How To Install Apache, MySQL, PHP stack on FreeBSD Unix Server
I
‘m a new FreeBSD Unix system users. How can I setup and install Apache, MySQL, PHP stack on a FreeBSD 10 based Unix server?
FAMP stack is nothing but group of source software to run php based apps. Our sample setup includes:
FreeBSD 10.1-RELEASE amd64
Apache v2.4
PHP v5.6
MySQL v5.6
This tutorial explains how to install and configure FAMP stack.
Update your ports
Like always make sure everything is up to date before starting. I like to do:
# portsnap fetch update && portupgrade -a
Sample outputs:
Looking up portsnap.FreeBSD.org mirrors… 7 mirrors found.
Fetching public key from your-org.portsnap.freebsd.org… done.
Fetching snapshot tag from your-org.portsnap.freebsd.org… done.
Fetching snapshot metadata… done.
Fetching snapshot generated at Fri Jan 2 00:09:16 UTC 2015:
4955cbbaee76bcad21123666d1c7eee0d55bc059e2ea04100% of 70 MB 5735 kBps 00m13s
Extracting snapshot… done.
Verifying snapshot integrity… done.
Fetching snapshot tag from your-org.portsnap.freebsd.org… done.
Fetching snapshot metadata… done.
Updating from Fri Jan 2 00:09:16 UTC 2015 to Fri Jan 2 11:42:26 UTC 2015.
Fetching 4 metadata patches… done.
Applying metadata patches… done.
Fetching 0 metadata files… done.
Fetching 8 patches.
….
..
See FreeBSD Update All Installed Ports / Applications tutorial for more information.
Install Apache server
To install the port:
# cd /usr/ports/www/apache24/ && make install clean
Or, to add the package:
# pkg install www/apache24
Sample outputs:
Fig. 01: Install apache
Starting up Apache service on boot
Add following to the end of “/etc/rc.conf” file to launch Apache at start up:
echo apache24_enable= YES >> /etc/rc.conf
STARTING / STOPPING / RESTARTING APACHE SERVER
To start Apache to make sure it works:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apache24 start
To restart Apache server:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apache24 restart
To stop Apache server:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apache24 stop
You can also use the service command for starting/stoping/restarting Apache server on FreeBSD:
service command to control Apache server ##
service apache24 start
service apache24 restart
service apache24 stop
service apache24 status
Sample outputs:
Fig.02: Starting/Stopping Apache
Note: If you are getting this error “Could not reliably determine the server s fully qualified domain name, using 127.0.0.1.” Set the ‘ServerName’ directive globally to suppress this message:
Add next line to /usr/local/ect/apache24/httpd.conf file:
ServerName localhost
Replace localhost with the server’s domain name which can be obtained with:
# hostname -f
Setting up MySQL server
The package or port to be installed will depend on available MySQL version. As of this writing, the maximum available version is 5.6.
Install MySQL server
To install the port:
# cd /usr/ports/databases/mysql56-server/ && make install clean
or, to add the package:
# pkg install databases/mysql56-server
Fig.03: Installing mysql database server
Install MySQL client
To install the port:
# cd /usr/ports/databases/mysql56-client/ && make install clean
or, to add the package:
# pkg install databases/mysql56-client
Starting up Mysql server service on boot
Finally, /etc/rc.conf must contain the following line to allow the MySQL server to start:
echo mysql_enable= YES >> /etc/rc.conf
Starting / stopping / restarting Mysql server
To start the Mysql server type:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server start
To restart the Mysql server type:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server restart
To stop the Mysql server type:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server stop
You can also use the service command for starting/stoping/restarting mysql server on FreeBSD:
command to start/stop mysql servers on a FreeBSD 10 ##
service mysql-server start
service mysql-server restart
service mysql-server stop
service mysql-server status
Sample outputs:
Fig.04: Starting/Stopping mysql server
Setting up Mysql server passwords
The default is set to allow anyone to have full access. It’s very important that you set up passwords. To set a password on the anonymous accounts use:
# mysql -u root
Run the following sql queries at mysql> prompt (replace host_name with actual system host name which can be obtained with hostname -f command:
mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR @ localhost = PASSWORD( newpwd-here );
mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR @ host_name = PASSWORD( newpwd-here );
mysql> quit
Bye
To set a password for the root account use:
# mysql -u root
Run the following sql queries at mysql> prompt:
mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR root @ localhost = PASSWORD( newpwd-here );
mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR root @ host_name = PASSWORD( newpwd-here );
mysql> quit
Bye
NOTE: An alternative method to set a password for the MySQL root user is to run the following command:
/usr/local/bin/mysqladmin -u root password PASSWORD-HERE
See “MySQL Change root Password” tutorial for more information.
