Windows web hosting with Plesk: first steps

HyperDC Windows web hosting places your sites on a Windows server running Microsoft IIS, with ASP.NET support and Microsoft SQL Server databases. You manage everything in your own Plesk account; we run and maintain the server. This guide covers the first steps. Plans: Windows web hosting.

Before you start

• The welcome email with your Plesk user name, password, the panel address and the nameservers for your domain.
• Your domain, registered with HyperDC or elsewhere.

Step 1: Sign in to Plesk

• From the client area: Services › My Services, open the hosting service and use the Plesk sign-in button in the Manage card, where it is shown.
• Directly: open https://example.com:8443 (or the panel address from the welcome email) and sign in.

Verify: Plesk opens on Websites & Domains with your domain listed.

Step 2: Point your domain

Use the nameservers from the welcome email so Plesk manages all DNS records, or point the A record of your domain to the hosting server's IP address. For a HyperDC domain: Domains › My Domains › Manage Domain › Nameservers. See point a domain to your server.

Step 3: Publish your site

• Upload files with File Manager or FTP into the site's document root (by default httpdocs).
• Visual Studio users can publish with Web Deploy where it is enabled for the subscription; Plesk shows the publishing settings for download.
• Adjust the framework settings in Websites & Domains › ASP.NET Settings for the domain.

Verify: your site loads at http://example.com.

Step 4: Create databases

Open Databases and select Add Database. Choose Microsoft SQL Server or MySQL, give the database a name and create a user with a strong password. Plesk shows the server name to put in your connection string.

Step 5: Create mailboxes

Open Mail and create the email addresses you need. Plesk shows the settings for mail apps (IMAP, POP3, SMTP) and offers webmail. Publish SPF, DKIM and DMARC records for good delivery; see email deliverability.

Step 6: Turn on HTTPS

Open SSL/TLS Certificates for your domain and install the free certificate for the domain and its www name. Your domain must point to the hosting server first. Then turn on the redirect from HTTP to HTTPS in the hosting settings.

Verify: https://example.com loads without a certificate warning.

Step 7: Back up

Your Windows hosting account is backed up weekly and monthly at no extra cost. Keep your own copy as well: use Backup Manager in Plesk to create and download a backup, especially before you deploy a new version of your application.

Troubleshooting

HTTP Error 500.19 or 500.30 after deploying. The application's web.config uses a feature or .NET version the site is not set up for. Check the ASP.NET settings, and ask us which .NET versions the server offers.

The database connection fails. Use the database server name Plesk shows, not localhost, if it differs, and check the user's password and permissions.

The certificate cannot be issued. The domain or www does not point to the hosting server yet.

Next steps

• Need administrator access or your own services? See Windows VPS and VDS.
• DNS records explained: DNS basics for a new domain.