiteSpeed documents support for RHEL derivatives including AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux. However, CyberPanel’s older detailed installation page, updated June 5, 2024, explicitly lists AlmaLinux 8 and AlmaLinux 9, while its current homepage uses broader wording that includes Rocky Linux without providing a Rocky Linux 8-specific matrix.
For the most conservative installation, use a fresh AlmaLinux 8 x86_64 image. Rocky Linux 8 can be used as an alternative if the current CyberPanel installer recognizes the image. Do not mix repositories or instructions from another control panel, and do not force the installer past an operating-system check.
Requirements and preparation
Resource guidance
CyberPanel publishes 1 GB RAM and 10 GB disk space as minimums. Its current getting-started page recommends 2 GB RAM. Treat the minimum as a test-server baseline, not a production recommendation:
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- 1 GB RAM: testing or one very small site.
- 2 GB RAM: a reasonable starting point for a light single-site server.
- 4 GB or more: preferable for WordPress with mail, backups, Redis, malware scanning, or several websites.
Allow additional storage for databases, mailboxes, logs, backups, and uploaded media.
Pre-installation checklist
- A fresh 64-bit AlmaLinux 8 or Rocky Linux 8 VPS or dedicated server.
- Root SSH access and a public IPv4 address.
- No Apache, Nginx, existing database stack, other hosting panel, or production websites.
- Access to the VPS provider’s firewall or security-group controls.
- Control of the domain’s DNS records.
- A provider snapshot or image backup before installation.
The installer changes a substantial part of the server. A clean rebuild is normally safer than trying to remove an existing web stack.
Check the server before changing anything:
cat /etc/os-release
uname -m
hostnamectl
ip addr
free -h
df -hConfirm that the architecture is x86_64, that the distribution is the image you intended to deploy, and that sufficient disk space is available.
Set a fully qualified hostname
Use a hostname such as server.example.com. It is the server’s identity and is not the same as the first website you will host.
hostnamectl set-hostname server.example.com
hostnamectlCreate a DNS record such as:
server.example.com A SERVER_IPReverse DNS/PTR should also be configured with your VPS provider where possible, especially if you intend to send mail. A hostname alone does not guarantee mail delivery; PTR, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, provider policy, and sender reputation also matter.
Update the operating system
dnf update -yOn AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux, dnf is the clearest command to use. Older CyberPanel instructions show yum, which generally maps to DNF on these systems.
If the update installs a new kernel or other core components, reboot and reconnect:
rebootAfter reconnecting, verify that the server is back:
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dnf history info lastAvoid adding unrelated third-party repositories before CyberPanel is installed.
Open the required firewall ports
You must configure both the cloud provider’s firewall/security group and the server’s local firewall. Opening a port in firewalld does not help if the provider blocks it upstream.
CyberPanel’s documented ports include:
| Function | Ports |
|---|---|
| CyberPanel | TCP 8090 |
| Web | TCP 80 and 443 |
| HTTP/3 | UDP 443 |
| DNS | TCP and UDP 53 |
| FTP | TCP 21 and 40110–40210 |
| SMTP | TCP 25, 465, and 587 |
| POP3 | TCP 110 and 995, if used |
| IMAP | TCP 143 and 993, if used |
For a web-only server, start with HTTP, HTTPS, and the panel port:
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=8090/tcp
firewall-cmd --reloadIf CyberPanel will provide authoritative DNS, add DNS ports:
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firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=53/udp
firewall-cmd --reloadOnly open mail and FTP ports when those services are enabled and required:
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=smtp
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=imap
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=imaps
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=21/tcp
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=40110-40210/tcp
firewall-cmd --reloadFor file transfers, prefer SFTP over SSH where possible instead of exposing traditional FTP.
Run the current CyberPanel installer
CyberPanel’s current homepage publishes this installer command:
sudo su - -c 'sh <(curl https://cyberpanel.net/install || wget -O - https://cyberpanel.net/install)'An equivalent root-shell form is:
sudo -i
sh <(curl https://cyberpanel.net/install || wget -O - https://cyberpanel.net/install)The older knowledge-base page uses install.sh instead:
sh <(curl https://cyberpanel.net/install.sh || wget -O - https://cyberpanel.net/install.sh)Use the command from the current CyberPanel homepage as the primary path. The older command is included only because older documentation may still reference it.
This downloads and executes a remote script with root privileges. That is convenient, but it requires trust in CyberPanel and the network path. Organizations with strict supply-chain controls should use an officially documented download and verification process, if CyberPanel provides one, and inspect the installer before execution. Do not copy an installer from an unrelated blog or forum.
