[Featured] Quick Answers to Common Questions

In this article, we've compiled a list of common answers to questions asked to our support team. We have included knowledge base articles and video tutorials to answer questions. You are welcome to search our knowledge base for more information on specific answers to your questions..

Here are the main topics regarding the questions we will cover in this article: 

• Account Issues (Customer Portal) ⤵
• cPanel ⤵
• Domains & DNS⤵
• Email ⤵
• Website Error Messages ⤵
• WordPress ⤵

Account Issues (Customer Portal)

Do you need help accessing your Customer Portal? Here are the articles to help you get started with your account with us.

• Customer Portal Overview – HostGator has created a new Customer Portal that includes a billing and support system, allowing you to control every aspect of your HostGator account.
• Customer Portal - How to Login – This article discusses logging into your Customer Portal.
• Single Sign-On – This article will discuss the Single Sign-On features.
• Guide to Invoices – This article will go over where to find your invoices, read if an invoice is paid or unpaid, and then read an invoice based on the product type, like add-ons, domains, and hosting plans.

cPanel

Are you just starting web hosting and thinking about what a cPanel is? If yes, here are the articles covering the control dashboard for beginners of cPanel on HostGator.

• A Beginners Guide to cPanel – If you are just getting started with web hosting, you will likely hear about cPanel at some point, but what is it? In short, cPanel is a control panel you see in your hosting plan and where you can access all the server features.
• Generate & Download a Website Backup – All our accounts can keep a full backup of their hosting package. The method necessary for creating a backup depends on your hosting type.
• File Manager – With the File Manager in cPanel, you can upload your files immediately. You can manage all the files associated with your account using the web interface.
• Log in to cPanel - Here is how to access the cPanel through the portal.

Domains & DNS

Are you looking for articles to help you manage your domains or DNS records? Here are the articles to guide you.

• Change DNS Records – DNS records are essential in connecting your domain to your hosting server and getting your emails and website live for the world to see.
• DNS Troubleshooting Guide – This article will discuss the Single Sign-On features.
• Domain Overview – We have compiled our most popular domain-related articles into three different series, from concepts to how-to articles to troubleshooting and a bonus section for the newbie and advanced users.
• Enable Domain Privacy – All domain owners (registrar) must keep their domain's accurate, current, and valid personal or business contact information.
• Registering Domain Names and TLD Prices – The top-level domains (TLDs) and country-code second-level domains (ccSLDs) that can be registered or transferred to HostGator, along with the prices to register. 
• What Are My Name Servers? – A name server is a specialized server that hosts DNS zone files and plays a vital role in the Domain Name System (DNS).

Emails

Do you need help with articles to help you set up, manage, and troubleshoot your emails? Here are email articles to get you equipped.

• Are you able to receive emails but not send? - In this guide, we've listed the directions on changing the outgoing email port to 26 or 587 if your ISPs are blocking port 25.
• Are You able to send emails but not receive? - In this guide, we've gathered the most commonly known issues about why you are not receiving emails in your HostGator free email (webmail).
• Client Settings - Outlook, Eudora, Thunderbird, Mac, iPad, Phone - You can use any email client to log into the server and receive, manage, and send mail.
• Create email accounts in cPanel - You have no email account by default. The primary username may look like it is set up as an email, but you will need to add it as an email account if you wish to use it.
• Email Connection Settings - When setting up your email client or email applications, your settings must match the settings provided in your hosting account. This article covers a complete set of matching settings for each desired email configuration for our servers.
• Log into Webmail - Webmail is a great feature offered by cPanel. This tutorial will cover logging in to your HostGator hosted webmail once those accounts have been created.
• Use SpamAssassin - SpamAssassin works for all of the email accounts in your cPanel. It can be set to mark spam messages, making them easy to notice. You can also configure SpamAssassin to delete any emails marked as spam automatically.
• Webmail Programs - HostGator offers you a choice of webmail programs. You can pick whichever one you are most familiar with or the one you learn to like over time.

Website Error Message

Are you getting an error message when visiting your website? Here is the list of common website errors that you might encounter. Check the articles to find out the cause and how to fix it.

• 403 Forbidden or No Permission to Access - If you receive a 403 Forbidden error message, it signifies that you are either not authorized to see the requested file, resource, or page, nor do you have the authorization to do so.
• 404 Error Page - A 404 error means a file cannot be found. The name is either misspelled or in the wrong folder if you have already uploaded the file. 
• 500 Error Internal Server Error - This article will discuss the commonly known causes of the 500 Internal Server Error and the general troubleshooting steps for resolving them.

WordPress Error

Are you experiencing an issue that'll take your WordPress website offline or make it very difficult to use? Although these issues can be frustrating, they are solvable most of the time. Check some of the most common WordPress stumbling blocks and show you how to solve them.

• Fix the Critical Error on Your WordPress Website - A critical error message you want to get immediately fixed.
• Fix the Internal Server Error in WordPress - Not all instances of the 500 Internal Server errors are related to WordPress. Other problems can cause by the server as well. The common reasons for WordPress's 500 Internal Server problems are covered in this post.
• Repair a Broken Database - Use this article to reveal the cause of the broken database. If the problem is "marked as crashed," proceed with the steps.
• Troubleshooting Common WordPress Login Issues - Have trouble logging into WordPress dashboard? These might be annoying, particularly if you want to update your WordPress website quickly.
• WordPress Blog Blank Pages - A corrupted plugin or theme is most likely to cause your WordPress blog to stall or not respond. The blog will load in your browser either with a blank page or continually until it times out.
• WordPress Home Fix - Incorrectly configured URLs in your WordPress blog's database are often caused if the links on your website display the wrong domain, redirect to another website, or lack styling.

WordPress

Are you looking to build a website from scratch using WordPress and don't know where to start? WordPress can be daunting when you first start, but even the most extensive beginner can get an excellent website by reading these articles.

• Guide to WordPress Block Editor - With the release of WordPress 5.0 back in 2019, WordPress incorporated the new Gutenberg editor as the default content editor. The Gutenberg editor, known as the Block Editor, allows more customized options when creating and adding content to a WordPress site.
• Guide to WordPress Pages and Posts - Post over pages? Or pages over posts? Knowing the differences between the two can help you create content faster without thinking about which to use. Keep in mind that correct content structure is crucial since each page or post has a different set of features and functions.
• Guide to WordPress Plugins - Using plugins is another excellent feature of WordPress. A plugin is a small application of software that improves the features of a WordPress website and enhances website functions. 
• Guide to WordPress Themes – WordPress is an excellent Content Management System (CMS) for building a website for a business or hobby. Its popularity has allowed numerous themes to be created, either free or a paid upgrade, and even premium ones.
• Guide to Publishing a WordPress Page or Post - You are getting close to the next stage of your website hosting journey after selecting your theme and plugin(s) and adding content to your pages and posts. Your website is ready for launch!
• Install WordPress Manually – WordPress can be instantly installed via Softaculous, so there is no need to install it manually; but, if you want a more technical option, this guide will cover the steps needed to install WordPress manually.
• Install WordPress With Softaculous –  In this article, we'll cover how to do so through Softaculous.

Video Tutorial Library

Here at HostGator, we've compiled a series of videos that provide a step-by-step walkthrough of our features and products and helpful tutorials to help you get started and further your online ventures.

Check out our HostGator YouTube Channel for the most recent collection of videos as we actively work to generate more relevant tutorials, guides, and videos. Make sure to sign up right away! Click the bell icon on our YouTube channel to receive notifications when we upload NEW videos.