How to Install Froxlor with Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04

What is Froxlor?

Froxlor is a free and open-source server management panel designed for hosting providers and system administrators who manage shared hosting environments. It provides a web-based GUI to handle Apache/Nginx configuration, domain management, FTP, email, SSL certificates, MySQL databases, and more—all without needing to manually edit configuration files.

Running Froxlor on Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat) offers a modern and secure platform to create and manage multi-user hosting setups with ease.

Key Features of Froxlor

Web Hosting Control Panel

Manage multiple domains, subdomains, and customer accounts.
Supports Apache, Nginx, and PHP-FPM with per-domain configuration.

Email and FTP Management

Create and manage email accounts, forwarders, and quotas.
Integrates with Postfix, Dovecot, and Courier for email services.
Manage FTP users and directories via ProFTPD or Pure-FTPd.

DNS and SSL Management

Configure DNS zones (if using external DNS tools).
One-click integration with Let’s Encrypt for free SSL certificates.
Custom SSL support per domain or subdomain.

Database Management

Create and manage MySQL or MariaDB databases and users.
Offers phpMyAdmin integration for database access via the web.

System and Resource Monitoring

Track disk space, traffic usage, bandwidth quotas, and service status.
Per-customer usage limits and reporting.

Multi-Customer Management

User roles for admins, resellers, and customers.
Set quotas, permissions, and access controls per user or group.

API and Automation

REST API support for automating customer creation, domain setups, and more.
Can be integrated with billing systems or external provisioning tools.

Why Use Froxlor on Ubuntu 24.04?

Ubuntu 24.04 provides a modern, LTS-backed foundation with:

Long-term support and security updates
Up-to-date versions of PHP 8.2+, Apache 2.4, Nginx, MariaDB, etc.
Strong systemd integration and improved performance
Easy integration with Certbot, UFW, and system monitoring tools

Using Froxlor on Ubuntu 24.04 is ideal for those who want lightweight shared hosting management without relying on heavyweight or commercial control panels like cPanel or Plesk.

System Requirements for Froxlor

Component	Requirement
OS	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Web Server	Apache 2.4 or Nginx
PHP Version	PHP 8.1 or 8.2 with required modules
Database	MariaDB or MySQL 5.7+
Mail Server	Postfix, Dovecot/Courier
FTP Server	ProFTPD or Pure-FTPd
RAM	512 MB minimum (1 GB+ recommended)
Disk Space	2 GB+ for OS and hosted content

Use Cases

Small to medium shared hosting services
Self-hosted control panel for freelancers and resellers
Educational setups or local development hosting
Lightweight cPanel/Plesk alternative
Secure and customizable hosting environments

Pros of Froxlor on Ubuntu 24.04

Free and open-source with no licensing fees
Clean and simple web interface
Supports both Apache and Nginx
Lightweight and resource-efficient
Integrates well with Let’s Encrypt, mail, and FTP services
Easy to manage multi-user hosting environments

Cons

Requires manual setup and configuration of web/mail/FTP stacks
Fewer features and polish than commercial panels (e.g., Plesk, cPanel)
No built-in file manager (FTP required for file uploads)
Limited plugin ecosystem compared to alternatives
Updates must be managed carefully to avoid configuration conflicts

Security Recommendations

Use UFW or iptables to restrict unused ports
Enable HTTPS for panel access (via Let’s Encrypt)
Disable unused PHP modules and services
Use Fail2Ban for brute-force protection
Keep all software components up to date

Froxlor on Ubuntu 24.04 is a capable and lightweight alternative to commercial hosting control panels. With features to manage web, email, FTP, and database services via a browser interface, it’s ideal for small hosting providers, VPS owners, and developers who want full control over their hosting environment without the cost or complexity of proprietary solutions.

If you’re running a self-managed web hosting setup, Froxlor provides the tools you need in a simple and efficient interface, perfectly supported by the stability and modern features of Ubuntu 24.04.

Step 1: Create a VPS on Shape.Host

Go to https://shape.host and log in.

Click Create.

Choose Instance.

Pick a server location.

Select Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit) as your OS.

Choose a plan with at least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 20 GB SSD.

Click Create Instance.

Once created, find your instance’s IP address under the Resources tab.

Step 2: Connect to Your Server

On Linux/macOS:

ssh root@your_server_ip

On Windows:
Use PuTTY, enter the IP, and log in as root.

Step 3: Update Package Index

apt update

Refreshes your system’s list of available packages.

Step 4: Install and Configure Nginx

apt install nginx
systemctl start nginx
systemctl enable nginx
systemctl status nginx

Installs and starts Nginx, sets it to auto-start, and shows its status.

Step 5: Install and Start MariaDB

apt install mariadb-server
systemctl start mariadb
systemctl enable mariadb
systemctl status mariadb

This installs the MySQL-compatible database server, starts it, and ensures it runs at boot.

Step 6: Set Up Froxlor Database Access

mariadb

Then inside MariaDB:

CREATE USER 'froxroot'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'froxroot'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

Creates a user froxroot with full access (replace 'your-password' with a secure password).

Step 7: Install PHP and Required Extensions

apt install php-fpm php-intl php-mysql php-curl php-cli php-zip php-xml php-gd php-common php-mbstring php-xmlrpc php-bcmath php-json php-sqlite3 php-soap php-gmp php-gnupg php-zip php-ldap php-imap

Froxlor needs many PHP extensions. This command installs all of them at once.

Step 8: Download and Extract Froxlor

cd /tmp
wget https://files.froxlor.org/releases/froxlor-latest.tar.gz
tar xvfz froxlor-latest.tar.gz -C /var/www/
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/froxlor/

Downloads the latest Froxlor archive, extracts it, and sets ownership for Nginx.

Step 9: Create the Nginx Virtual Host File

nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/froxlor.conf

Paste the following configuration, replacing your-domain.com with your actual domain or IP:

server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    root /var/www/froxlor;
    index index.php;
    server_name your-domain.com;

    access_log /var/log/nginx/your-domain.com.access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/your-domain.com.error.log;   
    
    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
    }

    location ~ .php$ {
         include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
         fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
         fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
         include fastcgi_params;
    }
}

This configures Nginx to serve the Froxlor panel using PHP-FPM.

Step 10: Enable Site and Restart Services

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/froxlor.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
systemctl restart nginx.service
systemctl restart php8.3-fpm

Activates the Froxlor site and restarts both Nginx and PHP-FPM to apply changes.

Step 11: Access Froxlor in Your Browser

Visit:

http://your_server_ip

You’ll be guided through the Froxlor web-based installer.

Click Start installation to begin.

Type in the database name and password, then click Next.

Create an admin account and continue.

Type in the server primary IP address and choose the webserver and backend for Nginx.

Choose to configure services yourself.

You now have Froxlor installed with Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04, using all your original commands, and it’s ready to manage domains, web servers, and user accounts.

Host Your Control Panel on Shape.Host

This setup runs perfectly on a fast and secure Shape.Host Cloud VPS.

Instant instance creation
Full root access
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➡️ Try Shape.Host at https://shape.host

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