Linode Jitsi is a collection of open source projects that combine to provide essential utilities such as Jitsi Meet. Bobcares, as a part of our Server Management Service, offers solutions to every Linode query that comes our way.

Linode Jitsi

Jitsi is a collection of open source initiatives that together make up core tools like Jitsi Meet, an always accessible, fully encrypted video conferencing service. Important video conferencing features offered by Jitsi Meet include group chat, the ability to join meetings via phone, and the ability to share our desktop or screen for presentations.

Options for Configuration

• The supported distributions are Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.
• All plan types and sizes are available, but for hosting large meetings or numerous simultaneous meetings, we advise using an 8GB Dedicated CPU or Shared Compute Instance.

Jitsi Options

Custom Domain (Optional)

Firstly we must set up our domain to use Linode’s name servers if we want a custom domain to be automatically configured. Usually, we can do this directly through our registrar. The following fields for the Marketplace App can then be filled out once that is complete:

• Linode API Token: Create a Linode API Personal Access Token on our account with Read/Write access to domains if we want to use Linode’s DNS Manager to manage DNS records for our custom domain. The installation tries to create DNS records using the Linode API if this is supplied along with the subdomain and domain fields. We must manually configure our DNS records through our DNS provider and point them to the IP address of the new instance if we do not provide this field.
• Subdomain: The preferred subdomain, for example, www for www.domain_name.com
• Domain: The desired domain name, e.g., domain_name.com.
• For the Jitsi server, the admin email.

Limited User (Optional)

For our new Compute Instance, we can choose to automatically create a limited user by filling out the following optional fields. For most deployments, this is advised as an additional security measure. The sudo group, which grants elevated permission when using commands with the sudo prefix, will be given access to this account.

• Limited sudo user: Please enter the limited user’s preferred username.
• The limited user’s password: Give the new user a strong password.
• For the limited user’s SSH public key: Enter our public key here if we want to log in as the limited user using public key authentication (without entering a password).
• Block root access through SSH: Select Yes to prevent the root user from logging in via SSH (recommended). Once logged in, we can still change to the root user, and we can also log in as root using Lish.

Getting Started

Jitsi has been set up and is prepared for use.

1. If we completed the optional Jitsi configuration fields before accessing our app:

   * There is now a domain entry for our domain with two A/AAAA records pointing to our new server in the Cloud Manager DNS Manager. One each for the hostname and the domain name.
   * On our Linode, configure rDNS.
2. Then open the browser to the Linode’s rDNS address if we didn’t set up a domain. In the Cloud Manager’s Networking tab, we can also locate the rDNS address for our Linode. Go to the specified address if we did set up a domain.
3. Finally, Jitsi prompts us to begin a meeting.

Software Integrated

The following applications are installed on our Linode by the Jitsi Marketplace App:

• Jitsi Meet: JavaScript program that supports WebRTC that makes video conferencing possible.
• Jitsi Videobridge (jvb): Server that supports WebRTC and distributes video streams among conference participants.
• Jitsi Conference Focus (jicofo): The focus component on the server-side that controls participant sessions.
• Prosody: XMPP signaling server.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, our Support team covered Configuration Options, Jitsi Options, and how to get started after Deployment in detail.