Step 1: Create an Account on CloudAccess.net
- Visit the Website: Go to cloudaccess.net.
- Sign Up:
- Click on Login In in the top-right corner.
- Click Register Account in the bottom-right.
- Enter your email address, create a password, and confirm your details.
- Verify your email address if prompted.
Step 2: Select a Hosting Plan
- Choose Your Plan:
- Under “Active Hosting” where it says 0, click on New Product.
- Under Limited Free Site, click on Launch Now.
- Click on Start Now under WordPress.
- Choose Your Domain
- This domain name will be ____.cloudaccess.host. It’s best to create something relevant to your business. For example, if you run a flower shop business, a good domain name might be flowershop.cloudaccess.host.
- Remember: This domain is just temporary, so the name isn’t incredibly important. It’s only going to be used for development purposes.
- Configure Your Settings
- It will ask which version of WordPress you want to work on. Choose the most recent version (it’ll have the highest number).
- Purchase Hosting
- We say purchase, but your total should be $0.
- Click on Purchase.
- CloudAccess.net will set up your hosting environment and install WordPress automatically. This process usually takes a few minutes. Once it’s ready, you’ll receive an email with login credentials for your WordPress admin dashboard.
- You can log in by navigating to your Active Products, clicking on the Free Sites tab, and clicking on Login to the right of your site.
Upgrade if Needed: If you choose the free trial, remember that you can upgrade later to unlock additional features, such as custom domains and increased storage.
Notes about CloudAccess Hosting
- CloudAccess is great because it offers free hosting, so you can develop your site at no cost.
- You will need to renew your site every 30 days. This is the yellow button next to your listed site in Active Products. If you don’t remember to do this, don’t worry. They’ll send you a few reminders.
- To access your WordPress dashboard, you’ll click on Login under Actions.
- A good rule of thumb is to double check your username and password once you log in. You’ll want to have something you’ll remember in case you don’t want to log in through CloudAccess.
- You can log into your site at yoursite.cloudaccess.host/wp-admin.
Homework & Action Items
- Complete the hosting and domain setup steps outlined in this lesson.
- Once you set up your CloudAccess hosting, explore the CloudAccess dashboard, review how to submit support tickets, and check out your available backups and restore settings.
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard and explore its basic features.
- Jot down any questions or issues to address in the next lesson.