Trying To Make My Home-made WordPress Website Visible By Public Network

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Introduction

As a WordPress enthusiast, you've probably set up your own website using the popular content management system. However, if you're trying to make your home-made WordPress website visible to the public network, you may encounter some challenges. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of setting up a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack on a Ubuntu box and configuring your Humax firewall to allow external access to your WordPress website.

Understanding the Basics

Before we dive into the technical details, let's understand the basics of how the internet works. When you create a website, it's hosted on a server that's connected to the internet. To access your website, you need to configure your router and firewall to allow incoming traffic on the correct port. In this case, we'll be using port 80 for HTTP and port 443 for HTTPS.

Setting Up LAMP Stack on Ubuntu

To set up a LAMP stack on Ubuntu, you'll need to install the following packages:

  • Apache: The web server software that will serve your WordPress website.
  • MySQL: The database management system that will store your website's data.
  • PHP: The scripting language that will power your WordPress website.

You can install these packages using the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server php libapache2-mod-php

Once the installation is complete, you'll need to configure Apache to serve your WordPress website. You can do this by creating a new file in the /etc/apache2/sites-available directory:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf

Add the following configuration to the file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html
    <Directory /var/www/html>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

Configuring MySQL

Next, you'll need to configure MySQL to store your website's data. You can do this by creating a new database and user:

sudo mysql -u root

Create a new database:

CREATE DATABASE yourdatabase;

Create a new user:

CREATE USER 'youruser'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';

Grant privileges to the user:

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON yourdatabase.* TO 'youruser'@'%';

Configuring PHP

Finally, you'll need to configure PHP to power your WordPress website. You can do this by creating a new file in the /etc/php/7.4/apache2 directory (assuming you're using PHP 7.4):

sudo nano /etc/php/7.4/apache2/php.ini

Add the following configuration to the file:

upload_max_filesize = 128M
post_max_size = 128M

Configuring Humax Firewall

Now that you've set up your LAMP stack and configured MySQL and PHP, you'll need to configure your Humax firewall to allow external access to your WordPress website. You can do this by creating a new rule in the firewall:

sudo ufw allow http
sudo ufw allow https

Testing Your Website

Once you've completed the above steps, you can test your website by accessing it from a remote location. You can do this by using a tool like curl:

curl http://yourdomain.com

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues while setting up your LAMP stack or configuring your Humax firewall, here are some common issues to look out for:

  • Apache not starting: Check the Apache logs for errors.
  • MySQL not starting: Check the MySQL logs for errors.
  • PHP not working: Check the PHP logs for errors.
  • Humax firewall not allowing access: Check the Humax firewall logs for errors.

Conclusion

Q: What is the LAMP stack and why do I need it?

A: The LAMP stack is a group of open-source software that is commonly used to host websites. It consists of Linux (the operating system), Apache (the web server), MySQL (the database management system), and PHP (the scripting language). You need the LAMP stack to host your WordPress website because it provides a stable and secure environment for your website to run in.

Q: What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

A: HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the protocol used to transfer data between a web browser and a web server. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is a secure version of HTTP that uses encryption to protect data in transit. You should use HTTPS to secure your website and protect your users' data.

Q: How do I configure my Humax firewall to allow external access to my WordPress website?

A: To configure your Humax firewall to allow external access to your WordPress website, you need to create a new rule in the firewall. You can do this by using the ufw command:

sudo ufw allow http
sudo ufw allow https

Q: What are the common issues that I may encounter while setting up my LAMP stack and configuring my Humax firewall?

A: Some common issues that you may encounter while setting up your LAMP stack and configuring your Humax firewall include:

  • Apache not starting: Check the Apache logs for errors.
  • MySQL not starting: Check the MySQL logs for errors.
  • PHP not working: Check the PHP logs for errors.
  • Humax firewall not allowing access: Check the Humax firewall logs for errors.

Q: How do I troubleshoot common issues with my LAMP stack and Humax firewall?

A: To troubleshoot common issues with your LAMP stack and Humax firewall, you can follow these steps:

  1. Check the logs for errors.
  2. Check the configuration files for mistakes.
  3. Restart the services to see if they start up correctly.
  4. Check the firewall rules to see if they are allowing access.

Q: Can I use a different web server instead of Apache?

A: Yes, you can use a different web server instead of Apache. Some popular alternatives include Nginx and Lighttpd. However, you will need to configure your LAMP stack and Humax firewall accordingly.

Q: Can I use a different database management system instead of MySQL?

A: Yes, you can use a different database management system instead of MySQL. Some popular alternatives include PostgreSQL and MariaDB. However, you will need to configure your LAMP stack and Humax firewall accordingly.

Q: How do I secure my WordPress website?

A: To secure your WordPress website, you can follow these steps:

  1. Use a strong password for your WordPress administrator account.
  2. Use a secure protocol (HTTPS) to transfer data between your web browser and server.
  3. Use a web application firewall (WAF) to protect your website from common web attacks.
  4. Keep your WordPress core, themes, and plugins up to date.
  5. Use a security plugin to scan for vulnerabilities and malware.

Q: Can I use a different domain name instead of my current domain name?

A: Yes, you can use a different domain name instead of your current domain name. However, you will need to update your DNS settings and Humax firewall configuration accordingly.

Conclusion

In this article, we've answered some frequently asked questions about making your home-made WordPress website visible to the public network. We've covered topics such as the LAMP stack, HTTP and HTTPS, configuring your Humax firewall, common issues, troubleshooting, and securing your WordPress website. By following these steps and tips, you should be able to make your WordPress website visible to the public network and keep it secure.