Create a Database for WordPress on a private server

  • Resolved fredmds

    (@fredmds)


    4 years ago

    Hi everyone,

    I am helping a friend building a website for his student project. The website will be hosted on the server from his university.

    I have been granted the ftp access and been able to import the wordpress package on the server.
    The last step of the installation is to link the website to a database (MySQL).

    This is my first question : If I am not mistaken, I cannot build a database through a FTP connection. Could you confirm that ?

    I have built several websites but all of them were hosted by companies that provided my A database dedicated to these websites. So this is the first time I have to install a website on a “private” server.

    When I asked the project director to install a database, he answered me that he was not familiar with this process.

    Most of the websites running on the university’s server use Drupal CMS. I don’t know anything about Drupal but I understand that, like WordPress, it needs a MYSQL database to run.

    I have contacted the server’s administrator and asked him to install a MYSQL database.
    If he uses PhpMyAdmin it should be easy. I gave him this documentation : https://wordpress.org/support/article/how-to-install-wordpress/#step-2-create-the-database-and-a-user

    Here comes my second question : If the administrator, for any reason, is unable to install a database, can I manage to run a wordpress website anyway ?

    Thanks in advance for your help on this topic and sorry for these rookie questions.

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • Moderator Yui

    (@fierevere)

    永子

    4 years ago

    I cannot build a database through a FTP connection.

    You should have access to shell commands (to run “mysql create” command or “mysql_setpermission”)
    otherwise you can use some of the web tools, such as well-known PHPMyAdmin
    or its smaller (1 file, which you can upload via FTP) replacement – adminer
    So in case you can upload adminer PHP script via FTP, then FTP is enough for this.

    f the administrator, for any reason, is unable to install a database

    server administrator needs to install database server (software), which can be MariaDB or MySQL, defaults depend on OS distribution, there shouldnt be any problem or trouble installing, if server hardware specs and disk requirements are sufficient.
    They will get “root” access during installation (differs from server “root” access, mysql “root” user has access to MySQL only). They can use
    “mysql create” command or “mysql_setpermission” to create database (empty database) and user which has (full) access to this database.
    You can install WordPress by using that mysql database credentials given (database name, database user, db password) or perform migration.

    Having MySQL server running is mandratory. You cannot use WordPress without database. However it is not necessary to run MySQL server on same server, it can be external server, but mind latency!

    • This reply was modified 4 years ago by Yui.
    Thread Starter fredmds

    (@fredmds)

    4 years ago

    Thanks a lot Yui,

    I am going to try adminer right away.

    Thread Starter fredmds

    (@fredmds)

    4 years ago

    Hi everyone,

    I am still in the process of setting up my worpdress website on the university’s server.

    I managed to install the website via ftp and create a database using phpmyadmin.
    I am able to delete or create pages, edit their content, set a static page, etc.

    But as soon as I want to delete/add a theme or delete/add a plugin the system requests the FTP or SSH credentials to proceed.

    ——————-
    Connection Information
    Failed to connect to FTP Server ************

    To perform the requested action, WordPress needs to access your web server. Please enter your FTP or SSH credentials to proceed. If you do not remember your credentials, you should contact your web host.

    Hostname
    example: http://www.wordpress.org
    FTP/SSH Username
    FTP/SSH Password
    This password will not be stored on the server.
    Connection Type
    FTP
    FTPS (SSL)
    SSH2
    ——————————–

    I tried several times the same credentials I use to access the server through Filezilla but I didn’t succeeded to confirm the access.
    I tried FTP and FTPS (SSL) connection types.

    I also changed the wp-config-php and added up define( ‘FS_METHOD’, ‘direct’ ); just before the database parameters but it didn’t solve the problem.

    Any clue anyone ?

    Thanks in advance

    Dion

    (@diondesigns)

    4 years ago

    If the FTP port number is anything other than 21 (a blank entry in FileZilla is port 21), you must specify the port number as part of the hostname. For example, if the hostname you use in Filezilla is myserver.edu and the port is 1234, the FTP hostname in WordPress should be myserver.edu:1234.

    Thread Starter fredmds

    (@fredmds)

    4 years ago

    Hi Dion,

    Thanks for your answer.

    I do not put any port when I connect filezilla to the server (meaning it’s port 21)

    In my situation, the hosting is : sftp://yogart@webs.aua.gr
    username : ***
    password : ***
    port : blank

    This ftp connection gives me access to only one repository, where I am able to install wordpress, but if I use the same credentials on my wordpress dashboard to install a plugin, the access to the server is denied.

    I would have loved your solution to be the one to solve my problem 🙂

    Dion

    (@diondesigns)

    4 years ago

    SFTP is not the same as FTP. If this is a VPS where you have root-level access, then you can install the SSH2 extension yourself — though a much better solution would be to install and configure PHP-FPM. Otherwise, you must either convince the university to put the SSH2 PHP extension on the server, or you will be forced to manage themes/plugins manually.

    Thread Starter fredmds

    (@fredmds)

    4 years ago

    Thanks again Dion for the quick answer.

    I don’t have a root-level access ad I do not believe the admin will give it to me.

    The website is really simple and will not require many plugins to install so the alternative might be to install them manually.

    What about building the website locally (my computer) and then expert it using duplicator ?

    Dion

    (@diondesigns)

    4 years ago

    I don’t use Duplicator, but if it must create directories during an import, then it will not work for you. I suspect your only option is to install the plugins manually.

    Hmm. Perhaps you could ask the admin whether FTP is available in addition to SFTP. FTP credentials would work correctly in WordPress.

    Thread Starter fredmds

    (@fredmds)

    4 years ago

    Hi Dion,

    I have started to manually install plugins and the theme. Working fine so far !

    Good thing about this soution is that I can keep an eye on what is installed and clean efficiently my repositories.

    Bye and thanks a lot for the help.

    This topic is resolved

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
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