How to Install BoxBilling with Apache on Ubuntu Linux

How to install Apache on Ubuntu Linux

Apache is the web server that serves your website to visitors. First, install it by running these commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

Next, you can manage the Apache service with these commands:

sudo systemctl stop apache2
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

Finally, test your installation by visiting your server’s IP address in a web browser.

How to install MariaDB on Ubuntu Linux

BoxBilling needs a database to store information. MariaDB is a fast and secure choice.

sudo apt install mariadb-server mariadb-client

Secure your database with this command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts. Press Enter for the current password. When asked about authentication, choose the default secure option. Answer “y” to remove anonymous users, disallow remote root login, and remove the test database.

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

We’ll use PHP 8.3 for this setup. To ensure you have the latest version, we’ll add a software repository (a source for installing new software).

sudo apt install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt update

Install PHP 8.3 and the required extensions:

sudo apt install php8.3 php8.3-mysql php8.3-xml php8.3-mbstring php8.3-fpm php8.3-curl php8.3-gd php8.3-zip

General Configuration

For better performance, we’ll configure Apache to use PHP-FPM (FastCGI Process Manager), which handles PHP code execution, along with its proxy module. Enable the necessary modules:

sudo a2enmod proxy_fcgi setenvif
sudo a2enconf php8.3-fpm

Create a configuration file for your site:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/boxbilling.conf

Paste this content into the file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/boxbilling
<Directory /var/www/boxbilling/>
AllowOverride All
Require all granted
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Enable the site and restart Apache:

sudo a2ensite boxbilling.conf
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Set the correct ownership for your files:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/boxbilling

How to create a BoxBilling database

Log into your database console:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Run these commands to create your database and user:

CREATE DATABASE boxbilling;
CREATE USER 'boxbillinguser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL ON boxbilling.* TO 'boxbillinguser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

How to download BoxBilling

Download and extract the files:

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/boxbilling/boxbilling/releases/download/4.22.1.3/BoxBilling.zip
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/boxbilling
sudo unzip BoxBilling.zip -d /var/www/boxbilling

How to setup Let’s Encrypt

To secure your site with SSL, follow the guide here: How to Setup Let’s Encrypt on Ubuntu Linux with Apache – Website for Students.

Finalizing the setup

Once installed, clean up the installer folder for security:

sudo rm -rf /var/www/boxbilling/install

Set the configuration file to be read-only:

sudo chmod 644 /var/www/boxbilling/bb-config.php

Add a cron job to keep your billing tasks running:

sudo crontab -e

Add this line to the file:

*/5 * * * * php /var/www/boxbilling/bb-cron.php

Your BoxBilling installation is now complete and ready for use.

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