Sign into the Dashboard
The Dashboard is where website owners can administer every aspect of their website, as well as:
- add new content, and
- edit existing content.
It is also possible to add and edit articles (and even modules) via the Front End - see next section.
However, we recommend administering your website and its content via the Dashboard.
Protect your website Dashboard from a brute force attack
We recommend that you password-protect the Administrator directory to hide your website's Dashboard from public view and protect it from a brute-force attack.
This can be achieved via the Directory Privacy screen in your Hosting Control Panel.
When Directory Privacy is enabled you will see a Login Panel like the one shown below before you see the Dashboard Login panel.
You can further restrict access to your website's Dashboard by installing a Web Application Firewall (WAF).
We recommend Akeeba Admin Tools PRO.
Admin Tools PRO enables to both password-protect the Administrator directory and enable use of a secret URL to access your Dashboard.
Read more: Web Application Firewall.
Enhance User protection by adding an SSL Certificate to your website's domain.
SSL will encrypt user credentials when they sign in.
Read more: Use an SSL Certificate with your website.
Ensure that all Users with Special Permissions are not using weak user credentials.
We recommend using a long complex password and a unique unusual username.
Read more: Joomla! CMS Security.
You may also wish to consider using Multi-factor Authentication when you choose to publish the Login Module in the Front End. This will help protect your website from brute-force attack.
Dashboard Layout
The Home Page of the Dashboard is called the Home Dashboard.
The buttons on this screen will enable you to make day to day changes.
From time to time you may want to make changes for which you cannot see options in the Home Dashboard.
In this instance, select the System link from the sidebar menu.
How to sign into the Dashboard
Enter the following URL, replacing YOURDOMAIN with the domain name of your website, in the address bar of your browser:
- www.YOURDOMAIN/administrator
Add the following prefix if your website has an SSL Certificate:
- https://
For more information about SSL Certificates visit the following link.
Read more: Use an SSL certificate with your website.
The Dashboard Login Panel
When you visit your equivalent of the above URL you will see the Dashboard Login Panel.
Enter your user name and password and select the Login Button.
In a WYNCHCO Website Design the button is labelled as Sign in.
How to sign out of the Dashboard
Remember to sign out when you have finished editing your website.
To do so, select the User Menu Button (top right of the Dashboard) and then the Log out Button.
