After you order, we create an account for you on one of our Plesk Web Hosting servers. Plesk is the web interface you use to manage your webhosting — domains, mail, databases, SSL, backups. Here’s what arrives after the order mail and how the first login works.
What we send you
Within 5–15 minutes of ordering, you get a mail with:
- Plesk URL: typically
https://web1.xaweho.de:8443(subdomain depends on the server) - Username: for most plans your mail address or an identifier you chose
- Initial password (randomly generated)
- Notes on switching DNS, if you’re bringing your own domain
Plus a second mail with:
- FTP server address, FTP username, FTP password
- Main domain as it’s stored in the system
First login
- Open the Plesk URL in your browser.
- The browser may warn about a self-signed certificate on port 8443 — accept it, we use Plesk’s own certificate (we’ll set up a proper Let’s Encrypt one after your first login on request).
- Log in with username + initial password.
- Plesk asks you to change the password. At least 12 characters, mixed — we’ve set strict password rules.
After the change, you land on the Plesk dashboard.
What you see first
On first login, Plesk shows you:
- a welcome tour (skippable)
- your main domain in the domain list
- a language selection (default German)
- a privacy/cookie notice
Click through or skip — we walk through the most important sections in Plesk dashboard and navigation.
Who is server admin, who are you
Important separation of roles:
- Server admin (us at xaweho): looks after the Plesk server itself — OS updates, Plesk updates, hardware, server-side backups, general security
- You as the customer (subscriber): manage your domains, mailboxes, databases, FTP accounts, SSL within your plan limits
You don’t have server admin rights. That gives you access to all customer-relevant functions, but not to system configuration. That’s deliberate — it’s a multi-tenant setup, you share the server with other customers.
SSH access (chrooted to your area) is included in every plan — even Start. More in the respective articles.
Three things to do right after first login
1. Check your notification email address
Top right, click your avatar → Edit Profile. Is the email address correct? Plesk sends backup status, SSL notices and security events there.
2. Enable 2FA
Avatar → Security → Two-factor authentication. Pair it with an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, Bitwarden).
We explicitly recommend this. A compromised Plesk login = full control over your website, database and mail.
3. Language and time zone
Avatar → Profile → language, time zone (Europe/Berlin). Affects how dates show up in logs and mail headers.
What Plesk can do, and what you’ll do next
Typical next step for most customers:
| Use case | First article |
|---|---|
| Upload a website | File Manager or FTPS access |
| Install WordPress | Softaculous apps or WordPress Toolkit |
| Set up mail | Creating a mailbox |
| Enable HTTPS | Let’s Encrypt |
| Move from your old provider | Migrating your website |
Frequently asked questions
The Plesk URL is unreachable — what now?
Port 8443 is the default. Check whether a company firewall blocks it. If needed, an alternative via :443 with a subdomain can be configured — open a ticket.
The initial password doesn’t work. Check the mail text carefully (leading/trailing spaces). If it still fails: password reset via the Plesk login screen, “Forgot password”, enter the mail address from your order.
Which Plesk edition do you run? We manage the license edition server-side — what matters for you is the feature set: WordPress Toolkit, SiteJet, Softaculous and the extended security modules are included on all our webhosting servers.
Are maintenance windows announced for Plesk updates? Yes. Major Plesk updates are rare and announced 1 week in advance. Minor patches run quietly.
What if I have several Plesk plans? Each plan has its own login. If you want single sign-on across plans: not built in. Browser profiles or a password manager help.
Who can access my data — your technicians? We have server admin access for technical reasons (maintenance, support). Privacy-wise: no routine access to customer data without cause. For support tickets we look at what’s necessary.
What’s next
Plesk dashboard and navigation
How Plesk is structured: left navigation, domain list, tabs per domain, service plan limits. So you don't have to go hunting.
Domain overview and web space
What the domain detail page shows: document root, creating subdomains, DNS status, web space quota. So you know your way around your main domain.
File Manager in the browser
Upload files, edit them, set permissions — all in Plesk's built-in File Manager. When it's enough, and when FTPS is the better choice.
Setting up FTPS access
FTPS server details, setup with FileZilla and Cyberduck, additional FTP sub-accounts for web designers and staff.