// Knowledge base
Troubleshooting
The usual reasons a certificate, login, cron job or install step fails.
The certificate stays pending
The A record for the name must point at this server, and port 80 must accept connections from the internet. The check is HTTP-01. A proxy in front that swallows port 80, or a DNS record that still points at the old host, leaves the status pending. Wildcard names are not issued by this setup.
The file manager rejects the password
It does not use a shared default login. Use the unique user created when the account was provisioned. That password is not the client portal password unless you set them to the same value.
SFTP does not connect
Use the port from the portal, between 22000 and 22999, not port 22. If an IP allow list is on, your address has to be on it. The firewall on the server must still allow that range.
A cron job never runs
The job has to be an HTTP URL. A shell command or a php path from cPanel will not run. Check the cron log in the client portal, and check that cron is switched on for the account.
Mail health is not OK
Confirm Mailcow was installed (it is optional and needs about 8 GB of RAM). Then run sudo bash scripts/mailcow/ensure-panel-api-key.sh and reset the mail admin password from the panel. Accounts created through the Reseller API do not get mail until you add it.
Staging does not show database changes
Staging copies files only. The database is not synced when you create, refresh or promote a staging site.
The installer stopped
Read the step that failed, fix the cause (port 53 busy, not enough disk, DNS for the panel name missing) and resume:
sudo bash scripts/host-setup/setup.sh --step <step>Still stuck? Email support@smashhithosting.com. Security issues go to the disclosure policy, not that mailbox.