Choose the installer options
Labels can change between installer versions, but the important decisions are consistent.
1. Select OpenLiteSpeed
When prompted, choose:
1. Install CyberPanel with OpenLiteSpeedDo not select LiteSpeed Enterprise unless you specifically need its commercial features and understand its licensing. CyberPanel’s documentation distinguishes the free OpenLiteSpeed edition from Enterprise, which has different domain and plan limits.
2. Choose the service profile
The full-service option can install PowerDNS, Postfix, and Pure-FTPd.
- Choose Full Service if CyberPanel will manage your DNS, mail, and FTP.
- Do not install mail services when using Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Amazon SES, Mailgun, or another external mail provider.
- Do not run authoritative DNS on the VPS unless you understand nameserver delegation, redundancy, and the consequences of a single-server DNS outage.
3. Remote MySQL
For most new installations, select:
Remote MySQL: NoChoose remote MySQL only when the database server already exists and you have planned authentication, network access, TLS, backups, latency, and firewall rules.
4. Version and administrator password
Select the current version unless a documented compatibility requirement requires a pinned release. Do not hard-code a version number in a guide because the installer and interface change over time.
Use a strong administrator password if the installer asks you to create one. Store it in a password manager and change any default or generated credential immediately after the first login.
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Reboot and log in
The installer may request a reboot. After the server restarts, open:
https://SERVER-IP:8090The first connection may show a certificate warning because you are using an IP address or a certificate that is not yet trusted for your hostname. Do not treat that warning as a permanent production configuration.
After logging in:
- Change the administrator password if it was generated or shared during installation.
- Create a separate administrative user if the installed CyberPanel version supports it.
- Restrict port 8090 to trusted source IPs where practical.
- Configure the server hostname and panel SSL.
- Decide whether CyberPanel or an external provider will manage DNS and mail.
- Configure backups before deploying production data.
- Check the system time and timezone.
- Disable services you do not need.
- Enable available multi-factor authentication controls.
Verify the installation from SSH
Check failed services and the CyberPanel service:
systemctl --failed
systemctl status lscpd
ss -ltnp
ss -lunpTest the panel locally:
curl -kI https://127.0.0.1:8090Test the public web listeners:
curl -I http://SERVER_IP
curl -kI https://SERVER_IPThe installation log is:
less /var/log/installLogs.txtA working local response combined with an unreachable public panel usually points to a provider firewall, local firewall, routing, or binding problem rather than a failed installation.
Create and secure the first website
- In CyberPanel, create a new website and enter the domain name.
- Select the required PHP version and a package or resource limits.
- Create or select the website owner.
- Point the domain’s A and, if appropriate, AAAA records to the server.
- Wait for DNS caches to update. Propagation is not a fixed-duration process; TTLs, resolvers, registrars, and existing records affect it.
- Issue a Let’s Encrypt certificate after the domain resolves to the server and ports 80/443 are reachable.
- Upload the application files or use the available application installer.
- Create the database and database user, then add the credentials to the application.
- Test HTTP-to-HTTPS redirection, PHP execution, uploads, cron jobs, and database connectivity.
For WordPress, also verify permalink rewrites, the upload directory, scheduled tasks, PHP memory limits, and any cache configuration. OpenLiteSpeed is not identical to Apache or Nginx, so application rewrite rules and server-specific modules may need adjustment.
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Troubleshooting
The installer refuses the operating system
Check the image, architecture, repositories, and network:
cat /etc/os-release
uname -m
dnf repolist
curl -I https://cyberpanel.net/installPossible causes include an unsupported minor release, the wrong architecture, a Rocky Linux image the installer does not recognize, existing control-panel packages, broken repositories, or DNS/network failure. Do not bypass the OS check by editing the installer. Reinstalling with AlmaLinux 8 is safer than forcing an unsupported combination.
Existing services occupy ports
ss -ltnp
systemctl --type=service --state=runningApache, Nginx, another panel, or a preinstalled database may conflict with CyberPanel. Do not stop production services blindly; use a fresh server.
The panel returns 503
systemctl status lscpd
journalctl -u lscpd -n 100 --no-pager
tail -n 100 /var/log/installLogs.txtCyberPanel’s troubleshooting documentation specifically points to the lscpd service and the installation log for this failure. Restarting the service may help after a transient startup problem, but inspect the journal before repeatedly restarting it.
The panel is unreachable
Check the listener and local firewall first:
ss -ltnp | grep 8090
firewall-cmd --list-all
curl -kI https://127.0.0.1:8090Then check the cloud firewall/security group, provider restrictions, public IP, reboot status, and whether the service is bound only to localhost.
