TMD Hosting uses cPanel for its web hosting control panel software. cPanel allows you to manage all aspects of your hosting, from emails, files, and software installation such as WordPress.
We’ve already written a great overview of a standard cPanel install here. This article will briefly summarize the main features but, more importantly, will highlight where TMD Hosting differs.
First, let’s get you logged in.
How to log in to the TMD Hosting cPanel Interface
The first step is to log in to your TMD Hosting client area. You can log in at https://my.tmdhosting.com/
Under the Control Panel Access section, click “Log in” to navigate to your web hosting control panel.
You should now see your cPanel control panel.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Email
The cPanel Email panel provides tools to create and manage all aspects of your email accounts. This includes configuring spam filters, SpamAssassin, autoresponders, email forwarding, and more.
You can read a complete overview of all the default email features of cPanel here. You can also view a tutorial showing just how easy creating an email address at TMD Hosting is.
TMD Hosting has modified the available cPanel email features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default Email Features | Removed Email Features | New Email Features |
|---|---|---|
| - Email accounts - Forwarders - Email Routing - Autoresponders - Global Email Filters - Email Filters - Email Deliverability - Spam Filters - Email Disk Usage | - Default Address (Custom) - Mailing Lists - Track Delivery - Address Importer - Encryption - BoxTrapper - Calendars and Contacts | - Email Marketing - Professional Spam Filter |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
Removed Email Features
Most deleted email features are those you would probably never use.
Default Address: The only feature we would like to see reinstated is the “Default Address”. This allows you to designate an email address that will act as a catch-all.
cPanel comes with a “system” email address that you can use for this purpose, so it’s not the end of the world, but we like the option to create our own.
New Email Features
Email Marketing: This is a cPanel plugin for a third-party service from Constant Contact. This premium mailing list and marketing automation service starts at $9.99 per month.
Professional Spam Filter: This spam filter is provided by Spam Experts. It is free with your hosting, and it helps reduce spam emails. You can modify the default settings by including block lists, allow lists, and setting email filters. We like this.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Files
The cPanel Files panel provides tools to manage the files on your hosting account. It includes a file manager enabling you to upload, delete, and alter files.
You can read a complete overview of all the default file features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has modified the available cPanel file features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default File Features | Removed File Features | New File Features |
|---|---|---|
| - File Manager - Images - Directory Privacy - Disk Usage - FTP Accounts - Git™ Version Control | - Web Disk - Backup - Backup Wizard | - Weebly - AI Blog Post Generator |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
Removed File Features
Web Disk: We wouldn’t recommend using this, even if you could.
Backup & Backup Wizard: We love this feature. It makes backing up and restoring your web hosting files, databases, emails, and other settings a breeze. Unfortunately, it is resource intensive and, as such, is disabled by most hosting providers, including TMD Hosting.
New File Features
Weebly: This is a third-party website builder. It has a free tier with limited features and branding, but if you have a business website or even a personal blog, you will want a paid version.
The Weebly cPanel plugin was buggy for us. It did not work on the new Jupiter theme and only partially on the old Paper Lantern theme. We recommend signing up at their site directly if you want to use Weebly.
AI Blog Post Generator: This is a spammy content generation service from Copymatic. You should avoid automatically generating content at all costs. Google doesn’t like it:
TMD Hosting cPanel: SEO & Marketing Tools
The SEO & Marketing Tools section is not included in the default install of cPanel. It is an addon that promotes a third-party company called Attracta.
Attracta provides automated SEO Tools to increase site traffic, marketing tools to monetize site content, and an App Store to automatically install popular web-based applications.
| Default SEO & Marketing Features | Removed SEO & Marketing Features | New SEO & Marketing Features |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | - Get In Google - SEO Tools - Increase Website Traffic - Link Building - Drag & Drop Visual Page Builder - Free Shopping Cart - Free Email Marketing Tools - Google Rank Checker - Free AI Site Tools |
We are not a fan of these kinds of services. They advertise cheap spammy link building and AI-powered blog post generation. If you want to risk your site disappearing from Google Search, go ahead.
Seriously, though, read Google’s spam policies before using any SEO tool or service like this.
Please don’t say we didn’t warn you.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Databases
The cPanel Databases Panel contains tools that enable you to manage your site’s MySQL databases.
You can read a complete overview of all the default database features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has not modified the available cPanel database features from the default install. Here is a summary:
| Default Database Features | Removed Database Features | New Database Features |
|---|---|---|
| - phpMyAdmin - MySQL® Databases - MySQL® Database Wizard - Remote MySQL® | N/A | N/A |
TMD Hosting cPanel: Domains
The cPanel Domains panel provides tools enabling you to create and manage all aspects of your domain. This includes configuring domains, addon domains, subdomains, and aliases on your account. You can also set up redirects or, if required, configure DNS zones.
You can read a complete overview of all the default domain features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has modified the available domain features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default Domain Features | Removed Domain Features | New Domain Features |
|---|---|---|
| - Site Publisher - Domains - Addon Domains - Subdomains - Aliases - Redirects - Zone Editor - SDynamic DNS | N/A | - WordPress Toolkit |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
New Domain Features
WordPress Toolkit: This is a fantastic addon created by cPanel. It offers WordPress installation and management with some excellent features.
Unfortunately, as you can see, there are two versions.
TMD Hosting has only installed the standard version. As this is shared hosting, there is no way to upgrade.
You would only usually see the deluxe version on premium-priced plans, so there has to be a trade-off.
The clone, smart update (creates a clone and checks for visual discrepancies after updates before pushing the update to the live server), and copy data function are unavailable.
What is working, though, which we like, is the backup functionality.
