---
title: What You Need To Set Up Your Truehost Reseller Panel
description: "The [Truehost Reseller Panel](https://my.hostking.dev/) lets you sell domains and hosting under your own brand. It connects several services: a domain reseller account, a hosting server, payment providers, and your own domain and branding. Most setup problems come from one of…"
url: "https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/requirements-needed-to-set-up-your-truehost-reseller-panel/"
updated: "2026-10-29"
category: Guides / Truehost Reseller Panel
---

# What You Need To Set Up Your Truehost Reseller Panel

The [Truehost Reseller Panel](https://my.hostking.dev/) lets you sell domains and hosting under your own brand. It connects several services: a domain reseller account, a hosting server, payment providers, and your own domain and branding.

Most setup problems come from one of two things: a **missing key**, or a **key from the wrong account**. You can avoid both by reading through everything in this guide before you start. Do this once, and every later setup goes smoothly.

## **Before you begin, ensure:**

- You have a welcome email from your provider (or the person who installed the panel).
- Access to the email address you use to log in to your Truehost account.
- About 30 to 60 minutes. Some items, such as payment go-live approval, can take longer, so start those early.

You do **not** need all sections below. Only gather what you plan to use. For example, if you will not move from WHMCS, skip that section.

## **Key terms**

| **Term** | **Meaning** |
| --- | --- |
| **API key** | A long, secret code that lets one system (your panel) talk to another (for example, Truehost) on your behalf. Treat it like a password. |
| **Sandbox/test keys** | Practice credentials that let you test without moving real money. |
| **Live/production keys** | Real credentials that process real payments. |
| **A record** | A DNS setting that points a domain name to a server's IP address. |
| **SSL certificate / HTTPS** | The security layer that makes a web address start with https://. |
| **SMTP** | The system your panel uses to send emails such as invoices and password resets. |
| **Nameserver** | A server that tells the internet where your domain's records live. |
| **WHMCS** | A billing and client management platform. You only need it if you are moving customers from an existing WHMCS setup. |

Here are the requirements that one should have to successfully connect to Truehost Reseller Panel:

## **1. Your Truehost Reseller Panel**

| **What you need** | **Where to get it** | **Why you need it** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Admin area address and login** | Your welcome email from your provider, or whoever installed the panel. The admin area is at https://<your panel>/admin | Used in every guide |
| **The address your customers will use**, for example billing.yourbrand.com | A domain or subdomain you own. Point it at the panel server with an **A record**, then ask your technical contact to set it as the panel address (called APP_URL) and issue an SSL certificate | Needed for white labelling (showing your brand, not ours) |
| **A working email account to send from (SMTP)** | Your email provider. Collect the SMTP host, port, username and password. Example sender: noreply@yourbrand.com | Lets customers receive invoices and password resets |

HTTPS is required because Card gateways, M-PESA callbacks, and Paystack webhooks only work on an https:// address that the internet can reach. Do not skip the SSL certificate.

## **2. Domains: the Truehost Domains Reseller API**

You need this section if you want to [sell domain names](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-set-up-domain-pricing-in-the-truehost-reseller-panel/).

| **What you need** | **Where to get it** |
| --- | --- |
| **Truehost Client Area Site** | The Truehost website where your reseller account lives and where you log in. Examples: truehost.co.ke, truehost.com, truehost.cloud, truehost.co.za, truehost.com.ng |
| **API Username** | The email address you use to log in to that Truehost site |
| **API Key** | Log in to that site's client area, open the **Reseller Area** section, then choose **API settings**. If you do not see this section, ask Truehost support to enable domain reselling on your account |
| **Account balance** | Top up your reseller balance on the same site. Every registration, transfer and renewal is paid from this balance |

Each Truehost site keeps its own reseller accounts, keys and balance. A key from truehost.co.ke does not work with truehost.com. Make sure the site, username, key, and balance all come from the *same* site.

You know which Truehost site your account is on, and you have the username, API key, and a funded balance.

## **3. Hosting server**

You need this section if you want hosting accounts to be created automatically when customers buy. Your hosting provider will give you one of the following server types.

| **Server type** | **What you need** | **Where it comes from** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **cPanel/ WHM** | Server hostname, WHM username, and an **API token** | In WHM, go to **Development → Manage API Tokens** |
| **Panelica** | Hostname, **API Key** (starts with pk_live_) and **API Secret** (starts with sk_live_) | In the Panelica panel, go to **Settings → API Keys**. The secret is shown only once, so copy it immediately |
| **DirectAdmin** | Hostname, admin username, and a password or login key | In DirectAdmin, go to **Login Keys** |
| **Plesk** | Hostname, admin username, and a password or API key | From the Plesk administrator account |

Also write down the **packages (plans)** that already exist on that server. A package in the Truehost Reseller Panel sells one of them, for example "Starter 5GB".

