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 [email protected]

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.

Learn more about server administration from our Cloud Server Hosting Product Guide.