Webmin/Virtualmin

JeremyWJ · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-09, 18:08

I just thought I would take the time to point out Webmin/Virtualmin to you all. This is a free control panel you can install on your server (VPS or dedicated).

I consider it just as good as cPanel. In fact, I like Webmin/Virtualmin better than any other control panel I have used. These include Plesk, cPanel, and DirectAdmin.

Webmin is a free control panel that has a plugin called Virtualmin. Together these two offer a high featured free control panel.

You can control basically everything on your server with it; from Apache, BIND, Network configuration, system settings, and even manage individual hosting accounts with full featured server plans and templates for each user.

Its all free, and a great option many Bodhost users may not be aware of. If you don't want to pay extra for Plesk or cPanel, you should look into Webmin.

Webmin is better suited for Linux servers, but it runs on Windows and Linux. I use it on my Linux VPS Hosting package with Bodhost and it works great!

BodShane · #2 (**permalink**) 06-11-09, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyWJ

I just thought I would take the time to point out Webmin/Virtualmin to you all. This is a free control panel you can install on your server (VPS or dedicated).

I consider it just as good as cPanel. In fact, I like Webmin/Virtualmin better than any other control panel I have used. These include Plesk, cPanel, and DirectAdmin.

Webmin is a free control panel that has a plugin called Virtualmin. Together these two offer a high featured free control panel.

You can control basically everything on your server with it; from Apache, BIND, Network configuration, system settings, and even manage individual hosting accounts with full featured server plans and templates for each user.

Its all free, and a great option many Bodhost users may not be aware of. If you don't want to pay extra for Plesk or cPanel, you should look into Webmin.

Webmin is better suited for Linux servers, but it runs on Windows and Linux. I use it on my Linux VPS on Bodhost and it works great!

Indeed, Webmin can be considered. However, we have faced few issues earlier with Webmin and henceforth, we do not suggest the same to our clients.

Regards,

Shane Phillips

JeremyWJ · #3 (**permalink**) 06-11-09, 13:04

What kind of issues if you don't mind me asking? Like I said, I am running webmin (with virtualmin) with no problem.

Rocky · #4 (**permalink**) 06-12-09, 17:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyWJ

What kind of issues if you don't mind me asking? Like I said, I am running webmin (with virtualmin) with no problem.

I'm known to Webmin/Virtualmin quite well (non-hosting related projects)

It's no doubt a good control panel, but to be honest, we've an expertise in cPanel/Plesk than any other control panel.. hence in case you face any problems with cPanel or Plesk, we'd be fixing it quickly, but when it comes to Webmin, it'd be fixed but the time frame for the fix isn't guaranteed. I don't think Webmin is anywhere near being suitable for a large commercial environment. I've used it myself, don't get me wrong its one great piece of software, but I don't believe it's ready at all for a commercial web host to pick up.

cPanel automates a lot of procedures that you would have to do manually with Webmin, & can manage a bulk amount of accounts much better. Webmin would be fine if you were just hosting a couple friends or something, but I seriously doubt it could be put to use for host planning to grow with time. After all there's a difference between paid products & the free ones... Good luck !

gazzie · #5 (**permalink**) 06-13-09, 04:24

Webmin is great for server administration — I would even argue that it's better than cPanel in that respect — but it's not really suitable for web hosting. Yes, the Virtualmin plugin does allow for a good enough control panel, but it's still not ideal if your intention is to provide web hosting as a business. If you're the one who will be managing your clients site (like many web designers/developers sometimes do), then that's a different story. But selling web hosting? I'm afraid not.

JeremyWJ · #6 (**permalink**) 06-13-09, 23:16

I understand the support issue. I'm just saying I think Webmin is great for people who need a control panel but don't want to pay the extra money.

I disagree though on Webmin not being a good control panel for selling hosting. It doesn't let your users resell what you sell them, but I don't think many people need that.

As for normal hosting accounts, webmin/virtualmin allow you to create hosting accounts that do everything cpanel/plesk do including all the limits and restrictions.

That aside though, I don't think everyone who gets a server is exactly in the market to sell their resources off to others. If they plan on making money off it, they probably wouldn't mind paying the few extra bucks for cpanel or plesk.

Like I said, I've used about every control panel including cpanel, plesk, and directadmin. I think webmin is on par with each one of them, and you can't complain about it being free. I'm also a big fan of open-sourced projects, so that might give me some bias towards it.

I guess if nothing else maybe some potential bodhost customers may read these forums and see this topic and know there is another quality choice for a control panel that is free.

markrd · #7 (**permalink**) 06-14-09, 07:27

I would much rather go with one that is managed by a professional such as Bodhost offers. Unless you know what you are doing, you can end up with a giant mess on your hands.

JeremyWJ · #8 (**permalink**) 06-14-09, 07:50

Not really. I, as everyone should do, create backups nightly through my control panel (in my case Webmin). Even in the worst mess possible I make through Webmin, I just restore to the night prior if I can't fix it.

It would probably prove difficult for even a novice user to really mess things up through Webmin unless they were just plain changing everything without thinking. That could happen in any control panel though.

It appears though that Bodhost will support Webmin, they just said it might take longer.

squishy · #9 (**permalink**) 06-15-09, 09:30

You're using Webmin, right? Are you using the Virtualmin plugin or Virtualmin Pro? The impression I get from the Virtualmin website is that the pro version (which is a commercial product) comes with a load of features that aren't available in the free version. How does the free version of Virtualmin compare to, say, cPanel for the end user (just end users, not resellers). Is it usable enough for non-techie people to get into?

JeremyWJ · #10 (**permalink**) 06-15-09, 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by squishy

You're using Webmin, right? Are you using the Virtualmin plugin or Virtualmin Pro? The impression I get from the Virtualmin website is that the pro version (which is a commercial product) comes with a load of features that aren't available in the free version. How does the free version of Virtualmin compare to, say, cPanel for the end user (just end users, not resellers). Is it usable enough for non-techie people to get into?

I use the GPL. The pro comes with the ability to offer reseller accounts, that is the biggy. Reseller accounts allow you to give accounts to people who then can take what you gave them and allocate them out to other users (reselling their hosting). About the only other thing I know missing in the GPL is advanced statistics.

Yes, it is very usable for non-techie people to get into. If you decide to use it and ever have problems you can just ask me here and I'll help you.

Jenny Walker · #11 (**permalink**) 06-15-09, 23:17

Heya, Jeremy! Webmin sounds really interesting what you all have been saying, but I do have a question. I've been seeing this thing called Usermin at the Webmin page, and from the description, it sounds a lot like what you say Virtualmin does. Or maybe I'm understanding it wrong. Is there any difference between Virtualmin and Usermin or do they basically do the same thing?

JeremyWJ · #12 (**permalink**) 06-15-09, 23:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenny Walker

Heya, Jeremy! Webmin sounds really interesting what you all have been saying, but I do have a question. I've been seeing this thing called Usermin at the Webmin page, and from the description, it sounds a lot like what you say Virtualmin does. Or maybe I'm understanding it wrong. Is there any difference between Virtualmin and Usermin or do they basically do the same thing?

Usermin is another leg of it. I myself do not use it, but it gives a very simple control panel for like changing passwords and accessing email.