Install ISPConfig 3 on CentOS 7

Many server owners are found cPanel as one of the best control panels to manage the Linux server because of its convenience to use.

However, for small businesses, paid control panels like cPanel and Plesk may not affordable for customers,

Then they may prefer to install a free control panel like ISPConfig.

At Bobcares, we often get requests to install ISPConfig 3 as part of our Server Management Services.

Today, let’s get into the details and see how our Support Engineers install ISPConfig 3 and fix related errors

How to install ISPConfig 3 on CentOS 7

ISPConfig is a free control panel that helps to manage Linux servers through a web browser. The ISPConfig offers services like configuring domains, email addresses, site configurations, and user accounts. There are some procedures before we install ISPConfig3.

Some prerequisites required are:

1. Web Server (Apache or Nginx)
2. FTP server
3. DNS Server
4. MySQL server as a database server
5. Awstats for statistics purpose
6. IMAP and POP3
7. Webmail

After configuring the basic things, we install the ISPConfig 3 in the server as follows.

Initially, we download the latest release tar file. Then we untar the file.

Now we install using the command.

cd ispconfig3_install/install/

php -q install.php

We answer the questions to complete the installation.

Once it is completed, we can access the ISPConfig control panel via http://yourIPAddress:8080.

How to install ISPConfig 3 – Related errors and fixes

At Bobcares, where we have more than a decade of expertise in managing servers, we see many customers face problems while installing  ISPConfig 3 on the server.

Now, let’s see the major reasons for this ISPConfig installation-related errors and how our Support Engineers fix the top errors.

PHP incompatibility

Recently, one of our customers had a problem while installing the ISPConfig on the server. He got an error while executing the command php -q install.php.

PHP Warning: Illegal string offset 'global' in /tmp/ispconfig3_install/install/lib/install.lib.php on line 631
PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Cannot use string offset as an array in /tmp/ispconfig3_install/install/lib/install.lib.php:631

On checking, our Support Engineers found that the error has occurred due to the incompatibility of the PHP version with the ISPConfig version.

So, we changed the PHP version in accordance with the ISPConfig version and solved the error.

MySQL details incorrect

Incorrect MySQL password creates the error like Access denied; you need (at least one of) the SUPER, SYSTEM_VARIABLES_ADMIN or SESSION_VARIABLES_ADMIN privilege(s) for this operation.

Then we tried to access MySQL with the ISPConfig password. If not possible means somehow the MySQL password has changed. So, we need to update it manually.

For that, we took the password from the config.inc.php file. Next, we login to PHPMyAdmin and set this password for the ISPconfig MySQL user. Also, we select the PASSWORD() function when saving the password.

After that, we run flush privileges or restarted MySQL service.

This fixed the error.

[Need assistance on how to install ISPConfig 3? We’ll help you.]

Conclusion

In short, ISPConfig is an open-source hosting control panel that allows managing of Linux servers through a web browser. Today, we saw how to install ISPConfig 3 on Centos 7 server and the different methods used by our Support Engineers to fix the related errors.