Question: How do I view raw access logs for my website? Print

Answer:

This article explains how to view raw access logs in Plesk for your GHFS Hosting account. Access logs show detailed information about every request made to your website.

1. What Are Raw Access Logs?

Raw access logs contain unfiltered records of visitors accessing your website. These logs include:

• Visitor IP addresses

• Requested URLs

• Status codes (200, 404, 500, etc.)

• User agents (browser, bot, device type)

• Request timestamps

Access logs are essential for troubleshooting, security investigation, and analytics.

2. How to View Access Logs in Plesk

Steps:

1. Log in to your Plesk control panel

2. Go to Websites & Domains

3. Select your domain

4. Click Logs

The Logs section displays real-time access and error logs directly in your browser.

You can:

• Filter logs (access, error, warning, etc.)

• Search for specific entries

• View log updates in real-time

3. How to Download Raw Access Log Files

If you need the actual log files for deeper analysis:

1. In Plesk, navigate to Websites & Domains

2. Click Logs

3. Find Log Files at the top or bottom of the page

4. Download the access_log or access_log.processed files

You can open these files using a text editor or log analysis tool.

4. Combined vs. Processed Logs

You may see different types of log files:

• access_log – real-time or most recent log entries

• access_log.processed – archived or rotated logs

• error_log – error-related messages

Processed logs help you review older visitor data.

5. Why Access Logs Are Useful

Raw logs help with:

• Investigating hacking attempts

• Tracking bot or crawler activity

• Diagnosing 404, 403, or 500 errors

• Monitoring traffic spikes

• Finding the source of slow or failing requests

They provide more detail than analytics tools like Google Analytics.

6. When to Contact GHFS Hosting Support

Contact support if:

• You cannot view or download logs

• Logs appear empty or incomplete

• You need help understanding log entries

• You suspect malicious activity and want assistance

GHFS Hosting support can analyze logs and help identify problems.