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Setting up CodeGuard – Site

 

After you've purchased CodeGuard, you'll be able to access it just like any other addon product through the Customer Portal. Once purchased, CodeGuard will automatically start backing up your files on your primary domain. If you are using WordPress or another app that requires a database, you must configure CodeGuard to back up the database portion of your website.

What you should know
  • Databases will NOT be automatically added to CodeGuard and must be manually connected. You can follow the steps in the Setting up CodeGuard – Database article for further instructions.
  • CodeGuard will notify you if you have exceeded the CodeGuard limit or if you need to upgrade to the next plan or delete old backups to free up space.
  • CodeGuard will not affect or be affected by CDN networks because it is set up via FTP/SFTP.
  • CodeGuard only creates backups of your website files and databases (if configured) and does not back up email accounts associated with your website's domain.
  • CodeGuard does not offer malware scans and monitoring. As a HostGator customer, check out our SiteLock security plans.

Adding a website to CodeGuard

During initial setup, your primary domain's website is automatically added to the CodeGuard Dashboard. However, you need to manually add all databases and other websites under your hosting account to the CodeGuard Dashboard so CodeGuard can create backups for them.

To add a website to be backed up in CodeGuard, you first need to obtain the following:

Item NeededDescription
Website URLYour domain name: https://example.com
Hostname/IP addressShared IP address or Server Hostname
FTP/SFTP UsernamecPanel/SFTP or FTP username
FTP/SFTP PasswordcPanel/FTP password
Port number21 or 22

Once you've gathered the information above, proceed to the following steps.

Step 1: Connect FTP/SFTP Website

  1. Log in to your Customer Portal.
  2. Click the Hosting tab from the left-hand menu.
  3. Under the hosting package where you purchased Codeguard, select Manage.

    Customer Portal Manage Hosting Packages

  4. On the next page, click Manage in the CodeGuard section.
    If CodeGuard's button states "Learn More," this indicates that CodeGuard has yet to be purchased for this hosting package. If you have questions, please contact us via phone or chat for assistance.

    Customer Portal Manage CodeGuard

  5. Click Login to CodeGuard.

    CodeGuard Login

  6. Once logged into the CodeGuard Dashboard, you will first see the Weekly Backup Summary, which provides you with a general overview of the number of up-to-date websites and databases.

    CodeGuard Weekly Backups Summary

  7. To add a new site to CodeGuard, click on the green Add FTP/SFTP Website button in the Back up a Site section.

    CodeGuard Add FTP/SFTP Website

  8. You will be redirected to another page where you must enter the credentials you gathered earlier in their corresponding boxes:
    • Website URL (e.g., https://:example.com)
    • FTP/SFTP Server (e.g., ftp.example.com)
    • FTP/SFTP Username (e.g., [email protected])
    • FTP/SFTP Password 
    • Port number (21 or 22)
    Send Securely - It is recommended to securely send your backups to CodeGuard by using the SFTP settings.
  9. Once done, click Test Website Connection.

    CodeGuard Test Connection

Step 2: Choose what files to back up

Once successful, you will be redirected to the Capture Your Code page, where you need to do the following:

  1. Select your root directory: Choose one of the directories listed as your website's root directory or FTP/SFTP path. This should be the root folder for your website's content.

    CodeGuard Select Root Directory

  2. Select website content: Choose which files and folders to include or exclude from your backups.
    Note: Cache, temp, and log folders are usually good folders to leave unchecked!

    CodeGuard Select Website Content

  3. Click Begin First Backup to initialize the CodeGuard Backup feature.

    CodeGuard Begin First Backup

  4. You will see the Complete Confirmation page.

    CodeGuard Site Backup Complete

    Note: The database will automatically be added once CodeGuard detects that you have a WordPress or another Content Management System (CMS) that includes a database to function. Select which options apply to your website to complete the process:
    • Add Database Now: Click here if your website has additional databases or if you are using a different database, be sure to add those as well. Go to the Setting up CodeGuard – Database article for further instructions.
    • Go To Dashboard: Click here to see the File Backup Summary and Backup Progress Tracker.
  5. Once the websites are added, these are displayed in a list just below the Backup a Site section. The Website Backup section contains more detailed information about completed backups and allows you to customize settings in CodeGuard.