After setting the password, here is how you shutdown mysqld server:
# mysqladmin -u root -p shutdown
Sample outputs:
Enter password:
TIP: IF YOU “FORGET” THE ROOT PASSWORD, HERE IS HOW YOU CAN RESET IT
Stop mysqld with this command:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server.sh stop
Modify the start command to add this option to the command line. Do not leave this option on for long. Only for when you need it. It bypasses all usual mysql security:
-Sg|–skip-grant-tables
This option causes the server not to use the privilege system at all. This gives everyone full access to all databases! (You can tell a running server to start using the grant tables again by executing mysqladmin flush-privileges or mysqladmin reload.)
Modify it in /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server.sh:
/usr/local/bin/safe_mysqld –user=mysql –skip-grant-tables > /dev/null & && echo -n mysqld
Start mysqld:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server.sh start
Connect to mysql:
# mysql
Look out because this next step will reset the passwords for all root users. Make sure that’s what you want to do. You may wish to restrict this SQL by including an “and host = ‘something ” clause. Inspect existing users with “SELECT host, user from user;“. Select the mysql database and reset the password:
mysql> use mysql
mysql> update user set password = PASSWORD( secret ) where user = root ;
mysql> quit
=> Do not forget to undo that mysql bypass i.e. Stop mysqld with: /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server.sh stop
=> Remove the option from the vi /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server.sh and remove –skip-grant-tables options.
=> Restart mysqld with: /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server.sh start
=> See “Recover MySQL root Password” tutorial for more information.
Install PHP
When you build PHP, you need to add the configuration option so that PHP build includes support for the Apache server. Type the following commands:
# cd /usr/ports/lang/php56
# make config
When the menu comes up to select/deselect various build options. You should select:
Fig.05: Build PHP using ports collection
Now you will do the make clean command. I normally do these commands all in one but to get the configuration menu, I do them apart.
# make install clean
Install mod_php for Apache
Type the following commands to build mod_php for Apache:
# cd /usr/ports/www/mod_php56
# make install clean
Sample outputs:
Fig.06: Install mod_php for Apache
Install php extensions
If you aren’t sure if it’s or you didn’t check it with your MySQL install, you will do it the commands the same way so you get the menus to configure to add support for both MySQL and MySQLi to communicate with the MySQL server.
# cd /usr/ports/lang/php56-extensions/
# make config
Fig.07: Install popular extensions for Apache
You may also select other extensions as per your PHP apps requirements. Then finish up with:
# make install clean
Configure mod_php
To configure it you will type the following command that just makes a copy of a file:
# cp /usr/local/etc/php.ini-development /usr/local/etc/php.ini
To configure Apache and open the file:
# ee /usr/local/etc/apache24/httpd.conf
I use ee (feel free to use vi or Emacs) text editor for simple edits, look for this line:
DirectoryIndex index.html
And change it so it reads as follows:
DirectoryIndex index.html index.htm index.php
Find and set the following values as per your domain, IP, and port number:
ServerAdmin webmaster@cyberciti.biz
ServerName www.cyberciti.biz:80
Listen :80
Save and close the file. Create a file called /usr/local/etc/apache24/modules.d/001_mod_php.conf as follows:
# cat /usr/local/etc/apache24/modules.d/001_mod_php.conf
<FilesMatch \.php$ >
SetHandler application/x-httpd-php
</FilesMatch>
<FilesMatch \.phps$ >
SetHandler application/x-httpd-php-source
</FilesMatch>
Now restart Apache server:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apache24 restart
OR
# service apache24 restart
Test your setup
Create a file called /usr/local/www/apache24/data/test.php:
# vi /usr/local/www/apache24/data/test.php
Append the following code:
<?php
phpinfo();
?>
Save and close the file. Fire a web-browser and type the url:
http://your-domain-name/test.php
http://your-ip-address/test.php
Sample outputs:
Fig.08: Apache + PHP server ready on FreeBSD
How do I secure PHP?
See our 25 PHP Security Best Practices For Sys Admins for more info.
Recommended readings
Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4 Documentation
man pages – httpd(8), service(8)
This quick tutorial was contributed by Wendy Michele. Editing by admin. You can too contribute to nixCraft.
