How can I optimize my VPS setup for WordPress?

Hi everyone,

I just moved my WordPress site from shared hosting (running OpenLiteSpeed) to a VPS. My current setup is CloudPanel on Ubuntu, with Nginx as the web server. I’m also using Cloudflare for DNS and quic.cloud for CDN. My site mostly gets traffic from the US, with some visitors globally. This VPS will host about 5–10 WordPress sites, but only one of them is resource-heavy. The others just need stable uptime without high performance demands.

Here are my main questions:

  1. Free Control Panel Options: I tried CyberPanel, but it doesn’t seem well-maintained. I’m now using CloudPanel, but I’m open to other Linux-compatible, free control panels.

  2. Caching Plugin: I used LiteSpeed Cache on my previous setup. Now on Nginx, is there a better caching plugin to use? Also, any recommendations for cost-effective CDN providers would be great, as this is a nonprofit project.

  3. IP Detection in Wordfence: Since switching to this setup, Wordfence detects all visitor IPs as the quic.cloud IP. I tried adjusting IP settings and adding quic.cloud to the proxy list, but it didn’t help. If anyone has a workaround, let me know!

  4. SSL with Cloudflare CDN: When I tried switching to Cloudflare for CDN, I got an SSL error saying the host SSL was invalid. Issuing a new SSL via CloudPanel didn’t fix it, so I reverted to quic.cloud. Any tips on resolving SSL issues with Cloudflare CDN would be appreciated.

Thanks so much for any help!

Here’s my input:

  1. Try ISPConfig; it’s reliable and free: https://www.ispconfig.org/
  2. For caching, many plugins work well with WordPress and don’t require specific server setups. LiteSpeed does require specific configurations, so alternatives like WP Rocket or Cache Enabler could be easier.
  3. The IP detection issue might be due to your server’s network settings – possibly an IP behind another IP.
  4. I don’t use Cloudflare myself but would be happy to help troubleshoot if needed.

@Aurora
Thanks so much! I’ll check those options out.

Setting up a VPS takes some work, but you’re on the right track. For free control panels, try Webmin or VestaCP. For caching, WP Rocket is solid and works well with Nginx. If Cloudflare and Wordfence are showing IP issues, make sure Cloudflare’s real IP headers are set up properly. Also, confirm Cloudflare’s SSL settings match your server’s SSL setup.

Consider RunCloud. It simplifies server management and supports OpenLiteSpeed if you’d like to keep that setup. Alternatively, Enhance is a solid control panel with LiteSpeed support, though it’s paid.

Here’s my similar setup: VPS with CloudPanel (Nginx) + Cloudflare + WP Super Cache.

For SSL, use Let’s Encrypt in CloudPanel, then enable Cloudflare’s ‘Full’ SSL setting. WP Super Cache is a simple option that works well with this setup. CloudPanel is lightweight, easy to maintain, and has good support via Discord. If you have specific questions, let me know!

CloudPanel is a good choice, but Webmin or VestaCP are other free options to consider. WP Super Cache or Cache Enabler work well with Nginx for caching. For IP detection, try enabling ‘Web Application Firewall’ in Wordfence or check for missing headers. For SSL, set Cloudflare’s SSL to ‘Full’ and make sure your CloudPanel SSL setup aligns.

You might want to try FastPanel as well.

Avoid CyberPanel; it can be quite buggy.

Consider Enhance (paid) as it supports Nginx, Apache, and LiteSpeed. For caching, WP Rocket or FlyingPress work with Nginx. Use Cloudflare firewall rules for security. When setting up Cloudflare, set SSL to ‘Strict’ and check DNS propagation with dnscheck to avoid errors.

If reliability is a priority and you’re new to VPS management, managed VPS might be better. Managing a VPS takes a lot of knowledge, and setup issues can cause downtime.

Joaquin said:
If reliability is a priority and you’re new to VPS management, managed VPS might be better. Managing a VPS takes a lot of knowledge, and setup issues can cause downtime.

I have specific needs that shared hosting can’t cover, which is why I’m on a VPS. Any advice on my questions would be appreciated.

@Jules
Got it. Managed VPS might be worth looking into since setup and maintenance can be tricky. With your setup, be prepared for some learning as you go along.

You could try xCloud host. They handle most of the technical setup for you. (Not an affiliate, just a fan of the service.)

HestiaCP might be a good alternative since CyberPanel has some issues.