Install Webmin / Virtualmin on Ubuntu 16.04 / 17.04 / 17.10

Webmin is a web based system configuration tools for administrators. Virtualmin is a module of Webmin for managing Apache2 virtual hosts and other domain settings. With Webmin and Virtualmin, administrators can administer the creation and management of Apache2 virtual hosts, BIND DNS, MySQL database and user accounts on the local server.

Webmin takes aways the complexity of managing system configuration files on Linux systems. For new users and students Webmin can be very useful… It also allows you to manage mailboxes, aliases and domain all via a single web interface.

This brief tutorial is going to show students and new users how to install Webmin and Virtualmin on Ubuntu 16.04 / 17.04 / 17.10 to allow system administrators easy management interface.

When you’re ready to install Webmin and Virtualmin, continue below with the steps:

Step 1: Install Webmin

Since Webmin is the main system configuration tool, you should install it first before Virtualmin.. run the commands below to install required packages.

sudo apt install python apt-show-versions libapt-pkg-perl libauthen-pam-perl libio-pty-perl libnet-ssleay-perl

After that, run the commands below to download Webmin deb package.

cd /tmp && curl -L -O http://www.webmin.com/download/deb/webmin-current.deb

Finally, install Webmin

sudo dpkg -i webmin-current.deb

That should install Webmin…

Step 2: Accessing Webmin

Now that Webmin is installed, you can access the interface by opening your web browser and browsing the the server hostname or IP address followed by port 10000.

ex. http://localhost:10000

If you’re coming from a remote location, you must add the IP address to the allowed list… you can do that by running the commands below to open Webmin default configuration file.

sudo nano /etc/webmin/miniserv.conf

Then adding a new line to allow a specific IP or subnet.

allow=192.168.X.X

Save the file… you should be able to access Webmin

Step 3: Installing Virtualmin

Virtualmin only supports Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and 16.04 LTS. If you don’t have those versions of Ubuntu, Virtualmin will fail to install… If you do, then continue below.

Now that Webmin is installed, go and install Virtualmin.. Virtualmin allows you to manage Apache2 virtual hosts and DNS, just like you have with cPanel and other hosted packages.

Run the commands below to download Virtualmin script.

curl -O http://software.virtualmin.com/gpl/scripts/install.sh

Then make the script executable

sudo chmod +x install.sh

Finally, run the commands below to install Virtualmin

sudo ./install.sh

Accept the default setting and install.

When that’s done, you should have Virtualmin module enabled for Webmin and begin configuring your systems.