Lupo Montero

Setting up a web server with Apache 2.2.x and PHP 5.2.x with extensions, PEAR, MySQL 5.x and pdo_mysql on FreeBSD 7 step by step tutorial

Posted by Lupo Montero on

This quick tutorial will show you how to set up a FreeBSD machine (based on minimal install) to run as a web server using Apache 2.2.x, PHP 5 and MySQL 5. This tutorial is based on FreeBSD 7.2 (the current stable release at the time of this writing).

This tutorial builds on the minimal installation described here and assumes you have also downloaded the ports collection. If you haven't done so please read the following article first: Managing ports in FreeBSD.

Install MySQL 5.1.x from BSD ports

Installing ports will normally involve two commands, changing directory to the correct port in the ports collection and then running "make install clean". The second command is actually composed of three steps (making, installing and cleaning up after the installation). 

cd /usr/ports/databases/mysql51-server
make install clean

Now MySQL will be built from source. This process will take a while (actually, a very long while...).

After the installation process finishes we run mysql's install script: 

/usr/local/bin/mysql_install_db

For security reasons it is recommended that we change ownership of the mysql directory: 

chown -R mysql /var/db/mysql/
chgrp -R mysql /var/db/mysql/

Set MySQL root password: 

/usr/local/bin/mysqladmin -u root password 'Ch4ng3m3'

To automatically start MySQL on boot we need to edit the rc.conf file: 

ee /etc/rc.conf

Then add the following lines near the bottom: 

# Enable Mysql
mysql_enable="YES"

Install apache 2.2.x from BSD ports

cd /usr/ports/www/apache22
make install clean

This will take a while as it will install dependencies like perl, autoconf and many other packages from source.

Start Apache on boot: 

ee /etc/rc.conf

Then add the following lines near the bottom: 

# Enable Apache 2.2.x
apache22_enable="YES"

To start/stop/restart the apache server: 

apachectl start
apachectl stop
apachectl restart

To "gracefully" restart the web server (without breaking current connections): 

apachectl graceful

To simply reload configuration: 

apachectl reload

Install PHP 5.2.x from BSD ports

cd /usr/ports/lang/php5
make install clean

This will show a configuration screen where you can choose the installation options. I personally choose everything except the CGI and CGI related options. I much prefer running PHP as an Apache module than CGI.

After installing we edit Apache config: 

ee /usr/local/etc/apache22/httpd.conf

You have to add index.php after index.html to the DirectoryIndex directive, so it should look like this: 

# DirectoryIndex: sets the file that Apache will serve if a directory
# is requested.
#
<IfModule dir_module>
DirectoryIndex index.html index.php
</IfModule>

Add the following lines at the end and save changes: 

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps

Install PHP extensions

cd /usr/ports/lang/php5-extensions
make install clean

This will show a configuration screen where you can choose the installation options. I personally choose all the defaults plus:

Restart apache 

apachectl restart

Install PEAR

cd /usr/ports/devel/pear
make install clean

Install pdo_mysql

cd /usr/ports/databases/php5-pdo_mysql
make install clean

Install phpMyAdmin

cd /usr/ports/databases/phpmyadmin
make install clean