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Accessing your account

You access your account using the cPanel interface: https://yoursite.mcgill.ca/cpanel or https://vhost.mcgill.ca:2083

Please use your site login and password. Your site login should have been sent in an e-mail upon the creation of the account. This was either done when a request for website creation was fulfilled or the account was migrated. If you do not have the account name, the IT Service Desk can help you retrieve it.

If you have your site login, you can reset your password from the reset password link on the cPanel page. You will need to enter your site login and the e-mail of the administrator for the website.

Once logged in, a suite of tools will be available to you. With these tools you can do the following:

• check quota
• change password
• manage your DB (if you have one)
• manage the structure of your web site
• create sub-directories

You may also access your site using an FTP client and the following information:

• Server: yoursite.mcgill.ca or vhost.mcgill.ca
• Connection type: FTP over SSL/TLS
• Username: your site login
• Password: your site password
• Physical path: public_html or www
  
  • You must cd to this directory to access your web site.

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Configuration settings

Due to the large number of existing free applications, it is not possible to offer configuration examples. These are generic sample instructions (note: actual button/tab names will likely differ):

1. Download and install an FTP client.
2. Open the FTP client and locate the Site Manager.
3. Select New Site, enter a descriptive name, and fill out the rest of the related information. For example:
   
   • Host: yoursite.mcgill.ca
   • Server type: FTP - File Transfer Protocol
   • Logon type: Ask for password
   • User: yoursite login ID
   • Password: your site password

Once the connection is established, you can transfer the files by dragging or copying them into the Remote site pane or section.

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Managing your MySQL database

If your virtual host account was configured with a MySQL Database (DB), you will see a center panel with a sub-panel labeled Databases after you log into the cPanel. 

The Databases sub-panel has three features used for the four typical steps of database deployment:

• MySQL Database Wizard: for DB creation
• phpMyAdmin: for initial DB data load and record management
• MySQL Databases: for maintenance

Note: Scripts can also be used for record management.

 

Database (DB) creation

To create a DB:

1. Select the MySQL Database Wizard feature.
2. Enter the name of your new DB.
3. Click Next Step.

Note: There is a mandatory prefix to the DB name, so that your DB looks like login_xxxxx. It is common to use “data” for xxxxx, so that your DB name is “login_data.”

4. Enter the username.

Note: The username has the same mandatory prefix login_ and the username looks like login_xxxxx. It is common to use “admin” for xxxxx, so that your DB user is “login_admin.”

5. Enter a password, then confirm it. Click Create User. See IT Services Strong Passwords Guidelines
6. Fill out the Add User to the Database form, then click Next Step.

Note: Unless you know exactly what each privilege is going to limit or allow in the DB, select All privileges.

7. Select the Return Home option.

8. In the Databases sub-panel, select phpMyAdmin.
9. In the left-hand-side panel you will see the DB you created. Click the plus (+) sign to reveal the tables within the DB. New DBs will be empty.

Note: phpMyAdmin comes with its own detailed online documentation. Please read the documentation carefully before proceeding.

 

Database (DB) maintenance

The MySQL Databases feature is useful for various DB maintenance routines, including:

• Repairing the DB
• Changing the DB name
• Changing the DB password

Most users should not need to do any of the actions presented, except changing the password on a regular basis. Please read the IT Services Strong Passwords Guidelines for more details.

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Changing your virtual host password

There are two ways to change your password, depending on whether you know the old password.

If you know the old password

To change your password:

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. The center panel has a number of sub-panels, scroll down until you get to the panel labeled Preferences.
3. In that sub-panel, click the feature labeled Password & Security.
4. Follow the prompts to enter your:
   • Old password
   • New password. Note: For information on creating a strong password, see below under "Additional references."
   • Confirmation of the new password

If you have forgotten your password

To change your password:

1. Go to your cPanel login page.
2. Click the Reset Password link below the Login field. You will be taken to the password recovery screen.
3. Follow the prompts to enter:
   • Your login ID. This will be the ID you use to login to cPanel or ftp. If you have forgotten this, then you must contact the IT Service Desk.
   • The e-mail address associated with this account. To aid you in remembering, a hint is provided in the text field. If this is incorrect, then you should contact the IT Service Desk to determine why it is wrong and potentially change it.
   • The security code emailed to the address above.
4. Follow the prompts to enter your:
   • New password. Note: For information on creating a strong password, see below under "Additional references."
   • Confirmation of the new Password. 
5. Log out.
6. Log in to confirm that the new password works. If the password reset did not work, contact the IT Service Desk.

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Changing your database password

To change your DB password if your virtual host account was configured with a MySQL Database (DB):

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. Go to the centre sub-panel labeled Databases.
3. Select the MySQL Databases feature. This takes you to a new panel with a variety of sub-panels.
4. Scroll down to the sub-panel labeled Current Users. You will see a list of the current DB users configured.
5. Select the Change Password Action.
6. Follow the prompts to enter your:
   • New password. Note: For information on creating a strong password, see below under "Additional references."
   • Confirmation of the new password

Note: You will need to update all the scripts, pages, and functions that reference the old DB password before DB functionality is returned to your website.

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