Server Control Panel is a web-based demo environment that is installed on the server so that users can manage all of their hosting services together. Your site can be managed through many control panels such as DirectAdmin, Cpanel, Plesk, Webmin, etc. It’s up to you to decide which control panel to use and manage your sites. This control panel is free, and you can use it, or take advantage of its features without paying any fee or buying a license. Now, let’s see, how we can Install Webmin on Ubuntu 21.04.

What is Webmin?

Webmin is a graphical interface for managing Linux VPS systems through which you can access your information on your hosts and manage your sites. It can be configured using modules. It is for Linux and BSD operating systems. Also, the external environment and its management part are Perl. Webmin eliminates the need to manually edit Unix configuration files such as /etc/passwd and allows you to manage to host servers from the console or remotely.

What Are Webmin Features?

Webmasters can do a lot of things with Webmin, some of which include:

– DNS settings

– User management

– Database management

– Services management

– Manages and creates emails

– Edits server files

– Backups from data

– Apache settings and configuration

– Website file management

Introducing Different Parts of Webmin Dashboard

The following parameters are available in the Webmin section:

1- Global Webmin Configuration

2- Adjust the interface and language of the utility

3- Backup settings

4- Webmin user configuration

5- Stock History

6- Operating system and more options

The following parameters are available in the System section:

1- View current server or computer processes

2- Change user passwords

3- View and update software packages

4- Adjust scheduled tasks

5- PAM configuration

6- Access system events at a general level or in a time range

7- Run data backups

8- View system users and groups

It is possible to view each user with their groups as well as create, edit, or delete the user in the user section and groups.

The following parameters are available in the Servers section:

A- Manage user emails

B- Edit the SSH server

C- Manage the database server

The following parameters are available in the Tools section:

A- The file manager

B- A command console

C- Access to custom commands

D- Establish SSH connections

E- View system and server status

F- Access protected web directories

G- Use HTTP tunnel to increase access security

Tip: The network section provides an overview of how Ubuntu 21.04 works.

The following parameters are available in the Network section:

1- Firewall management

2- General configuration of active network interfaces on the device

3- Manage used bandwidth

4- Configure the NIS client and server

To see the complete and updated configuration of network cards, Click on “Network Interfaces“.

The following parameters are available in the Hardware section:

1- Printer management

2- Manage logical volumes

3- Set the system time

4- Work on Linux RAID

5- ISCSI configuration

6- View hard drive partitions

In the cluster section, all the parameters of the active cluster in the computer are assigned:

1- Change passwords

2- Create new users or groups

3- Check servers

4- Copy files

You will see all the obsolete modules that are no longer active on the computer in the “Unused Modules” section. You can set the dark or light mode according to your preference, you should see the bottom. There is an integrated terminal to execute commands.

For comprehensive operation on a Linux computer, especially Ubuntu 21.04, use Webmin.

How to Install Webmin on Ubuntu 21.04

By entering the following command after accessing the terminal, you should confirm the use of Ubuntu 21.04:

 lsb_release -a

To add a Webmin repository, you must add it to the /etc/apt/sources.list file and then enter the following command to install and update WebMain using the package manager:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

When the file is finished, enter the following command:

deb http://download.webmin.com/download/repository sarge contrib

You can now save the changes with the Ctrl+O keys and use the Ctrl+X keys to exit the editor.

In order to access the repository and do the loading, you must add the PGP Webmin key and enter the following command:

wget http://www.webmin.com/jcameron-key.asc

You can add the key with the following command:

sudo apt-key add jcameron-key.asc

Now you can enter the following command to update the Webmin repository:

sudo apt update

Once the package update is completed, you can install Webmin on Ubuntu 21.04 by entering the following command:

sudo apt install webmin

Enter the letter y to confirm the download. At the end, it is possible to identify the way to access the Webmin panel:

https: // IP_address: 10000 / https: // computer_name: 10000 / https: // localhost: 10000 /

How to Configure Webmin on Ubuntu 21.04

In this step, you must enter the following command to grant the necessary permissions before accessing the Ubuntu 21.04 firewall:

sudo ufw allow 10000

Once you have done the firewall authorization, go to the browser. You are now ready to access Webmin. Click on “Advanced” to display the following:

Now click on “Accept risk and Continue” to enter the credentials that give you access to the Ubuntu 21.04 system.

After clicking on Sign In, you will see the Webmin Dashboard, which includes the following:

– Name of the team

– The used version of Webmin

– System usage time

– Processor information

– Current RAM memory

– Hard disk space

– Used operating system

– Kernel version

You can see the data history and disk usage or network interfaces at the bottom of the page.

Keep in mind that since Ubuntu 21.04 is still in beta, Debian Linux 11 has been released in the operating system version.

Click on the username at the bottom and assign the desired language.

You must save the changes to take effect.

How to Access Webmin on Ubuntu

After you have successfully installed Webmin according to the instructions given, we want to examine how to access it. For this reason, you can launch your browser and enter the following address:

https://server-ip:10000/

If you encounter the following warning message, you can easily click on Advanced:

Then, you should click on the link “Continue to server-IP“:

As you can see in the image below, you will enter the login page. You can click on Sign In after entering your information:

Finally, you will have access to the Webmin Admin Dashboard:

Troubleshooting Common Issues of Installing Webmin

Like any software, Webmin can encounter issues from time to time. Here are some common Webmin issues and their potential solutions:

1- You can’t access the Webmin web interface.

Solution:

– Ensure the Webmin service is running: sudo systemctl start webmin.

– Check if the firewall is blocking the Webmin port (default is 10000).

– Verify that Webmin is configured to start at boot: sudo systemctl enable webmin.

2- You receive SSL certificate warnings or errors when accessing Webmin.

Solution:

– Ensure that your SSL certificate is correctly configured in Webmin’s SSL Encryption settings.

– Make sure the certificate files and paths are correct.

– Restart Webmin after making changes: sudo systemctl restart webmin.

3- You can’t log in to Webmin.

Solution:

– Verify that you are using the correct username and password.

– Reset the Webmin password using the command-line sudo /usr/share/webmin/changepass.pl /etc/webmin username newpassword.

– Check if the user you are trying to log in with has the necessary permissions in Webmin’s ACL (Access Control List) settings.

Conclusion

Webmin is provided for free and you don’t have to pay for it. Many famous control panels periodically charge their users for the services they provide. But the point that distinguishes Webmin from other control panels is that Webmin is free in addition to its graphical environment and convenient features. This article introduces Webmin and all its features. If you are planning to install Webmin but do not know how to install it, you can easily do so with our educational tutorials.