Install Froxlor on CentOS 7: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Froxlor is a free and open-source server management interface that is both lightweight and robust. It is particularly well-suited for setting up and running a web hosting environment.

This guide walks you through installing Froxlor on a CentOS 7 server.

Prerequisites

• A 64-bit CentOS 7 server.
• A user account with sudo privileges.

Step 1: Update Your System

To ensure the system has the latest updates, execute the following commands using a sudo-enabled account:

sudo yum install epel-release -y
sudo yum update -y
sudo shutdown -r now

Once the reboot is complete, log in again using the same sudo user account.

Step 2: Install Apache Web Server

To install the most recent stable version of Apache on CentOS 7, use the YUM package manager:

sudo yum install httpd -y

Next, deactivate the default Apache welcome page:

sudo sed -i 's/^/#&/g' /etc/httpd/conf.d/welcome.conf

For added security, modify Apache’s configuration to stop revealing directory contents:

sudo sed -i "s/Options Indexes FollowSymLinks/Options FollowSymLinks/" /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Now start the Apache service and set it to run automatically on boot:

sudo systemctl start httpd.service
sudo systemctl enable httpd.service

Step 3: Install MariaDB 10.1

Froxlor requires a relational database to save its data. For CentOS 7, MariaDB version 10.1 is recommended.

Step 3.1: Configure the YUM Repository for MariaDB 10.1

To set up the repository, paste the following block into your terminal and press Enter:

cat < 

			

Step 3.2: Install MariaDB Using YUM

Run the following command to install both the server and client components of MariaDB:

sudo yum install MariaDB-server MariaDB-client -y

Step 3.3: Start and Enable the MariaDB Service

Use the commands below to start the service and ensure it launches on boot:

sudo systemctl start mariadb.service
sudo systemctl enable mariadb.service

Step 3.4: Secure Your MariaDB Setup

To enhance the security of your MariaDB installation, execute the following command:

sudo /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts and supply a strong, private password for the MariaDB root account:

• Enter current password for root (enter for none): Enter
• Set root password? [Y/n]: Y
• New password: <your-password>
• Re-enter new password: <your-password>
• Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: Y
• Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: Y
• Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]: Y
• Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]: Y

Step 3.5: Set Up the Froxlor Database

First, access the MySQL shell as root:

mysql -u root -p

Provide the root password you created earlier. Then, within the shell, execute the following SQL commands to create the database, a non-root user, and assign necessary permissions. Make sure to replace yourpassword with a secure password:

CREATE DATABASE froxlor;
CREATE USER 'froxlor'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON froxlor.* TO 'froxlor'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 4: Install PHP 7.1

To install PHP version 7.1 along with all necessary components, use the Webtatic YUM repository by running the commands below:

sudo rpm -Uvh https://mirror.webtatic.com/yum/el7/webtatic-release.rpm
sudo yum install mod_php71w php71w-mysqlnd php71w-common php71w-process php71w-mbstring php71w-bcmath php71w-gd php71w-cli -y

Step 5: Set Up Froxlor

To install Froxlor, begin by downloading the latest release, extracting it to your Apache web root, and assigning the correct file ownership:

cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://files.froxlor.org/releases/froxlor-latest.tar.gz
sudo tar -zxvf froxlor-latest.tar.gz
sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/froxlor
sudo rm froxlor-latest.tar.gz
sudo systemctl restart httpd.service

Next, update your firewall settings to permit web traffic:

sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Launch your browser and go to http://203.0.113.1/froxlor/ to continue the installation via the web-based interface.

On the Welcome to Froxlor screen, select Start install.

In the Checking system requirements step, confirm that all necessary conditions are met, then click Click here to continue.

During the Froxlor install – setup step, supply the following configuration details:

Database Configuration

• MySQL Hostname: 127.0.0.1
• Database Name: froxlor
• MySQL User (limited): froxlor
• Password (limited user): yourpassword
• MySQL Root Username: root
• MySQL Root Password: <MariaDB-root-password>

Administrator Details

• Admin Username: <your-Froxlor-admin-username>
• Admin Password: <your-Floxlor-admin-password>
• Confirm Password: <your-Floxlor-admin-password>

Server Configuration

• FQDN (no IP): <your-server’s-FQDN>
• Server IP: 203.0.113.1
• Web Server Version: Apache 2.4
• HTTP Username: apache
• HTTP Group: apache

At the final screen, if everything was configured properly, click the link labeled Click here to login to access the Froxlor admin dashboard.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured Froxlor on your CentOS 7 server. With the web interface now accessible, you can begin managing web hosting environments easily and efficiently. Froxlor simplifies server administration while remaining lightweight and free, making it a powerful choice for hosting professionals.