Setup Virtual Hosts In Nginx
Understanding The Virtual Hosts Concept
The Virtual Hosts concept is an important part of installing Nginx. It allows you to host multiple websites on a single physical server and is one of the core features of Nginx. A virtual host is a set of parameters used to distinguish each website on a single physical server. It consists of a hostname, which is the name of the website, a port number so that Nginx can identify it, and the root of the website which defines where the website data is stored on the disk. It also includes a server_name that is used to identify the website, even if it changes its IP address.
When you are configuring Nginx, you use the virtual host’s parameters to setup each website on the physical server. This way the server can tell each web page apart and know which data to serve to each website. With Nginx, you can serve multiple websites from the same IP address, and can use the virtual host feature to identify which website should get the traffic.
How To Setup Virtual Hosts In Nginx
When you are setting up virtual hosts on Nginx, there are two steps you need to do, both of which are fairly easy.
1. Create the Virtual Host Configuration File – The first step to creating a virtual host configuration in Nginx is to create a configuration file that defines the parameters of your virtual host. This configuration file should be placed in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/ directory. It should have the same name as the domain of your website, for example website.com.conf. This configuration file is where you will define all of the parameters for your virtual host, such as the root of the website, the domain name, port number, and any other configuration parameters that you might need. You can take a look at some of the example configurations that come with Nginx to get an idea of how to setup your own configuration file.
2. Setup the Site in Nginx – The next step in setting up virtual hosts is setting the site up in Nginx. This requires you to add a new server block in the Nginx configuration file. The “server” block defines the parameters that will be used to identify the website. At a minimum, the “server” block should contain the server_name parameter, which matches the domain name of the website. It should also include the root parameter, which defines the root directory of the website, as well as the port number that should be used to access the website.
Once the server block has been added, you will need to enable the website by creating a symbolic link from the configuration file located in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/ directory to the /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ directory. Once this is done, you can reload the Nginx configuration with the command “sudo service nginx reload” to make the changes take effect.
Configure DNS Settings For Virtual Hosts
Once you have setup the virtual host in Nginx, you will need to configure the DNS settings for the domain. You will need to create an A record that points to the IP address of the physical server. This will tell the DNS server which IP address to send the traffic to when someone attempts to access the website. You can also create a www record with a CNAME that points to the domain’s A record. This will allow users to access the website by typing in the www sub domain.
You will also need to setup the DNS settings for any subdomains you might be using, such as blog.website.com. This can be done by creating a subdomain A record that points to the main domain’s IP address. Once this is done, you can create a CNAME record that points the subdomain to the subdomain’s A record.
Testing The Setup Virtual Hosts
Once the DNS settings for the domain have been configured and you have created the virtual host configuration file, the next step is to test the setup. You can test the setup by entering the domain name into the address bar of your web browser and seeing if the website loads. You can also test the setup by trying to access the website from a remote computer. This will help you ensure that the DNS settings are correct and working correctly.
Troubleshooting The Virtual Hosts Configuration
If the website does not load when you enter its domain name into the address bar of your web browser, then it is likely that the virtual host configuration is not working correctly. In this case, you should check the virtual host configuration file. Make sure that the parameters are correct and configured properly. If everything looks correct, then you can try reloading the Nginx configuration with the command “sudo service nginx reload”. If this does not fix the issue, then double check the DNS settings to make sure they are correct and working correctly.
FAQs
Q. What is a virtual host?
A. A virtual host is a set of parameters used to distinguish each website on a single physical server. It consists of a hostname, a port number, and the root of the website, which defines where the website data is stored on the disk.
Q. How do I setup Virtual Hosts on Nginx?
A. First, you create a configuration file for the virtual host in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/ directory. Then, you add a server block in the Nginx configuration file and create a symbolic link from the configuration file in the sites-available directory to the sites-enabled directory. Finally, you configure the DNS settings for the domain.
Q. How do I test my virtual host setup?
A. You can test the setup by entering the domain name into the address bar of your web browser and seeing if the website loads. You can also test the setup by trying to access the website from a remote computer.
Conclusion
Setting up virtual hosts in Nginx is a fairly simple process that can be done in a few steps. It allows you to host multiple websites on a single physical server, which is a very powerful feature of Nginx. Once you have setup the configuration file, added the server block in the Nginx configuration file, and configured the DNS settings, you can start hosting multiple websites from the same IP address.
Thank you for reading this article. Please read other articles.