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The website shows a 404 or the wrong site
Verify the A and AAAA records, domain spelling, document root, virtual-host configuration, HTTP versus HTTPS, and browser/resolver cache. Confirm that the domain was added to CyberPanel before testing it.
SSL issuance fails
Common causes are incorrect DNS, blocked port 80 or 443, another service answering the challenge, rate limits, or an unreachable IPv6 destination. Test both A and AAAA records. If an AAAA record points to an address that does not serve the site, correct it or remove the incorrect record before retrying.
Email does not send
Check whether Postfix was installed, whether TCP port 25 is blocked by the VPS provider, and whether the firewall allows the selected submission ports. Configure PTR, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, but remember that these do not guarantee delivery. Recipient filtering and sender reputation also matter. CyberPanel’s installation documentation warns that provider-level port-25 restrictions can prevent outgoing mail.
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FTP connections fail
Check TCP 21, the passive range 40110–40210, both firewall layers, passive mode in the client, TLS settings, and any NAT or private-network configuration. Use SFTP instead where possible.
Backups, updates, and rollback
Before CyberPanel or operating-system updates, take a provider snapshot and confirm that your backup includes websites, databases, mail, DNS data, and panel configuration. A configuration archive alone is not a tested disaster-recovery plan.
A basic configuration archive can be created with:
tar -czf /root/cyberpanel-config-backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz
/etc 2>/dev/nullAlso keep independent backups, test restoration on a separate server, and record the installed CyberPanel version and any custom changes. If an upgrade breaks the server, restore the snapshot or rebuild the clean VPS rather than trying to repair an unknown mix of partially upgraded services.
Security checklist
- Use SSH keys and disable password SSH authentication after confirming key access.
- Restrict SSH and CyberPanel port 8090 to trusted IPs where practical.
- Use unique, strong panel, database, and mailbox credentials.
- Keep the operating system, CyberPanel, OpenLiteSpeed, PHP, and applications updated.
- Expose mail, FTP, and DNS ports only when required.
- Configure HTTPS for the panel and every hosted domain.
- Monitor disk space, RAM, failed services, logs, and certificate expiry.
- Maintain off-server backups and test restores.
- Do not assume that installing a control panel automatically hardens the VPS.
When CyberPanel is the wrong tool
Choose a different approach if you need a minimal hardened host, immutable infrastructure, container-first deployment, a non-PHP workload, formal enterprise support, high availability across multiple nodes, or infrastructure managed primarily through code. A panel also creates operational coupling: web, database, mail, DNS, FTP, backups, and administration may all depend on one VPS.
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Possible alternatives include:
- Manual OpenLiteSpeed: more control and less panel overhead; see the official OpenLiteSpeed installation documentation.
- CloudPanel: a lighter application-management panel.
- Virtualmin/Webmin: broader Unix administration with a different hosting model.
- cPanel/WHM or Plesk: mature commercial ecosystems with recurring licensing costs.
- Docker with a reverse proxy: better isolation and reproducibility for application-focused deployments, but not a direct replacement for a traditional hosting panel.
Hosting cost and support choices
The OpenLiteSpeed edition may be free, but the server, backups, storage, domain, DNS or email services, and administration time are not necessarily free.
CyberPanel’s own managed Cloud VPS/Next-Gen Cloud page shows a starting price signal of $14.99 per month and states that those offerings include 24/7 ticket support. Self-installed deployments generally rely on community support and documentation. Prices and included resources can change, so verify the current offer before purchasing.
A self-managed general-purpose VPS can cost less. DigitalOcean’s reviewed pricing page lists Droplets from $4 per month, with 1 GiB and 2 GiB plans shown at $6 and $12 per month respectively. Backups and snapshots are extra products; the page lists weekly backups at 20% of Droplet cost, daily backups at 30%, usage-based backups starting at $0.01/GiB-month, and snapshots at $0.06/GB-month. Confirm current pricing, image availability, provider firewall behavior, and port-25 policy during deployment.
In practical terms, the managed path is simpler, while the self-managed path offers more provider and server-image control. Neither removes the need for backups and maintenance.
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For this exact installation, deploy a fresh AlmaLinux 8 x86_64 server, update it, set a real hostname, configure both firewall layers, and run CyberPanel’s current official installer. Select OpenLiteSpeed, choose only the services you genuinely need, reboot, secure port 8090, configure DNS and SSL, and verify the panel and first website before putting production data on the server. Use Rocky Linux 8 only after confirming that the current installer recognizes your specific image.
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