Rocket.net - Is it really the fastest? Hosting Review & Setup Tutorial

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through setting up and reviewing Rocket.net, a WordPress hosting provider that claims to offer the fastest hosting speeds available. We'll cover the entire process from signing up to conducting performance benchmarks, helping you understand its capabilities and whether it fits your needs.

Step 1: Signing Up for Rocket.net

1. Visit the Rocket.net website through the link provided in the description.
2. Review the pricing options:
   • Startup: 1 website, 250,000 visitors/month.
   • Pro: 3 websites, 1 million visitors/month.
   • Business: 10 websites, 2.5 million visitors/month.
3. Choose the plan that suits you and take advantage of the $1 trial for your first month.
4. Create an account by entering your email and setting a password.
5. Fill out your payment details and click 'Sign Up'.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Site

1. After signing up, you will be directed to your dashboard.
2. Click on 'Create a Site'.
3. Enter a label for your site (e.g., "Idea Spot") and select your server location:
   • Options include multiple locations in the US, Australia, UK, Europe, and Asia.
4. Click 'Continue' and set up your WordPress credentials:
   • Choose an admin username and password.
   • Enter your admin email.
5. Review additional options and select any recommended plugins, if desired. You can also skip adding WooCommerce and other plugins for a clean install.
6. Click 'Continue' to finish creating your site.

Step 3: Configuring DNS Settings

1. Locate the temporary address for your site in the dashboard.
2. If you have an existing domain (e.g., "idspotonline"), enter it and click 'Continue'.
3. Begin the SSL configuration:
   • Copy the provided text records into your DNS settings (using a service like Namecheap).
4. Add the necessary records:
   • A Record: Point it to the provided IP address.
   • CNAME Record: Point 'www' to your temporary domain.
5. Confirm that you've updated your DNS and return to the dashboard.

Step 4: Verifying Site Setup

1. Wait for DNS changes to propagate (this may take a few minutes).
2. Use a DNS checker tool to confirm your settings.
3. Once verified, access your WordPress admin area through the URL provided in the dashboard.

Step 5: Customizing Your Site

1. In the WordPress dashboard, remove any pre-installed plugins such as Akismet and Hello Dolly if not needed.
2. Install a new theme (e.g., Cadence) by navigating to 'Appearance' > 'Themes' > 'Add New'.
3. Activate your chosen theme and import a starter template if desired.

Step 6: Running Performance Benchmarks

1. Install benchmarking plugins such as:
   • WP Performance Tester
   • WordPress Hosting Benchmark Tool
2. Run benchmarks for both MySQL performance and general WordPress speeds:
   • Look for results that indicate how your site performs compared to industry averages.
3. Conduct further tests using Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to assess load times.

Conclusion

Rocket.net offers robust performance and a straightforward setup process for WordPress hosting. While it may be more expensive than some alternatives, its features, including Cloudflare Enterprise CDN, provide significant value. If you're running serious projects that require high performance, this hosting solution may be worth considering. Don't forget to take advantage of the $1 trial to assess its capabilities firsthand.