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Set up and download Raw Access logs in cPanel

This guide shows you how to turn on Raw Access logs, download them, and understand what they contain.

cPanel2 min read11 steps

What is a raw access log?

A web server is the computer that sends your website to visitors. Each time someone opens a page or loads a picture, the server writes one line in a diary. That diary is the raw access log.

Each line shows the visitor's IP address (a number that identifies a device on the internet), the time, the page asked for, and the result. You can use logs to find errors, spot strange visitors, or study traffic.

Set up Raw Access

  1. Log in to your client area at https://secure.hostvento.com/clientarea.php.
  2. Open your hosting service and log in to cPanel.
  3. Find the Metrics section.
  4. Click Raw Access.
  5. Under Configure Logging, tick Archive log files in your home directory at the end of each stats processing run. This keeps old logs for you.
  6. Tick Remove the previous month's archived logs from your home directory at the end of each month if you want old files cleared. This saves disk space.
  7. Click Save.
Tip: Archived logs use your disk space. If you do not need old logs, keep the clean-up option ticked.

Download a log

  1. Go back to Raw Access.
  2. Look at the list under Download Current Raw Access Logs. You will see your domain names.
  3. Click the name of the domain you want. For a secure site, pick the one marked SSL if it is listed.
  4. Save the file to your computer.

Older archived logs appear under Archived Raw Logs. Click a file name to download it.

Open the file

Many downloads end in .gz. This is a compressed file, like a zip. Use a tool such as 7-Zip to open it. Inside is a plain text file. Open it with Notepad or any text editor.

A line looks like this:

203.0.113.5 - - [08/Oct/2026:10:15:32 +0000] "GET /index.html HTTP/1.1" 200 5120

This means a visitor with that IP asked for index.html. The code 200 means the page loaded fine. A 404 means the page was not found.

Good to know

  • Logs show only requests made after logging started.
  • Logs can hold visitor IP addresses. Keep them private.
  • If Raw Access is missing, ask Hostvento support whether it is on your plan.

Quick recap

  • Raw access logs are a diary of every request to your site.
  • Find them in cPanel under Metrics, then Raw Access.
  • Tick the archive option and click Save.
  • Click a domain name to download its log.
  • Unzip .gz files and read them in a text editor.