How to Authenticate your Server for cPanel Technical Support

Overview

If you opened a support ticket but did not grant cPanel Technical Support access to your server, you can do so at any time. Use one of the methods described below to authenticate your server for cPanel Technical Support access.

The Grant cPanel Support Access interface

Use WHM’s Grant cPanel Support Access interface (WHM >> Home >> Support >> Grant cPanel Support Access) to grant server access.

Manually grant server access

To manually allow cPanel Technical Support server access, perform the following steps:

1. In your browser, navigate to the cPanel Help Center and log in to your account.

2. Click My Requests at the top of this interface. The system will direct you to the My Requests interface.

3. In the Subject column, click the subject of the ticket that you want to update. A new interface will appear.

4. Select Add/Update from the Server Info row. You can find this in the Ticket details panel on the right. Afterwards, the Update Server Information interface will appear.

Update your server information

In this interface, update any of your server’s information in the provided text boxes. If you must provide cPanel Technical Support any usernames and passwords, enter them in the Server Notes text box.

Authentication for multiple servers

You can also submit authentication information for multiple servers. This is useful if you want to migrate multiple servers to cPanel & WHM, or need support for multiple servers. Click the plus icon (+) in the Update Server Information interface to create a new server tab, then enter the server’s information. When you are finished, click Update Servers to save your changes.

Rename a server

To rename a server’s tab, then select the tab that you want to rename. In the Server Name text box, enter the new name. Repeat this for any additional sever tabs, then click Update Servers to save. When you are finished, click Done.

Allow cPanel access to your server

In the Refuse Access to Server section, select I DO NOT wish to provide cPanel access to my server to allow access.

Manage SSH keys

You will receive a unique public SSH key for each server for which you provide information. Use WHM’s Manage root SSH Keys interface (WHM >> Home >> Security Center >> Manage root’s SSH Keys) to add these SSH keys. You can also find your unique SSH key in the ticket’s Update Server Information interface.

Ensure cPanel Technical Support IP addresses server access

When you create a ticket, the ticket will display a list of cPanel Technical Support-sanctioned IP addresses. cPanel Technical Support also provides this list in your ticket’s confirmation email. You must ensure that your server’s firewall settings allow cPanel Technical Support to connect to your server from the following IP addresses:

Use WHM’s Host Access Control interface (WHM >> Home >> Security Center >> Host Access Control) to add these IP addresses to your firewall.

Direct SSH access

You can also authorize cPanel Technical Support access via the command line. Use the following command, where TICKETNUMBER is your ticket ID number and # is the server ID number from your ticket:

AUTHUSER=root TICKET=`TICKETNUMBER` SERVERNUM=# /scripts/autorepair authorize

Servers with a non-root SSH login

If your server does not use the root login, replace root in the command above with the SSH login username. The username you provide must have full su or sudo access. You must also provide all required root and user passwords in the ticket’s server information. To do this, perform the following steps:

1. In your browser, navigate to the cPanel Help Center and log in to your account.

2. Click My Requests at the top of this interface. The system will direct you to the My Requests interface.

3. In the Subject column, click the subject of the ticket that you want to update. A new interface will appear.

4. Select Add/Update from the Server Info row. You can find this in the Ticket details panel on the right. Afterwards, the Update Server Information interface will appear.

5. In the Username for SSH Access section, enter the non-root username.

6. In the Authentication Method for SSH Access section, select Provide Password, then enter the non-root username’s password.

7. In the Root Escalation Method section, select whether the user has sudo or su access.

8. In the Password Visibility Information section, select one of the following options:

   • Only permit Tech Analysts to access this server via our automated login system. — Do not allow cPanel Technical Support to view your password information.

   • Permit Tech Analysts to view your passwords for this server. — Allow cPanel Technical Support to view your password information.

9. Click Update Servers to save your changes.