How to Set Up a Jitsi Server from Scratch

Running your own Jitsi Meet server means you get to call the shots on your video conferences. Whether you’re a novice developer into open-source tech, a business owner who craves a personal communication setup, or an agency hawking white-label video solutions, hosting Jitsi on your own turf means flexibility, privacy, and room to tweak things as you like. I’m here to walk you through spinning up a Jitsi server from scratch, covering all you need from prerequisites to those pesky troubleshooting moments.

Requirements

So, before you dive into setting up a Jitsi Meet server, ensure your setup ticks a few boxes. These keep things smooth, secure, and running like a charm.

Hardware and Hosting

• Server: A VPS or dedicated server with at least 2 CPU cores and 4 GB RAM works for small gigs. Planning big? You’ll need more power.
• Storage: At least 20 GB free disk space for the OS and Jitsi bits.
• Bandwidth: Video calls are bandwidth guzzlers, so check if your provider offers good speeds. Manage users based on your bandwidth.

Software

• Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is the go-to. Other Linux distros? Sure, but steps might differ.
• Docker & Docker Compose: We’ll tackle this with Jitsi Docker containers for an easier setup and management process.
• Domain Name: Needs to point to your server’s IP. Jitsi needs an FQDN for SSL magic.
• SSL Certificate: For secure chatter. We’ll automate this with Let’s Encrypt.

Network

• Jitsi needs these ports open:
  • TCP 80 and 443 (HTTP and HTTPS)
  • UDP 10000 (media traffic for video/audio)
  • TCP 5222 (XMPP client connections)
• DNS must ensure your domain resolves to your server.
• Sort out NAT or firewall, especially if there’s a home router or cloud firewall in the mix.

Skills and Tools

• Basic Linux command-line savvy.
• Docker command essentials.
• Basic grip on web services and SSL.
• Text editor like nano or vim for nipping config files.

Installation Steps

Let’s get cracking with Jitsi Meet using the official Jitsi Docker setup, which carves out components like Prosody (XMPP server), Jicofo (conference focus), and Videobridge (media relay) into their own containers.

Step 1: Prepare the Server

Update your server packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Docker and Docker Compose:

sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose -y
sudo systemctl enable --now docker

Check Docker’s alive:

docker --version
docker-compose --version

Step 2: Get the Jitsi Docker Files

Make a new home for Jitsi:

mkdir ~/jitsi-meet && cd ~/jitsi-meet

Clone Jitsi’s Docker repo:

git clone https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet.git .

That’s your Docker Compose files and configuration blueprints.

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

Copy the sample environment file:

cp env.example .env

Tweak .env:

nano .env

Define your domain:

# Swap for your actual domain
CONFIG=~/.jitsi-meet-cfg
HTTP_PORT=80
HTTPS_PORT=443
TZ=Your/Timezone
PUBLIC_URL=https://meet.yourdomain.com
ENABLE_LETSENCRYPT=1
LETSENCRYPT_DOMAIN=meet.yourdomain.com
LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL=your-email@example.com

Replace meet.yourdomain.com and the email with your real deets.

Step 4: Create Configuration Directory

Set up storage for config:

mkdir -p ~/.jitsi-meet-cfg/{web/letsencrypt,transcripts,prosody,jicofo,jvb}

This keeps settings across container restarts.

Step 5: Launch Jitsi with Docker Compose

Fire up the containers:

docker-compose up -d

Docker will snag images and kickstart services. Grab a cup of coffee while it does its thing on first run.

Configuration

Your Jitsi instance is up and running, but there’s more fine-tuning for your needs.

Authentication Modes

By default, Jitsi lets anyone launch a meeting. For businesses, lock it down further.

Open ~/.jitsi-meet-cfg/prosody/conf.avail/your-domain.cfg.lua and set:

VirtualHost "meet.yourdomain.com"
    authentication = "internal_hashed"

Restart your containers:

docker-compose restart prosody jicofo jvb

Now credentials are needed to create conferences. Add users via:

docker exec -it $(docker ps -qf "name=prosody") bash
prosodyctl register username meet.yourdomain.com password

Customizing Appearance

Want branding or custom CSS? Hit the web container files or mount volumes with your tweaks.

Advanced Settings

• Consider options for recording or streaming.
• Link authentication with LDAP or OAuth.
• Beef up Videobridge settings in .env for big calls.

Testing and Launch

Once you’ve set up and locked down authentication:

1. Visit https://meet.yourdomain.com in a snazzy browser.
2. Start a meeting and loop in others.
3. Check video, audio, and screen sharing.
4. Watch server resources during calls to ensure smooth sailing.

In my consulting days with businesses offering white-label video setups, a Jitsi Meet setup using Docker has cut down on maintenance while allowing for in-depth customization. A client pulled off 50+ users on 4 CPUs and 8 GB RAM.

Troubleshooting

Even with a solid setup, glitches can pop up. Here are some common ones and fixes.

Problem 1: SSL Certificate Issues

• Ensure port 443 is wide open.
• Peek at Let’s Encrypt logs in ~/.jitsi-meet-cfg/web/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log.
• Renew certs manually if needed:

docker-compose exec web /usr/local/bin/install-letsencrypt-cert.sh

Problem 2: Video or Audio Not Working

• Check UDP port 10000 on firewalls and routers.
• Make sure NAT doesn’t block media flow.
• Poke the Videobridge log for errors:

docker-compose logs jvb

Problem 3: Authentication Not Working

• See if Prosody logs show auth issues.
• Check there are user accounts for your domain.
• Double-check .env settings and a container restart.

Problem 4: Docker Containers Not Starting

• Ditch -d to run docker-compose up and catch live logs.
• Ensure the server isn’t choking on disk space or RAM.
• Give the Docker daemon a nudge if needed:

sudo systemctl restart docker

Conclusion

Setting up your own Jitsi Meet server from scratch gives you full command over your video call landscape. Thanks to Jitsi Docker containers, the setup’s a cinch, and keeping it updated is a breeze. We’ve dug into everything from hardware must-haves to installation, configuration, testing, and troubleshooting drawn from real-world paths.

With a well-tuned Jitsi server, you protect user privacy, kick the reliance on outside providers, and grow as your needs shift. Keep tabs on your server, and stay updated for security and performance.

If a tailored, private video conference solution is on your wish list, setting up a self-hosted Jitsi Meet server is the way to go.

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Eager to spin up your own Jitsi Meet server? Follow these steps to craft a secure video conferencing space that fits your needs. If you stumble into problems or crave advanced insights, feel free to reach out or dive into the Jitsi community forums for a helping hand.