Step 1 – Verify Plesk Works

Your server’s IP address and root password are shown in the Server Information section on the Overview tab of your server in the client portal. The application settings you entered when ordering, passwords included, are shown in the Plesk Credentials card on the same tab. When the client portal shows the server as ready, open https://your.server.ip:8443 in a browser.

HTTPS without a domain. Your server gets a Let’s Encrypt certificate for its own IP address when it is created, and the panel uses it – so https://your.server.ip:8443 opens without a browser warning. Note the port comes right after the address, with no slash in between.

Plesk also registers a free hostname for your server (it looks like funny-name.12-34-56-78.plesk.page) – you can use it as well, but the browser will warn there, because the certificate belongs to the IP address. Both addresses are shown when you connect over SSH and are saved in /root/.plesk_credentials.

Plesk panel login:

• Username: admin
• Password: the Admin Password you entered during the order

Plesk panel only works over HTTPS. If the certificate for the IP address could not be issued (for example, the server is behind a router and port 80 is not reachable from the internet), the panel uses its own certificate and the browser shows a warning – click Advanced > Proceed (or Accept the Risk in Firefox).

Once you add a domain, you can install a proper Let’s Encrypt certificate through the Plesk panel (see Step 3).

If you placed the server behind a VyOS router on a private network, the server has only a private address, so it does not get the IP certificate: the Plesk panel uses its own certificate, and the browser shows a warning. Forward ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS) and 8443 (Plesk panel) to the server on the router’s Configuration tab (Port forwarding), and point the domains of your websites to the router’s public address. Plesk hosts websites that must be reachable from the internet.

Firewall. If you turn on the Firewall for this server in the client portal, allow incoming TCP port 80 in its rules, along with 443 (HTTPS) and 8443 (Plesk panel). Certificates renew over port 80 – the IP certificate every few days – and without that rule the certificate expires and the browser starts showing a warning.

Step 2 – Add Your First Domain

In Plesk panel, click Add Domain and enter your domain name. Plesk will create the web space, DNS zone and mail configuration automatically.

Before adding a domain, point it to your server by creating A records at your domain registrar:

DNS changes usually take a few minutes, but can take up to 24 hours. You can check the status at dnschecker.org.

Step 3 – Enable SSL for Your Domain

Plesk has a built-in Let’s Encrypt integration. To enable a free SSL certificate for your domain:

1. Go to Websites & Domains and select your domain
2. Click SSL/TLS Certificates
3. Click Install next to Let’s Encrypt
4. Enter your email and click Install

Plesk will obtain and install the certificate automatically. Renewal is also automatic.

Step 4 – Activate a License

Your server comes with a trial license (Plesk Web Admin SE, about two weeks) that activates during setup. The panel shows the remaining days at the top of the page. The trial supports up to 3 domains, 3 domain aliases and 3 mail accounts.

To continue using Plesk after the trial, purchase and activate a license:

1. Purchase a license key from plesk.com or an authorized reseller
2. In Plesk panel, go to Tools & Settings → License Management
3. Click Install Key and enter your license key

Plesk will activate the license immediately. No server restart is required.

Fail2Ban – Brute-Force Protection

Your server comes with Fail2Ban pre-configured to protect both SSH and the Plesk panel from brute-force attacks.

Useful commands:

# Check banned IPs
fail2ban-client status plesk-panel
fail2ban-client status ssh

# Unban an IP
fail2ban-client set plesk-panel unbanip 1.2.3.4

If you accidentally lock yourself out, open the Console on your server’s Overview tab in the client portal and unban your IP.

Service Management

Plesk manages most services automatically. For direct control:

# Restart Plesk-managed services via plesk command
plesk restart

# Check status of stack services
systemctl status nginx apache2 mariadb postfix dovecot named

# Restart an individual service
systemctl restart nginx

Install Applications

Install WordPress from the WordPress section of the panel (WordPress Toolkit). More applications and tools are available under Extensions.

Server Credentials

Plesk admin password is stored in /root/.plesk_credentials.

What’s Pre-Configured

• Web server: Nginx as reverse proxy + Apache for application processing
• Database: MariaDB, managed through Plesk panel
• Mail: Postfix (SMTP) + Dovecot (IMAP/POP3), ready for mailboxes
• DNS: BIND name server for hosting DNS zones
• IP remapping: Plesk automatically detects the correct IP after cloning
• Malware scanning: ImunifyAV, available under Imunify in the panel

Software Included

• Plesk Documentation: docs.plesk.com
• Plesk Licensing: plesk.com/pricing