Install WordPress

If you are installing WordPress on the Stanford servers, use the WordPress Installer — not the installer at WordPress.org. WordPress Installer (linked below) provides a secure, one-click installation and configures WordPress for use with the Stanford infrastructure. Sites installed using WordPress Installer are hosted on the web.stanford.edu servers and feature a Stanford look-and-feel by default, which you can change.

Before you begin

To install WordPress using WordPress Installer you’ll need:

a full service SUNet ID
group or department space on the web.stanford.edu servers for your WordPress site
administration rights to the group or department web space where your site will be located

See Before You Get Started for more information about these requirements.

Install WordPress using WordPress Installer

Point your browser to the WordPress Installer.
Under Install Step 1, enter the following:
- Select an application: wordpress
- Select cgi-bin space: select the directory where you want to install WordPress. The list displays the directories where you have administrative privileges. Submit a HelpSU request if the list doesn’t include the directory you think you should be able to install WordPress into.
Click Go To Step 2 Configuration.
On the WordPress Configuration page, enter the following:
- Installation Location: enter the path, including the name of the folder, where WordPress will be installed.
  The folder with your WordPress files is created as part of the installation. However, if you want to install WordPress in a directory below “cgi-bin” you need to make sure directory path already exists prior to installing WordPress.
  
  For example, if you enter “group/documentation/newdocs” as the installation location, the folders “group” and “documentation” should already exist. The WordPress Installer creates the “newdocs” folder as part of the installation.
- Blog Title: enter the title you want to appear in the banner. You can change the title later in WordPress, if you wish.
- WebAuth:
  - Full Webauth is the recommended choice for Stanford users. It allows you to use single sign-on (your SUNet ID and password) to log in and administer your WordPress site. All authors need to have a SUNet ID. However, your visitors will not need to go through WebAuth; the site will still be viewable by the public.
  - No Webauth uses WordPress' own login system. To log in and administer your WordPress site, you need to use the username and password sent to you by email after installation. This option allows non-Stanford authors to log into your site and contribute because it doesn't require a SUNet ID to log in.
- Administrative Email: your @stanford.edu email address is entered in this field as the administrator. An administrator password will be sent to you by WordPress. If you've chosen the Full WebAuth option above, this password is a backup and you won't need to use it. You'll be automatically logged in using your existing SUNet ID and password.
- Privacy Settings: click Yes to allow your site to appear in search engines; click No to block your site from appearing in search engines.
Click Configure Application to install your WordPress site. This may take a couple of minutes.
Once your site is installed, a page displays showing the settings that you chose and a box at the top with the URL for your new site. Click the URL to visit your new site.
You’ll also receive an email from WordPress with your admin username, password, and the URL of your site. The admin username and password are only needed if you chose not to use WebAuth to log in.