Posts Tagged ‘Dreamhost’
Step 3: Consolidating my online strategy – make a WordPress shell on Dreamhost
Posted on: May 4, 2010
My Online Strategy
My online strategy includes
- My own domain name jojordan.org (that I bought through Dreamhost and will renew annually with them or somebody)
- A front page for jojordan.org to have a smart CV to add to the bottom of emails’s. I made that on (free) Posterous and “redirect” it to my domain name at Dreamhost.
- A blog that I used to keep on WordPress.com (the free version). I am going to move that to Dreamhost now, and pay for hosting. Why do I want to do that? So I can control the theme, get Google Analytics and have the freedom to advertise.
Steps in self-hosting WordPress on Dreamhost
To make a WordPress shell on Dreamhost, I must go through 3 steps. Then I’ll be ready to pretty it up before I import it and attend to SEO (let the world know it is there).
#1 Set up a sub-domain
Because I am redirecting my Posterous blog to my domain name, jojordan.org, that domain is no longer available to host my wordpress blog. I need to make a subdomain, which I will call flowingmotion.jojordan.org. I thought of using blog.jojordan.org. It is shorter and easier to remember but some people already know my work as flowingmotion and flowing motion tells those in the know I am interested in a holistic paradigm of psychology. Using a subdomain does mean though, that my my domain, jojordan.org, won’t benefit from the pagerank that I have already accumulated on Flowingmotion.
To set up my subdomain, I . . .
- Log in to Dreamhost
- Look for Manage Domains on the right sidebar
- Choose Add a Domain
- Type in flowingmotion.jojordan.org
- Submit, and all is done. Wait a bit and I should be able to access it from my browser: http://flowingmotion.jojordan.org
Now when I got to Manage Domains, the Dreamhost screen looks like this. Notice my jojordan.org is not fully hosted because the physical asset of the blog is actually over on the Posterous computer. Dreamhost is now expecting me to put something in space reserved for flowing motion, and, the world can find it. If I put nothing there, a visitor will just see an “old fashioned looking” list of generic files.
#2 Create a WordPress shell
So I have a space on a computer waiting for something and the world can find it. I am going to load up the WordPress framework into the space.
Dreamhost has a One Click Install. Choose it in right side-bar. Then chose the Advanced option (can’t remember why – tip I picked up on the net). Make sure the radio button for WordPress is selected.
Whiz down to the button and make sure Dreamhost will link to the right sub-domain. Submit.
Wait ten minutes or so. You should get an email saying everything is done! So easy!
#3 Create an admin account on WordPress
When the email arrives, follow the link. You are asked for a blog name and an email address and then given a password. Cut and paste the password in the login for admin and IMMEDIATELY change your password to something you can remember.
Done! You have wordpress loaded up. Now you are back on familiar territory of adding a theme, etc.
Next steps
I have already edited a theme on my own laptop and I am going to zip that into a file and try loading it up.
Then I’ll import my content from WordPress.com.
The final stages will be to add plugins, set up Google Analytics, add the spam catcher Akismet, connect to Feedburner and most importantly, set up redirects from WordPress.com so that anyone who is looking for me is redirected to my new address.
So next step. Have a go at importing a theme.
Comments very welcome!
Step 2: Consolidating my online strategy – redirecting my Posterous blog to my own domain name
Posted on: May 4, 2010
Neat and tidy Posterous
I use a (free) Posterous blog as a tidy frontend to “serve” my CV at the end of emails and so on. Here it is jojordan.org.
Redirect a Posterous blog to your own domain name
First, of course, you must buy a domain name. Once you’ve done that, you will need to direct your Posterous blog to the domain name.
(PS You can buy a domain name through Posterous . I didn’t; but it looks possible.)
Dreamhost
I bought my Domain name through Dreamhost and I intend to keep other assets on their computers, that is, use them to host some of my online assets.
“Redirecting” my Posterous account to Dreamost
My Posterous account will stay on the Posterous computer though. But I want people who look for jojordan.org to be redirected there without them having to do anything extra.
The word “redirecting” is confusing, because it suggests the Posterous blog moves over to Dreamhost. The opposite happens. People looking for my Posterous blog will be sent by the world-wide internet system to Dreamhost who will redirect them, without them even noticing, to Posterous.
Settings on Dreamhost to “redirect” my visitors to Posterous
To setup Dreamhost to perform this magic redirection, you need to login in to Dreamhost and look in the left sidebar. Pick manage domains. Choose the domain that you will be linking to Posterous. Then choose DNS. You will get a wider screen. In the middle is the following information.
Copy the settings. The numbers in the second last line is the IP address of Posterous. You will use your domain name throughout, of course, not mine. The CNAME setting has the effect of allowing people to type your domain name without the www and finding you nonetheless.
Posterous settings
On the Posterous side, all you have to do is login, go to Manage (top menu bar), choose settings (tab one-third down) and type in your domain name. It all looks like this.
The link up will take at least 30 minutes (the world wide web is a physically big place!). Beware too, that once Posterous is directing to your domain name, if you break the Dreamhost side you won’t be able to get into Posterous because the WWW will still redirect anyone looking for http://yourblogname.posterous.com to the domain at Dreamhost. You are effectively locked out! So remember to disconnect the Posterous end before you fiddle!
Problems
Let me know if you have any problems and I’ll adjust these instructions. It’s sometime since I did this; though I did manage to lock myself out of Posterous today. I got back in again with a bit of Googling and reading so, all good. Patience and tolerance of geeky English and it comes together.
flowing motion 
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