Step-by-step guides and fixes for server administrators: cPanel, DirectAdmin, Windows Server, email, DNS, security and more. Free to read, tested on real servers. Press / to search.
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DirectAdmin Wildcard Certificate: DNS Challenge Setup
How to issue and auto-renew wildcard certificates on DirectAdmin 1.708 and later, using the panel's own DNS for the ACME DNS-01 challenge or a _acme-challenge CNAME when the zone is hosted elsewhere, and what the wildcard actually covers.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin Unbound Resolver: HTTPS and SVCB Records
Installing Unbound through CustomBuild as a caching validating resolver alongside BIND on a DirectAdmin server, pointing the system and ACME checks at it, and publishing HTTPS and SVCB records from DNS Administration.
September 29, 2026
What changed in DirectAdmin system backups after sysbk was replaced (1.709) — and what you must add
DirectAdmin 1.709 replaced the sysbk script with a built-in system backup that archives panel and service configuration but not user data; this guide explains what the new backup covers, how to configure it, and what you still need to back up separately.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin Old Certificate After Renewal: 3 Service Fixes
Why a renewed certificate can appear on the website but not on SMTP, IMAP or port 2222 on a DirectAdmin server, where each service reads its certificate from, and how the 1.710 sync and mail SNI settings fit in.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin Service Monitor false restarts and systemd status handling
Why DirectAdmin's Service Monitor restarts a service that appears healthy, how the systemd-only implementation from 1.691 decides a service is down, and the unit-file and configuration changes that stop the false positives.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin Rspamd vs SpamAssassin: DKIM and DMARC Setup
How to choose between Rspamd and SpamAssassin on a DirectAdmin mail server, switch between them with CustomBuild, and set up DKIM signing, SPF and DMARC records so that outbound mail from hosted domains authenticates correctly.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin Removed API Endpoints 2025–2026: Avoid Broken Scripts
A working list of the legacy CMD_ endpoints DirectAdmin removed between 1.688 and 1.712, what each one did, the /api/ path that replaces it, and a method for auditing billing systems and scripts before the next removal lands.
September 29, 2026
CustomBuild PHP Versions: Switch PHP and Add Extensions Safely
How DirectAdmin's four PHP slots work, how to build PHP 8.2 to 8.5 with CustomBuild, and how to add extensions such as pcntl, pdo_pgsql, mailparse and the ionCube loader without hand-editing configure scripts that the next rebuild will overwrite.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin External Account Binding: Paid CA Setup in 1.711+
How to connect DirectAdmin's built-in ACME client to a commercial certificate authority using External Account Binding credentials, which providers to expect, how to hide the ones you do not sell, and how to confirm certificates are coming from the paid account.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin Nginx Unit: Node.js and Python Apps
Enabling Nginx Unit and per-user Redis through CustomBuild on DirectAdmin, deploying a Node.js or Python application under a user account, and the resource and socket details that decide whether it stays up.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin ACME TLS Migration (1.706+): Safe Step-by-Step Plan
What DirectAdmin's ACME-driven TLS system introduced in 1.706 changes compared with the old letsencrypt.sh flow, how the migration task added in 1.708 moves existing domains across, and the settings and failure modes to check afterwards.
September 29, 2026
DirectAdmin DNS Clustering: Reliable Multi-Server Setup
How DirectAdmin's Multi Server Setup pushes DNS zones between servers, blocks duplicate usernames and domains across a fleet, and what to check in named and firewall configuration before relying on it for redundant nameservers.
September 29, 2026