How to build your own web hosting on a VPS, from A to Z

Three paths, same result

Before you start, choose how you want to work:

• Path A, manual (the guide below): you install and configure Nginx, PHP, MariaDB and SSL yourself. Full control over every setting. Takes about 45 minutes. Recommended if you are comfortable with Linux or want to understand exactly what is running.
• Path B, a free control panel: you install an open source panel on the VPS that handles sites, databases, email and SSL from a web interface. Takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Path C, no server to manage: go straight for Wiptor web hosting, with the Wiptor Cloud Panel, free SSL and backups included. Nothing to install.

If you have never used Linux, pick B or C. If you want to learn or need special settings, pick A.

Path A: manual setup

What we are building

Nginx as the web server, PHP 8.3 with FPM, MariaDB for databases, free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates with automatic renewal and a separate configuration for each domain. We start from a fresh VPS with Ubuntu 24.04 and root access.

Before anything else, it is a good idea to secure your server: how to secure your VPS, step by step. If you set up a firewall, remember to open ports 80 and 443.

Step 1: connect and update

ssh root@SERVER_IP
apt update && apt upgrade -y
reboot

Step 2: install Nginx

apt install nginx -y
systemctl enable --now nginx

Open the server's IP in a browser. If you see the Nginx welcome page, it works.

Step 3: install PHP 8.3

apt install php8.3-fpm php8.3-mysql php8.3-curl php8.3-gd php8.3-mbstring php8.3-xml php8.3-zip php8.3-intl -y
systemctl enable --now php8.3-fpm

Step 4: install MariaDB

apt install mariadb-server -y
systemctl enable --now mariadb
mariadb-secure-installation

Answer the prompts: remove anonymous users, disallow remote root login and delete the test database.

Create a database for your first site:

mariadb

CREATE DATABASE site1_db;
CREATE USER 'site1_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'a_strong_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON site1_db.* TO 'site1_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 5: configure your first site

mkdir -p /var/www/site1.com/public
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/site1.com
nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/site1.com

Paste the configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name site1.com www.site1.com;
    root /var/www/site1.com/public;
    index index.php index.html;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
    }

    location ~ /\. {
        deny all;
    }
}

Enable it and reload Nginx:

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/site1.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t && systemctl reload nginx

Step 6: free SSL with Let's Encrypt

The domain must already point to the VPS IP (an A record in DNS). Then:

apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
certbot --nginx -d site1.com -d www.site1.com
certbot renew --dry-run

The last command checks that automatic renewal works. Certificates renew by themselves from now on.

Step 7: more sites

For each new site, repeat step 5 (new folder, new configuration, enable it) and step 6 (SSL). Once you get the hang of it, a new site takes about two minutes.

Step 8: WordPress (optional)

cd /var/www/site1.com/public
wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
tar -xzf latest.tar.gz --strip-components=1
rm latest.tar.gz
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/site1.com

Open the domain in a browser and follow the WordPress installer, using the database from step 4.

Path B: a free control panel

There are several free, open source control panels that install the web server, PHP, MariaDB, DNS, email and SSL with a single command and give you a web interface where you add sites, databases and email accounts in a few clicks. Two well-known options are CloudPanel and aaPanel.

What to know first:

• Install it on a fresh VPS. Most panels need a clean system without Nginx or MariaDB already installed.
• Read the official documentation of the panel you choose: each has its own system requirements and install steps.
• Secure the panel too: a strong password, two-factor login if available and up-to-date software.

What comes next

Your hosting is running. The next step, whichever path you chose, is server security.

Read the security guide: How to secure your VPS, step by step

At Wiptor

Storage VPS plans are the right base for paths A and B: NVMe storage means PHP, databases and WordPress load everything at full speed, and you have root access from minute one. They start at €9/month with 100 GB NVMe.

And if you just want websites without managing a server, Wiptor web hosting starts at €1.99/month with the Wiptor Cloud Panel, free SSL and backups. On the Nano and Starter plans the first month is free with the code WEBHOSTFREE.

See Storage VPS plans · See web hosting