How to Install Webmin on Your CentOS VPS

Webmin is a web-based system administration interface that removes the need to edit raw server files in SSH. Like cPanel, Webmin features includes various system administration options natively and with installable modules:

• File, database, and user management
• Language and theme customization
• Firewall and other security options
• Scheduled Backup configuration
• Resource monitoring
• DNS Settings
• Read email
• And more

Unlike cPanel, Webmin is free. Here’s a preview of Webmin day and night mode views:

Below we cover how to install Webmin on your CentOS Cloud Server or Bare Metal Dedicated server.

You can install Webmin on a managed VPS (with cPanel). You may not want to do this long-term if you plan to discontinue cPanel usage. This would create more possible security vulnerabilities and you’d still be paying for cPanel/WHM. If you have any questions regarding this, contact our Live Support.

There are three major parts to getting started with Webmin:

• Install Webmin
• Ensure port 10000 is open
• Fix the self-signed SSL certificate error

Install Webmin

1. Log into SSH as root
2. Visit https://www.webmin.com/download.html for the latest package URL
3. Install the RPM: wget https://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/webadmin/webmin-1.941-1.noarch.rpm (as of January 2020)
4. Install required dependencies: yum -y install perl perl-Net-SSLeay openssl perl-IO-Tty perl-Encode-Detect
5. Upgrade the package to its latest version: rpm -U webmin-1.941-1.noarch.rpm

Open Port 10000

Managed VPS Firewall

cPanel users may have to open port 10000 in your ConfigServer & Firewall (CSF) TCP_IN section or Advanced Policy Firewall (APF).

Cloud Server Firewall

1. While in SSH, add port 10000 to your firewall: firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-port=10000/tcp --permanent
2. Restart firewalld (should take <1 minute unless you have a lot of firewall rules): firewall-cmd --reload
3. Ensure 10000/tcp is open: firewall-cmd --zone=public --list-ports

After you finish installing Webmin, log into https://hostname:10000 or https://ServerIP:10000 with your root user credentials.

Cloud Server users may need to reset the Webmin password so it doesn’t match your server password: /usr/libexec/webmin/changepass.pl /etc/webmin root New$tr0ngP@sSw0rd

Fix Self-signed SSL Certificate Error

You’ll need to address the self-signed SSL issue.

• cPanel server users can request a new free SSL depending on your AutoSSL settings in WebHost Manager (WHM)
• Cloud Server users will need to install a Let’s Encrypt SSL, purchase an SSL certificate or disable the Enable SSL? setting

If you need help at any time, let our Managed Hosting team help you with Launch Assist.