Related Posts:
- How To Install Nginx In Ubuntu How To Install Nginx In Ubuntu Introduction to Nginx Nginx is a very powerful web server for hosting websites and applications. It is a fast and reliable server, and is…
- Nginx Static Location For Multiple Django Nginx Static Location For Multiple Django What is Nginx? Nginx is an open source web server written in C that is well-known for its performance and speed. Nginx is one…
- Install Nginx Phpmyadmin Centos 7 Install Nginx Phpmyadmin Centos 7 What is Nginx? Nginx is a web server that is used in Linux-based operating systems such as Centos 7. It is designed to handle high-traffic…
- Nginx How To Get Header Nginx How To Get Header What Is Nginx? Nginx is an open source web server software developed in 2002 by Russian developer Igor Sysoev. It's designed to be lightweight and…
- Reinstall Nginx Ubuntu 18.04 Reinstall Nginx Ubuntu 18.04 What is Nginx? Nginx is an open source, high-performance web server application designed to serve web traffic with lightning-fast speed and robust stability. Nginx is one…
- Installing Nginx And Php In Docker Installing Nginx And Php In Docker Understanding Docker & Its Basics Docker is a virtualization platform for running applications in a container, without a virtual environment. It provides a bridge…
- Forward Nginx To Another Subdomain Forward Nginx To Another Subdomain What is Nginx? Nginx is an open-source, high-performance web server originally developed by Igor Sysoev. Since its initial release in 2004, Nginx has become one…
- Nginx Multiple Server Blocks With Domain Nginx Multiple Server Blocks With Domain What is Nginx? Nginx is a web server software that can be used for a variety of tasks. It is a lightweight, open source…
- Easyphp Httpd.Conf Location Nginx Easyphp Httpd.Conf Location Nginx What is Nginx? Nginx is an open source web server and proxy server that is mainly used for serving static content and also provides reverse proxying…
- Nginx Server_Name In Map Nginx Server_Name In Map What is an Nginx Server_Name? An Nginx Server_Name is the virtual host name associated with a web server. It is used to identify the server when…
- Nginx On Mac Using Brew Nginx On Mac Using Brew Overview Nginx is an open-source web server that can be installed on Macs using the Homebrew package manager. It offers fast, secure, and reliable performance…
- Nginx One Port Multiple Backend Nginx One Port Multiple Backend Introduction Nginx is one of the most popular web servers used today. It is a powerful, reliable and efficient web server. Nginx is also able…
- Nginx Centos 7.6 Virtual Host Nginx Centos 7.6 Virtual Host Introduction to Nginx Virtual Hosts Virtual Hosts, also called Virtual Servers, are a very important function of web hosting. They allow multiple websites to run…
- Ubuntu Set Ip For Nginx Ubuntu Set IP For Nginx Introduction to Setting IP For Nginx Nginx is one of the most popular web servers used today. It is open source, fast and reliable. Nginx…
- Setup Virtual Host Dengan Nginx Setup Virtual Host Dengan Nginx Overview Virtual host adalah salah satu cara untuk men-host lebih dari satu website dari satu server. Virtual host memungkinkan anda untuk menghubungkan beberapa domain dengan…
- How To Debian Nginx Php How To Debian Nginx Php Step 1 – Setup Your VPS The first step to setting up your web server is getting your VPS (Virtual Private Server). This is usually…
- Install Letsencrypt Debian 9 Nginx Install Letsencrypt Debian 9 Nginx What is Letsencrypt? Letsencrypt is an open source, free, automated SSL service that provides users with the ability to secure their websites and use HTTPS…
- Nginx Server Blocks Doesn't Work Nginx Server Blocks Doesn't Work What is Nginx Server Blocks? Nginx Server Blocks are a way of configuring the Nginx web server to match specific domains and serve different content…
- 403 Forbidden Nginx 1.12 2 403 Forbidden Nginx 1.12 2 What is 403 Forbidden on Nginx 1.12 2? 403 Forbidden is an HTTP status code that indicates that the server is denying you access to…
- Nginx Proxy_Pass To Tomcat Nginx Proxy_Pass To Tomcat Introduction The Nginx Proxy_Pass directive is used to provide a secure and efficient way to redirect requests from a web server to a Tomcat Application Server.…
- Docker Nginx Location For Multiple Sites Docker Nginx Location For Multiple Sites If you are a web developer or an IT professional, you know that one of the major headaches in web development is finding a…
- Where Is Nginx Document Root Where Is Nginx Document Root What Is Nginx? Nginx is an open source, high-performance web server and reverse proxy software popular on Linux and Unix. It is used to serve…
- How To Configure Nginx Debian How To Configure Nginx Debian Introduction to Nginx Debian Nginx is a web server and reverse proxy that is used to host websites and manage incoming traffic over the world…
- Ubuntu Server Postgresql Nginx Php Digitalocean Laravel Ubuntu Server Postgresql Nginx Php Digitalocean Laravel Introduction To The Stack Ubuntu Server, Postgresql, Nginx, PHP, Digitalocean and Laravel are an exceptional combination of elements that, when put together, make…
- There Are No Sites-Available Folder Nginx . There Are No Sites-Available Folder Nginx What is Nginx Server? Nginx is an open-source web server that is used to deliver webpages to users. It is a free and…
- Https Www.Canva.Com Etc Nginx Nginx.Conf What is HTTPS www.canva.com etc nginx nginx.conf? HTTPS www.canva.com etc nginx nginx.conf is a configuration file that provides instructions to the web server software regarding how to handle requests from…
- Sudo Nano Etc Nginx Sites Available Default Sudo Nano Etc Nginx Sites Available Default What Is ‘Sudo Nano etc/nginx/sites-available/default’? 'Sudo nano etc/nginx/sites-available/default' is a command used to edit an nginx config file, which stores the necessary configuration…
- How To Limit Public Access And Allow All Access Nginx How To Limit Public Access And Allow All Access Nginx What is Nginx Nginx is an open source web server software developed to provide a reliable, scalable and secure web…
- Etc Nginx Conf.D Default.Conf Not Found Etc Nginx Conf.D Default.Conf Not Found What is Etc Nginx Conf.D Default.Conf? Etc Nginx Conf.D Default.Conf is Nginx's configuration file, which defines how Nginx handles requests from visitors to your…
- Delted Default Nginx Config File Deleted Default Nginx Config File What is an Nginx Config File? An Nginx (short for Engine X) config file is a text-based configuration file used to manage the behavior of…