Fixing the CPanel HotLink Error in Wordpress

Identifying the Problem

Using CPanel, you turn on Hotlink protection to prevent outside hot linking to your files from unauthorized sites.

Enabling Hotlink protection causes a 404 error for previously-working Wordpress URL’s

Explanation

CPanel’s hotlink protection feature makes a series of changes to the .htaccess file at the root of each subdirectory of the public_html directory.

If the permalink structure in Wordpress was changed from the default then the root .htaccess file was previously altered to accommodate the custom URL structure (default Wordpress URL’s are structured http://www.mysite.com/?page=123). CPanel’s modifications interfere with Wordpress’ settings, causing the modified URL’s to stop functioning correctly.

Solution

Login to CPanel. Click on the Hotlink Protection option. Click on the Disable Button. Close CPanel.

Login to the admin section of the affected Wordpress site. Click on Settings

Click on Permalinks

Verify that the custom URL structure is the same as before the error occurred. Click on the Save Changes Button

The Wordpress site’s custom URL’s should be restored.

See Also: “Adding Hotlink Protection to Wordpress“