Virtual Private Server (VPS) - FAQ

What is FreeBSD?
FreeBSD is an advanced UNIX operating system. See http://www.freebsd.org for more details.

What is SSH?
SSH is a secure replacement for rlogin and telnet. (http://www.openssh.org)

How do I get into my shell?
You'll need a SSH client program. If you're using UNIX, you probably already have it installed, just try 'ssh -l root your.server.name'. In case you use Windows, you'll need a SSH client program like PuTTY (http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/), this is a free one. You may want to try or buy some more advanced clients like SecureCRT (http://www.vandyke.com/products/securecrt).

How do I get into my Web-based Admin utility?
Logon to your server and start it by issuing the following command '/usr/local/etc/rc.d/webmin.sH start', then type in your browser 'https://your.server.name:10000', and logon using username root and your password. If you want to make it startable at boot, you should rename 'webmin.sH' to 'webmin.sh', but we suggest you to start it manually and turn it off ('/usr/local/etc/rc.d/webmin.sH stop') after finishing the configuration of your server.

How do I create user account(s)?
You can use the shell for that ('adduser'), or the above Webmin utility.

How do I set a cron job?
You can edit '/etc/crontab' and then 'kill -HUP `cat /var/run/cron.pid`', or use Webmin (see 'man cron' for more details).

How do I reboot my virtual server?
Type 'reboot' and your server will be restarted in a couple of minutes.

How do I configure my FTP server?
It's configured and running by default, you should create a user account(s) at first.

I want anonymous FTP, chroot-ed user directories, etc.
You can download the latest ProFTPD package from ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/packages/All, install it ('pkg_add proftpd-x.y.z.tgz') and configure by yourself. It's supported by Webmin too.

How do I configure my web server?
Your web server is started by default. To configure it use Webmin, or edit your '/usr/local/etc/apache/httpd.conf' file. For starting and stopping it use 'apachectl' command. There's a server status page, you can find it at http://your.server.name/server-status. For more info visit http://httpd.apache.org/docs

How do I upload my web pages?
You can upload them using FTP using 'webuser' as username and your root password. Web server's DocumentRoot points to webuser's home directory. By default it's '/usr/local/www/data'. You may want to change that, and also you may want to create virtual hosts and associate different ftp user(s) to them. Also you can use FrontPage (if FrontPage extensions are available for your service plan)

How do I enable embedded perl (mod_perl) support?
Uncomment the 2 lines containing 'LoadModule perl_module' and 'AddModule mod_perl.c' in your httpd.conf file, then restart your web server using 'apachectl restart'.

How do I enable PHP support?
Uncomment the 2 lines containing 'LoadModule php4_module' and 'AddModule mod_php4.c' in your httpd.conf file, then restart your web server using 'apachectl restart'.

How do I enable FrontPage 2002 support?
This module is available pre-installed and enabled by default in our Trademaster plan only. If you are not subscribed to that plan, you should patch, compile and install your own apache with FrontPage extensions. Using Microsoft FrontPage you should be able to connect to your server 'http://my.server.name', logon as webuser and your default root password, and publish your web content.

How do I manage my Frontpage 2002 virtual servers?
After uncommenting the '_default_:9999' virtual host entry in your httpd.conf file and restarting apache you should be able to use the web based server administration. Just point your browser to 'http://my.server.name:9999' and log in as user 'fpadmin' and your root password.

How can I enable SSL support?
This module is available pre-installed in our TradeMaster plan only. If you aren't subscribed to that plan, you should patch, compile and install your own apache with SSL support. To enable SSL, stop apache with 'apachectl stop' and start it with 'apachectl startssl'. Then point your browser to 'https://my.server.name'. You should see a warning (that's because the default certificate installed there is self-signed), then you should see the apache sample page. If you want apache to start at boot with SSL enabled, change its startup script at '/usr/local/etc/rc.d/apache.sh'.

How do I create apache virtual hosts?
Use Webmin. Visit http://httpd.apache.org/docs/vhosts for more details.

How do I get my web stats working?
You have webalizer installed and configured by default. When you start it you should get some updated stats at 'http://your.server.name/usage/' (note the trailing slash). If you want these stats to be updated hourly or daily you should put a cron job like '0 4 * * * root /usr/local/bin/webalizer'.

How do I configure my SMTP mail server?
The SMTP server (sendmail) is installed but not started by default. You can start it manually by issuing the command '/usr/sbin/sendmail -bd -q30m', or enable it to start at boot (If you really need it) by changing 'sendmail_enable' to "YES" in your '/etc/rc.conf' file. You can configure it using Webmin. (For more details see http://www.sendmail.org)

How do I configure my POP3 and IMAP mail servers?
POP3 and IMAP servers are installed, but don't listen by default. If you want POP3 only, uncomment the line containing 'popper' in your '/etc/inetd.conf' file. In case you need IMAP, you should disable 'popper' and enable 'ipop3d' and 'imapd' in that file. To apply the changes you can type 'kill -HUP `cat /var/run/cron.pid`' (or reboot).

Where's the Web mail and how do I use it?
The web-based mail client is available pre-installed in the TradeMaster plan only. You should have some user account(s) and enable IMAP and PHP at first, then go to 'http://my.server.name/horde/imp/login.php' and follow the web interface.

How do I get MySQL access?
For the HostMaster service plan, this feature is optional. You should request it initially by providing us with your desired username/password for the database account to be created on our Unix MySQL server (db.abac.com). For the TradeMaster plan you have a choice o request an account on our server, or (if you need more than one db user) use the pre-installed dedicated MySQL service in your virtual server. You can start it by typing '/usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysql-server.sH start' and make it startable at boot by renaming that script to'*.sh'.

Where is my web-based SQL admin tool?
http://your.server.name/mysqltool/index.cgi
If you are using our database server, you should use your username/password there. Uncheck the root checkbox, type 'db.abac.com' into the 'Server' field and enter your user name into the 'Database' field. If you have a dedicated MySQL service running at your virtual server, you should connect as root to localhost.

Where's my Mercury Merchant Server?
This software is available pre-installed in our TradeMaster plan only. Go to 'http://your.server.name/olshopadmin', login as 'shopadmin' and your root password and follow the documentation there.