Getting Started with DirectAdmin

DirectAdmin is a lightweight, fast web hosting control panel that uses significantly fewer server resources than cPanel while covering all core hosting tasks. This guide covers the three-level user hierarchy, how to access the panel, and where to start.

The three-tier user system

Level	Role	What they can do
Admin	Server owner (you)	Manage all resellers and users, configure server, set global limits
Reseller	Hosting clients who resell	Create and manage user accounts, set resource packages
User	End users / website owners	Manage their own domains, email, databases, files

You can switch into any account from the admin panel without knowing their password.

Logging in

DirectAdmin runs on port 2222:

https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:2222

Log in with admin and the password from your RemarkableCloud server welcome email.

Once DNS is configured you can use `https://hostname.yourdomain.com:2222`: avoids self-signed certificate warnings and is easier to share with resellers.

First-time setup checklist

Set nameservers: go to Admin Level → DNS Administration and create A records for ns1.yourdomain.com and ns2.yourdomain.com pointing to your server IP.

Create a reseller package: go to Reseller Level → Add Reseller Package. Required before creating any reseller accounts.

Create a user package: go to Reseller Level → Add Package to define resources for end users.

Create your first user: go to Admin Level → Create User.

Verify email service: check Admin Tools → Services Monitor to confirm Exim is running.

Enable AutoSSL: go to Admin Level → SSL Certificates and enable Let's Encrypt for all hosted domains.

Key admin areas

Task	Where
Create hosting account	Admin Level → Create User
See all domains on server	Admin Level → Show All Domains
Edit a DNS zone	Admin Level → DNS Administration
Restart Apache	Admin Tools → Services Monitor → Apache → Restart
Check disk usage per account	Admin Level → List All Users → Usage column
Access a user’s account	Admin Level → List All Users → Login icon
View mail queue	Admin Level → Mail Queue

Creating a reseller account

Go to Admin Level → Create Reseller.

Fill in username, password, email, and domain.

Select a reseller package.

Set IP to Shared unless the reseller has a dedicated IP.

Click Create.

Creating a user account

Log in as Admin or as the reseller who will own the account.

Go to Admin Level → Create User or Reseller Level → Add New User.

Fill in username, password, email, and primary domain.

Select a user package.

Click Create.

Switching between accounts

• Admin → any account: Admin panel → List All Users or List All Resellers → click the login icon
• Return to admin: click Return to Admin Level in the top navigation

PHP version management

DirectAdmin supports up to 4 simultaneous PHP versions via CustomBuild 2.0. Users can switch per domain under Extra Features → PHP Version Selector.

To install or update PHP versions server-wide via SSH:

cd /usr/local/directadmin/custombuild
./build set php1_release 8.2
./build set php2_release 8.1
./build php
./build rewrite_confs

All outbound mail routes through MailChannels, protecting your IP reputation. You manage mailboxes and DNS through DirectAdmin normally.

DirectAdmin vs cPanel

	DirectAdmin	cPanel
Memory usage	~150 MB	~500 MB
Min recommended plan	Basic 2GB	Shared CPU 4GB
Interface familiarity	Less common	Industry standard
License cost	Lower	Higher

Next steps

• Create user and reseller accounts
• Hosting packages and limits
• Email setup
• PHP version switching
• Two-factor authentication