How to Configure Apache Virtual Hosts on Your VPS

How to Configure Apache Virtual Hosts on Your VPS

Apache Virtual Hosts allow you to host multiple websites on a single VPS. This is particularly useful when you want to manage different domains or subdomains independently. Follow this step-by-step guide to configure Apache Virtual Hosts.

Step 1: Update Your VPS and Install Apache

Ensure your system is up to date and Apache is installed.

• Update the package list and install Apache:

  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  sudo apt install apache2 -y
  

• Verify that Apache is running:

  sudo systemctl status apache2
  

Step 2: Create Directories for Your Websites

Each website needs its own directory to store files.

• Create a directory for the first website (e.g., example1.com):

  sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example1.com/html
  

• Set permissions for the directory:

  sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/example1.com/html
  sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/example1.com
  

• Repeat these steps for additional websites (e.g., example2.com).

Step 3: Create Sample Index Files

Add an index.html file for each website to test the configuration.

• Create the file for example1.com:

  echo "<h1>Welcome to Example1.com</h1>" | sudo tee /var/www/example1.com/html/index.html
  

• Do the same for example2.com or other domains.

Step 4: Create Virtual Host Configuration Files

Virtual Host files define settings for each website.

• Copy the default Apache configuration file to create one for example1.com:

  sudo cp /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf /etc/apache2/sites-available/example1.com.conf
  

• Edit the configuration file:

  sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/example1.com.conf
  

  Replace its contents with:

  <VirtualHost *:80>
      ServerAdmin admin@example1.com
      ServerName example1.com
      ServerAlias www.example1.com
      DocumentRoot /var/www/example1.com/html
      ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example1.com_error.log
      CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example1.com_access.log combined
  </VirtualHost>
  

• Save and exit the file (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X).
• Repeat for other websites (e.g., example2.com), changing the domain and directory names.

Step 5: Enable Virtual Hosts

Activate the Virtual Host configuration files.

• Enable the example1.com Virtual Host:

  sudo a2ensite example1.com.conf
  

• Disable the default Virtual Host if it's not needed:

  sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
  

• Reload Apache to apply changes:

  sudo systemctl reload apache2
  

Step 6: Update DNS Settings

Ensure your domain points to your VPS by updating its DNS records.

• Log in to your domain registrar’s dashboard.
• Update the A Record to point to your VPS’s IP address.
• Allow some time for DNS propagation.

Step 7: Test Your Configuration

• Open a web browser and navigate to http://example1.com.
• You should see the message:

  Welcome to Example1.com
  

• Repeat for other domains to ensure they load correctly.

Step 8: Enable SSL (Optional but Recommended)

Secure your websites with SSL certificates using Let’s Encrypt.

• Install Certbot:

  sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y
  

• Obtain and configure SSL for your domain:

  sudo certbot --apache -d example1.com -d www.example1.com
  

• Follow the prompts to complete the setup.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Error 403 Forbidden: Check file and directory permissions. Ensure the web server has access to the DocumentRoot directory.
• Website Not Loading: Verify DNS settings and ensure the domain points to your VPS’s IP address.

Note: Configuring Apache Virtual Hosts allows you to host multiple websites on one VPS efficiently, ensuring better resource utilization and management.