Installing Apache HTTPS on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat

19 July 2024 / Commenti

In this simple step-by-step guide, we see how to Install Apache on Ubuntu 24.04 and configure the Web Server. The tutorial is designed for users with basic computer and Linux knowledge.

Introduction

Apache is one of the most popular web servers in the world, known for its reliability and ease of configuration. In this guide, we will see how to install and configure Apache on Ubuntu 24.04, one of the latest versions of this popular Linux distribution.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

A server or Virtual Machine with Ubuntu 24.04 installed
Root access or sudo privileges
A stable Internet connection

Step 1: Update the System

First, it is important to update the Ubuntu 24.04 packages to make sure you have the latest and most secure versions. Open the terminal and type:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

These commands update the package index and install available updates.

Step 2: Install Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

To install Apache on Ubuntu 24.04, use the apt command:

sudo apt install apache2

The system will download and install Apache and its dependencies.

Step 3: Verify the Installation

To verify that Apache has been properly installed and that the service is active, you can use the following command:

sudo systemctl status apache2

You should see output similar to "active (running)." You can also check by opening a Web browser and navigating to your server's IP address. You should see the Apache welcome page.

Step 4: Configuring Virtual Hosts.

Virtual Hosts allow you to host multiple websites on a single Apache server. To configure a Virtual Host, follow these steps:

Create the directory for the files that will be served by Apache
```
mkdir /var/www/html/example.com.
```
Create a Virtual Host configuration file with an appropriate name, such as example.com.conf, in the /etc/apache2/sites-available directory.
```
nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.
```

Add the following content to the configuration file, replacing example.com with your domain name:

<VirtualHost *:80>
	ServerName example.com
	ServerAlias www.example.com
	DocumentRoot /var/www/html/example.com         
	<Directory /var/www/html/example.com>
		Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
		AllowOverride All
		Require all granted
	</Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Enable Virtual Host using the a2ensite command or by creating a symbolic link to the configuration file in the /etc/apache2/sites-enabled directory:
```
sudo ln -s /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.conf /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/example.com.conf
```
Restart Apache to apply the changes:
```
sudo service apache2 restart
```

HTTPS with free SSL certificates Let's Encrypt

Now that we have installed Apache on Ubuntu 24.04, thanks to the excellent Let's Encrypt, you can generate SSL/TLS certificates, which are universally recognized, secure and free

We need to configure the DNS name of the website we are going to host so that it reaches the IP of our server

DNS configuration example

To configure DNS, we need to access our provider's panel and register a name like this

example.com A 1.1.1.1

We install Let's Encrypt and generate the SSL and TLS certificates

apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache

Let's create the Apache2 configuration

certbot --apache

We test the renewal of certificates

certbot renew --dry-run

We check that the scheduled Cron process for renewal is present

cat /etc/cron.d/certbot

If there were no problems resolving our domain, our virtual hosts will respond in HTTPS, returning the famous "green padlock" to us on the browser

Apache Configurations

The configuration of Apache is mainly done through files in /etc/apache2/. Here are some of the most important files:

/etc/apache2/apache2.conf: The main configuration file.
/etc/apache2/sites-available/: Directory where the configurations of available sites are located.
/etc/apache2/sites-enabled/: Directory where the configurations of active sites are located.

To enable a site, use the a2ensite command followed by the name of the site configuration file. To disable it, use a2dissite.

Managing the Apache service

You can use the following commands to manage the Apache service:

sudo service apache2 start: starts the Apache service
sudo service apache2 stop: stops the Apache service
sudo service apache2 restart: restarts the Apache service
sudo systemctl enable apache2: enables Apache to start automatically at system startup
sudo systemctl disable apache2: disables the automatic startup of Apache at system startup

Useful resources

Official Apache documentation: https://httpd.apache.org/docs/

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How can I restart Apache?

Use the command sudo service apache2 restart.

2. How can I view the Apache logs?

Apache logs are located in the /var/log/apache2/ directory. The main files are access.log and error.log.

3. Can I install additional modules for Apache?

Yes, you can install additional modules using the command sudo apt install module-name. Then enable the module with a2enmod module-name and restart Apache.

Conclusion

By following these simple steps, we have installed Apache on Ubuntu 24.04. If you need further assistance or want to optimize your configuration, please feel free to contact us. Our team of experts is ready to help you.

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