## **4. Payments**

Collect details only for the payment methods you plan to offer.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/image-31-1024x520.png)

| **Method** | **What you need** | **Where to get it** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **M-PESA (Safaricom Daraja)** | Consumer key, consumer secret, passkey, and business short code (PayBill or Till number) | [developer.safaricom.co.ke](https://developer.safaricom.co.ke/). Create an app for testing, then use **Go Live** to get production credentials. The production passkey arrives by email |
| **M-PESA go-live extras** | A **Business Administrator** on the M-PESA organisation portal, and an **API operator (initiator)** with its security credential. These are used for payment status checks and reversals | The M-PESA org portal (provided by Safaricom when your PayBill or Till was opened), then the Daraja portal for the credential |
| **Paystack** (cards, M-Pesa, bank) | Public key and secret key | [dashboard.paystack.com](https://dashboard.paystack.com/) → **Settings → API Keys & Webhooks** |
| **Stripe** (cards) | Publishable key, secret key, and webhook signing secret | [dashboard.stripe.com](https://dashboard.stripe.com/) → **Developers → API keys / Webhooks** |
| **PayPal** | Client ID and secret | [developer.paypal.com](https://developer.paypal.com/) → **Apps & Credentials** |
| **Bank transfer** | Bank name, account name and number, and branch or SWIFT code | Your bank |

Always start with **test (sandbox) keys**. Make a test payment, confirm it works, and only then switch to live keys.

M-PESA go-live needs approval and extra roles. Start this early so it does not delay your launch.

**   **For each payment method you will offer, you have the full set of keys listed above.

## **5. Moving from WHMCS **

 If you are [importing existing customers](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/connect-to-whmcs-move-your-customers-to-the-truehost-reseller-panel/) and data from a WHMCS installation.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/image-32-1024x520.png)

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/image-33-1024x520.png)

| **What you need** | **Where to get it** |
| --- | --- |
| **WHMCS database host, name, username, password and table prefix** | WHMCS's configuration.php file (look for $db_host, $db_name, $db_username and $db_password), or your WHMCS host's control panel. The prefix is tbl unless it was changed |
| **Remote database access** | The WHMCS database must accept connections from the Truehost Reseller Panel server's IP address. In cPanel, open **Remote MySQL** and add the panel server's IP. Better still, create a **read-only** database user just for the import |

An import only needs to read data. A read-only user cannot accidentally change or delete anything in your WHMCS database.

**Checkpoint:** you have the database details, and the panel server is allowed to connect to the WHMCS database.

## **6. Branded nameservers**

You need this section if you want customers to see nameservers such as ns1.yourbrand.com instead of generic ones.

| **What you need** | **Where to get it** |
| --- | --- |
| **A domain you own for the nameservers**, for example yourbrand.com | Your domain registrar |
| **The IP addresses behind the nameservers your hosting uses** | Ask your hosting provider (Truehost support) for the nameserver IPs to use for private nameservers |

Ensure you own the domain and have the nameserver IP addresses.

## **7. Brand assets**

These make the panel look like *your* business. They are used when you white label the panel.

- **Logo:** PNG, JPG, SVG or WebP, maximum 2 MB. A wide logo about 30 px tall works best in the header.
- **Favicon:** PNG, ICO or SVG, maximum 512 KB, and square. This is the small icon shown in browser tabs.
- **Brand colours**, your company's legal name, address and support email.

Ensure all files are saved in one folder, within the size limits.

## **Troubleshooting**

| **Problem** | **Likely cause** | **Fix** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Domain API key is rejected | The key belongs to a different Truehost site | Use the key from the same site as your username and balance |
| Cannot find the API settings | Domain reselling is not enabled | Ask Truehost support to enable it on your account |
| Payment confirmations never arrive | The panel address is not on HTTPS or is not publicly reachable | Fix the SSL certificate and confirm the address opens from the internet |
| Panelica API secret is lost | The secret is shown only once | Generate a new API key pair in **Settings → API Keys** |
| WHMCS import cannot connect | The database does not allow your panel server's IP | Add the IP under **Remote MySQL** in cPanel |
| Logo or favicon upload fails | The file is too large or in the wrong format | Check the size limits and supported formats in section 7 |

## **Security best practices**

- Keep all keys and passwords in a password manager.
- Never share keys over email, chat or screenshots.
- Use test keys first, and live keys only when you are ready.
- Use a read-only database user for imports.
- If a key is ever exposed, regenerate it straight away.