How to Change the WP Login URL

Changing the WordPress login URL is a simple yet effective security measure that can help protect your site from unauthorized access attempts, especially those from bots. While this can be done using various WordPress plugins such as WPS Hide Login for example, Staq offers a built-in feature that allows you to change the login URL directly from its interface, eliminating the need for additional plugins. Here’s how you can do it:

Changing the Login URL

Access the Staq Panel:

• Log into your Staq account and navigate to the dashboard.
• Select the site for which you want to change the login URL.

Navigate to Security Settings:

• In the Staq Panel of your site, look for the Security section.
• Click on Hide Login Page to access the login URL settings.

Modify the Login URL:

• In the provided field, change the login URL from the default “wp-admin” to any custom name you prefer.
• Ensure the new login URL is unique and difficult for bots to guess, enhancing the security of your site.

Configuring Access Denial Settings

After changing the login URL, you can further enhance security by specifying what happens when someone attempts to access the conventional WordPress login page:

Redirect To Custom Page:

• Select this option to redirect users or bots that attempt to access the default login page.
• By default, they will be shown a 404 error page, effectively masking the existence of your actual login page.

Show Restrictive Page:

• Alternatively, you can choose to display a “[Staq Error] Access Denied” message to those trying to access the default login URL.
• This option makes it clear that access is restricted, without revealing the correct login path.

Whitelist certain IP addresses accessing the Login page

You can now whitelist certain IP addresses or IP ranges from accessing the login page of WordPress.

You can keep the conventional wp-admin or wp-login.php but whitelist an IP address to access this login page or better yet, customise the login page URL as per the screenshot above, together with whitelisting IP addresses for even greater security.

If you have a whitelisted IP address and someone tried accessing the login page, they will see this error message, [Error] Access Denied (Not Authorized)

Conclusion

Changing the WordPress login URL is a quick and effective way to enhance the security of your WordPress site hosted on Staq. By utilizing Staq’s built-in feature, you can easily customize your login URL and decide how unauthorized login attempts are handled, all without the need for additional plugins. This not only helps to secure your site from brute force attacks but also simplifies your site’s security management.