Add a server

An added server is a worker: it runs the same stack as the panel’s own server, without the panel. Its sites, databases, mail relay and certificates all live on it. The panel reaches it over SSH and nothing else.

The Add server dialog on its Blank VPS tab, showing the panel's SSH key

Before you start

A fresh Ubuntu 26.04 server with SSH on port 22.
For a blank VPS, the panel’s SSH key in root’s authorized_keys.

Add a blank VPS

Under Servers → All servers, choose Add server.
On Blank VPS (auto-provision), copy the key into your provider account. Then create the VPS.
Enter a Name, the SSH host / IP and a Let’s Encrypt email. Leave Dev domain at the fleet’s own unless this server needs another.
Choose Provision server and follow the job in the dialog. A first run takes several minutes.

What happens

The panel connects as root, copies its provisioning files and its version to /opt/wpl7, and runs setup.sh --role=worker there. That sets up Docker, a firewall, Traefik, MariaDB, the mail relay, and the wpl7-panel user the panel works as. The panel then runs the checks of Test and copies its plugin zips over. A server that fails is marked error, and Update stack on its page runs the setup again.

Add a server you set up yourself

Clone WPL7 to /opt/wpl7 on the server. Keep it there, because Update stack writes to it.
Terminal window
```
sudo git clone https://github.com/andyfo/wpl7.git /opt/wpl7
```

Run the provisioner with the key from the Add server dialog.

sudo /opt/wpl7/provision/setup.sh --role=worker --dev-domain=dev.example.com [email protected] --panel-key='<the key from the dialog>'

In the dialog, open Already provisioned. Enter the Name, SSH host / IP and Dev domain, then choose Verify & add.
Choose Update stack on the server’s page once, so it runs the panel’s own version.

If one of the panel’s checks fails, nothing is saved. Fix the cause and add the server again.

Point DNS at the new server

The *.dev.example.com wildcard record keeps pointing at the panel’s server. A site on an added server needs a record of its own, such as harbor-yoga.dev.example.com, pointing at that server. With a Cloudflare token, the panel creates and moves these records itself.

The panel takes the server’s public IP from its default route, which behind NAT is a private address. Set the real one with Edit settings on the server’s page: DNS records and move forwarding use it.

Keep servers up to date

After an update from Settings → Updates or update.sh, the panel runs the same setup on every added server, so they follow its version. Update stack does this for one server at any time, and is safe to repeat.

Remove a server

Remove server on its page unregisters a server that runs no sites, once you type its name. It is refused while a moved site’s old copy is still parked there. Files on the machine stay, and the panel forgets the backups stored on it. To end the panel’s access, delete its key from /home/wpl7-panel/.ssh/authorized_keys and /root/.ssh/authorized_keys on that server.

Limits

The dialog connects on SSH port 22. Add a server on another port through the API, with sshPort.
Without a Cloudflare token, the panel creates no DNS records and gives no reminder. Create each site’s record by hand.
The panel’s key is root on every server that trusts it. Protect /srv/panel/ssh like a root password.
The panel does not move sites off a server that is down.