Fortunately, TMD Hosting also has the Softaculous WordPress manager, which we will cover later in this article. That, by comparison, has the staging and clone functionality active but no backup functionality.
It matters little, though. Most things can be resolved by installing third-party apps.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Metrics
The cPanel Metrics Panel provides tools to monitor your hosting account. View your bandwidth usage, visitor numbers, errors, and more.
You can read a full overview of all the default Metrics features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has modified the available cPanel Metrics features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default Metrics Features | Removed Metrics Features | New Metrics Features |
|---|---|---|
| - Visitors - Errors - Bandwidth - Raw Access - Awstats - Analog Stats - Webalizer - Metrics Editor | N/A | - Google Rankings - Resource Usage |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
New Metrics Features
Google Rankings: This is a referral link to SemRush, a reasonably expensive SEO optimization tool.
Resource Usage: This is the resource monitor used by TMD Hosting that actively throttles your web hosting if you use too many resources. You should keep an eye on this, and if your service is frequently throttled, you may need to consider making some optimizations to your site or upgrading to a better plan.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Security
The cPanel Security Panel provides tools to manage and install SSL certificates, block IP addresses, set up SSH access, and more.
You can read a full overview of all the default Security features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has modified the available cPanel Security features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default Security Features | Removed Security Features | New Security Features |
|---|---|---|
| - IP Blocker - SSL/TLS - Manage API Tokens - Hotlink Protection - Leech Protection - SSL/TLS Status | - SSH Access | - Let’s Encrypt™ SSL - Imunify360 |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
Removed Security Features
SSH Access: This is disabled by default. SSH is not suitable for shared hosting plans.
New Security Features
Let’s Encrypt™ SSL: This is the tool to use if you need an SSL certificate. It will set up an SSL certificate for free.
Imunify360: This is a malware scanner that constantly monitors your hosting account. It will actively terminate any malicious scripts when an attack is detected. We like this.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Software
The cPanel Software Panel is where you will find cPanel’s Site Software which you can use to install WordPress. In addition, you can change the PHP version, configure PHP settings, optimize compression, and more.
You can read a complete overview of all the default Software features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has modified the available cPanel Software features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default Software Features | Removed Software Features | New Software Features |
|---|---|---|
| - PHP PEAR Packages - Optimize Website - MultiPHP Manager - MultiPHP INI Editor | - Perl Modules - Site Software | - CloudFlare - WordPress Manager by Softaculous - Free Shopping Cart - Free AI Site Generator - Select PHP Version |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
Removed Software Features
Perl Modules: Shared hosting is probably not for you if you need Perl modules.
Site Software: This is the old WordPress installer that nobody uses anymore. Use the WordPress Toolkit or Softaculous to install WordPress.
New Software Features
CloudFlare: CloudFlare has recently announced they are discontinuing the cPanel addon. You should not use this; instead, sign up directly on their website and configure it manually.
WordPress Manager by Softaculous: We like this, but TMD Hosting has disabled the backup and restore functionality for some reason. It seems odd that they left the functionality on the WordPress Toolkit but removed it from this.
The WordPress manager lets you manage all your installations in a central location. You can manage theme sets, upgrade plugins and WordPress, change passwords, clone your website, and even create a staging site for development.
We like the staging site functionality a lot.
Free Shopping Cart: This link is to a third-party service called Attracta. We don’t recommend using this.
Free AI Site Generator: This link is to a third-party service called Copymatic. We don’t recommend using this. As mentioned earlier, using content like this can harm your site for SEO purposes.
Select PHP Version: This is a useful tool enabling you to quickly and easily change your PHP version and install any PHP extensions. It is not uncommon to install several PHP extensions or use a slightly earlier PHP version when installing Softaculous scripts. You can see an example of this during our Moodle install at TMD Hosting.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Advanced
The cPanel Advanced Panel provides access to various advanced tools responsible for managing the more technical aspects of your web server, including the LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager.
You can read a complete overview of all the default advanced features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has modified the available cPanel advanced features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default Advanced Features | Removed Advanced Features | New Advanced Features |
|---|---|---|
| - Cron Jobs - Indexes - Error Pages - Apache Handlers - MIME Types | - Terminal - Track DNS | - LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
Removed Advanced Features
Terminal: This is not suitable for shared web hosting.
Track DNS: This is not suitable for shared web hosting.
New Advanced Features
LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager: TMD Hosting uses the LiteSpeed web server for their shared hosting. This premium web server comes with many out-of-the-box features, including LSCache. Installing the LSCache plugin to WordPress can dramatically reduce page load times.
If you host a WordPress site with TMD Hosting, you should definitely use this.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Preferences
The cPanel Preferences Panel provides tools to manage your cPanel account preferences, including updating your password, language, or contact information.
You can read a complete overview of all the default Preference features of cPanel here.
TMD Hosting has modified the available cPanel Preference features from the default install. Here is a summary of the changes:
| Default Preference Features | Removed Preference Features | New Preference Features |
|---|---|---|
| - Change Language - User Manager | - Password & Security - Change Style - Contact Information< | N/A |
Let’s look at these changes in more detail.
Removed Preference Features
Password & Security: You should change your password within the TMD Hosting client area.
Change Style: The default Jupiter theme is great. There is no need to change it.
Contact Information: You should change your contact information within the TMD Hosting client area.
TMD Hosting cPanel: Softaculous Apps Installer
Softaculous is an auto-script installer that allows users to install and configure various commercial and open-source apps, including forums, content management systems, educational software, and more.
To see how it works, check out our WordPress and Moodle tutorials which use the Softaculous installer at TMD Hosting.
If you need help installing software on your TMD Hosting account, TMD Hosting will happily do it for you. Simply open an support ticket under the Software installation category.