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Entry Screen

After activating the plugin, you’ll see the Watchman Tower entry screen with two main options: [Screenshot: Entry screen with both buttons]

I Already Have an Account

Connect using a register token from your existing Watchman Tower account

Create New Account

Sign up for Watchman Tower directly from WordPress

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Option A: Connect with Existing Account

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Step 1: Get Register Token

1

Login to Dashboard

Visit app.watchmantower.com and log in
2

Navigate to WordPress Integration

Go to Integrations → WordPress in the sidebar
3

Add New Site

Click the Add New Site button
4

Copy Register Token

A unique register token will be displayed. Copy it to your clipboard. [Screenshot: Dashboard showing register token]
Register tokens are single-use and expire after 24 hours. Generate a new one if yours has expired.

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Step 2: Connect in WordPress

1

Click Connect Button

In WordPress, click I Already Have an Account
2

Paste Token

Paste the register token into the input field [Screenshot: Token input screen]
3

Submit

Click Connect button
4

Wait for Verification

The plugin will: 1. Verify token with Watchman Tower API 2. Register your WordPress site 3. Receive instance ID and site ID 4. Initialize heartbeat monitoring

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Connection Success Indicators

Once connected successfully, you’ll see: ✅ “Connected” badge in green at the top ✅ Instance ID displayed (format: WTHB-XXXXXX) ✅ Site ID displayed (your site’s unique identifier) ✅ Last Heartbeat timestamp showing recent activity ✅ Site Status Widget showing “Up & Running” [Screenshot: Connected dashboard view]

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What Happens During Connection?

💡 The plugin automatically sends the first heartbeat immediately after connection to verify everything works.

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Option B: Create New Account

Don’t have a Watchman Tower account? Create one directly from the WordPress plugin:

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Step 1: Access Signup Form

Click Create New Account on the entry screen [Screenshot: Account creation form]

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Step 2: Fill Registration Form

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email
string
required
Your email address - used for account login and notifications
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siteName
string
required
Display name for your WordPress site (can be changed later)
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siteUrl
string
required
Your site URL - automatically populated from WordPress settings
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password
string
Optional password for your Watchman Tower account Leave empty to auto-generate a secure password

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Step 3: Submit & Auto-Connect

1

Click Create Account

Click Create Account & Connect button
2

Account Creation

Watchman Tower creates your account: - Generates secure password (if not provided) - Creates your dashboard account - Generates register token automatically
3

Automatic Connection

Plugin uses the generated token to connect immediately - no manual token entry needed!
4

Check Your Email

You’ll receive an email with: - Your Watchman Tower login credentials - Dashboard access link - Getting started guide
Save your login credentials! The auto-generated password is only sent once via email.

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Registration Example

{
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "siteName": "My WordPress Blog",
  "siteUrl": "https://example.com",
  "password": "" // Auto-generated
}

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After Signup

Once registration completes:
  1. ✅ Account created in Watchman Tower
  2. ✅ WordPress site automatically connected
  3. ✅ Heartbeat monitoring starts immediately
  4. ✅ Email sent with login details
  5. ✅ Dashboard accessible at app.watchmantower.com

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Connection Verification

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Check Connection Status

After connecting (either method), verify your setup:
  • WordPress Admin
  • Watchman Tower Dashboard
  • WP-CLI
Go to Settings → Watchman Tower Look for: - Green “Connected” badge - Valid instance ID - Recent heartbeat timestamp - Site status showing “Up & Running”

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Troubleshooting Connection

Possible causes: - Token expired (older than 24 hours) - Token already used - Network connectivity issues - API endpoint unreachable Solutions:
  1. Generate a new register token 2. Check your site’s internet connectivity 3. Verify firewall isn’t blocking api.watchmantower.com 4. Check WordPress debug.log for error details
Solutions: - Ensure you copied the entire token (no spaces) - Generate a fresh token from dashboard - Clear browser cache and try again
Possible causes: - Email already registered - Invalid email format - Site URL not accessible Solutions: 1. Use a different email address 2. Verify email format is correct 3. Ensure your site is publicly accessible 4. Try connecting with existing account instead
Check: - Heartbeat interval setting (should be 60-3600 seconds) - Monitoring not paused - Browser console for JavaScript errors - WordPress cron is functioning Solution: Click Send Heartbeat Now button to test manually

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What Data is Sent?

When connecting, the plugin sends:
  • Site URL and name - WordPress version - PHP version - Plugin version - Instance identifier
❌ User passwords or credentials ❌ Post/page content ❌ User personal information ❌ Database credentials ❌ FTP/SFTP credentials
All communication is encrypted via HTTPS. View our Privacy Policy for details.

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Next Steps

Connected Dashboard

Explore the plugin dashboard

Configure Settings

Adjust heartbeat interval

View Metrics

What data is monitored

Token Management

Manage authentication