How to configure Webmin on Ubuntu Server – Easy Steps

Ubuntu Server is an excellent Linux server operating system. It comes with Snaps, which makes it easy to set up apps. Plus, it has live patches, so you will never miss a security update and many more great features.

Still, as good as Ubuntu Server is, setting up certain things can be a hassle. If you want to avoid Ubuntu Server hassles, check out Webmin. It is a management tool for UNIX-like operating systems. With it, users can manage their Linux systems with an elegant web user interface instead of the terminal. Here’s how to set it up.

Webmin configuration on Ubuntu server

Install Webmin on Ubuntu Server, you will have to download it. There are many ways to install Webmin on Ubuntu. One way to make it work is to download the standalone DEB package and install it. However, there is also a PPA that can be configured.

Standalone DEB installation

To configure Webmin through the standalone DEB package, do the following. First, log into your Ubuntu server through your Linux desktop via SSH. Or, sit at the Ubuntu server and log in via the TTY console.

Once you have access to the Ubuntu server command line, use the wget download command to get the latest Webmin DEB package directly to your server.

Note: If you don’t want to download the DEB package directly to your Ubuntu server, feel free to download it to your computer and transfer it over the network.

wget http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/webadmin/webmin_1.981_all.deb

With the DEB package file downloaded to your Ubuntu server, you can begin the installation. Using the fit to install comando, configure Webmin.

sudo apt install ./webmin_1.981_all.deb

When you enter the above command, Ubuntu will ask for your password. Using the keyboard, enter your password in the terminal. Then press the AND to confirm that you want to install Webmin.

When the Webmin installation is complete, open a web browser on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Then type the following URL in a web browser.

http://YOUR_UBUNTU_SERVER_IP_OR_HOSTNAME:10000

Webmin PPA installation

If you prefer to update Webmin with Ubuntu Software Updater, you can install Webmin through a PPA. To configure the PPA, do the following. First, log into your Ubuntu server via SSH in a terminal, or use the TTY console.

Once you have logged in, use the sudo -s command to change the terminal window to the root account. So, use fit to install para configurar Curl, GPG y Apt-transport-https.

sudo -s apt install curl gpg apt-transport-https

After installing all three packages, download the Webmin PPA key on your computer and install it on the system.

curl https://download.webmin.com/jcameron-key.asc | sudo apt-key add -

With the key set, add Webmin PPA to your Ubuntu system using the eco command.

echo "deb https://download.webmin.com/download/repository sarge contrib" | tee > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webmin.list

Once Webmin PPA is configured on your Ubuntu server, you will need to update your software sources using the apt upgrade command.

apt update

Finally, install the latest version of Webmin on Ubuntu Server using the fit to install command.

apt install webmin

Setting the root password for Webmin

To use Webmin on Ubuntu, you will need to have root account access. Unfortunately Ubuntu Server locks the root account and encrypts the password. Therefore, you will not be able to log into Webmin without the root password.

To re-enable the root account on your Ubuntu Server system, do the following. First, log into the server with your user credentials via SSH. Or physically sit on the Ubuntu system and use the TTY console.

Once you have access to the Ubuntu command line, use the sudo -s command in terminal. This command will scale your terminal from a standard user to the root account without the need for a password.

sudo -s

With the terminal connected as root, use the passwd command. Using this command will re-enable the root account and allow you to log in as the “root” user in Webmin.

Note: Make sure to use a strong and memorable password for the root account. If you are having trouble finding a strong password, check out the strong password generator.

passwd

Login to Webmin on Ubuntu

To log into the Webmin web UI on Ubuntu, do the following. First, open a web browser tab. Then enter the following URL in the address bar and press the Get into wrench.

http://YOUR_UBUNTU_SERVER_IP_OR_HOSTNAME:10000

When the URL loads, a login window will appear. In the login box, type “root”. Then in the password box, type the root password that you set earlier. Then click on the “login” button to access the Webmin web user interface.