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Install the ISPConfig Control Panel on a VPS

ISPConfig is a free, open-source hosting panel. Install it on a clean VPS and add your first domain.

VPS and Cloud Servers3 min read10 steps3 screenshots

About ISPConfig

ISPConfig is a free control panel for Linux servers. It manages websites, email, DNS and databases from a web interface. It is a popular free alternative to paid panels.

Prepare the VPS

  1. ISPConfig runs on common Linux distributions, such as Debian and Ubuntu. Use a clean VPS with a supported OS and no other control panel.
  2. Connect with SSH. Open your SSH client, enter the IP address or host name of your VPS, the port (22 by default), and your user name and password.
    Connecting to the VPS with SSH
  3. Set a fully qualified host name, for example server.example.com.

Install ISPConfig

The easiest way is the official auto-installer. It installs the whole stack (web server, mail, database, DNS) and ISPConfig itself.

Step 1: Update the server

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Download and run the installer

Use the instructions on the ISPConfig website for your version. The common method is:

wget -O - https://get.ispconfig.org | sh

You can add options to choose the components, for example --no-roundcube. Read what a script does before you run it.

Manual install: download the package, unpack it and run the PHP installer.

wget https://www.ispconfig.org/downloads/ISPConfig-3-stable.tar.gz
tar -xzf ISPConfig-3-stable.tar.gz
cd ispconfig3_stable/install/
sudo php -q install.php

Step 3: Answer the questions

The installer asks you to set up:

  • The language and the installation mode (standard or expert).
  • The database root password.
  • The host name.
  • The admin password of ISPConfig. Write it down.

When it finishes, the installer shows the address of the panel, usually https://your_server_ip:8080.

Log in and add a domain

  1. Open the panel address in your browser and accept the certificate warning for now.
    The ISPConfig address in the browser
  2. Log in with the user admin and the password you set.
    The ISPConfig login
  3. Open Sites in the left menu and click Add new website.
  4. Enter the Domain, choose the document root, the PHP version and other options.
  5. Click Save.

Set the DNS records

Point the domain to your VPS:

  1. Add an A record for the domain that points to the IP address of the VPS (at your DNS provider or in the DNS of ISPConfig).
  2. Add records for www and for email (MX) if you use them.

Manage databases

Use Sites and then Databases to create a database and a database user for the website.

Quick recap

  • Start from a clean VPS with a proper host name.
  • Run the ISPConfig installer and note the admin password.
  • Log in on port 8080 and add your site.