Version: Feb 2, 2025

Nginx Web Server Setup Guide

Overview

This guide goes over how to install and setup Ngnix Web Server. Don't believe it? You're using it right now! Running on Windows 10, Hyper-V on Ubuntu Server, using Nginx.

1. Install Nginx

sudo apt update && sudo apt install nginx -y

2. Start & Enable Nginx

sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx  # Auto-start on boot

To check status

systemctl status nginx

3. Configure Firewall (if needed)

Allow HTTP & HTTPS traffic:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'  # Ubuntu/Debian
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

4. Set Up Website Directory

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/mywebsite.com/html
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/mywebsite.com/html
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/mywebsite.com

Create an index.html file:

nano /var/www/mywebsite.com/html/index.html

Example content:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head><title>Welcome to My Website</title></head>
<body><h1>It works!</h1></body>
</html>

5. Create Nginx Server Block

Create a new Nginx config file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/mywebsite.com

Add the following:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name mywebsite.com www.mywebsite.com;
    
    root /var/www/mywebsite.com/html;
    index index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Create a symlink to enable the site:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/mywebsite.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

Test the configuration:

sudo nginx -t

Restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

6. Configure SSL with Let’s Encrypt (HTTPS)

Install Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y

Get an SSL certificate:

sudo certbot --nginx -d mywebsite.com -d www.mywebsite.com

Auto-renew SSL:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

7. Set Up Automatic HTTP to HTTPS Redirect

Modify your Nginx configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name mywebsite.com www.mywebsite.com;
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

Restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

8. Commands to remember for Nginx

Restart Nginx:
```
sudo systemctl restart nginx
```
Stop Nginx:
```
sudo systemctl stop nginx
```
Reload (without downtime):
```
sudo systemctl reload nginx
```

View logs:

sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/access.log
sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log

Thank You & Enjoy!

Thank you for following this guide! I hope it helped you successfully set up your Nginx web server. Whether you're hosting a personal project, a portfolio, or a business site, you're now equipped with the knowledge to configure, secure, and manage your server effectively.

🔥 What We Learned:

How to install and configure Nginx on Ubuntu.
Setting up virtual hosts and serving multiple domains.
Securing your site with Let's Encrypt SSL.
Managing firewall rules for better security.
Backing up critical server files to prevent data loss.

Now you’re ready to deploy, scale, and maintain your Nginx server like a pro. If you have any issues, feel free to troubleshoot, tweak, and explore more advanced configurations.

Happy hosting! 🚀🎉