





Q. How do I configure and Install Apache web server with PHP5 and mod_fastcgi to get faster PHP access under FreeBSD server?
A.mod_fastcgi is a cgi-module for Apache web server.
FastCGI is a language independent, scalable, open extension to CGI that provides high performance without the limitations of server specific APIs.
Red Hat Linux / CentOS Linux specific mod_fastcgi tutorial is here.
FreeBSD Install Apache Web server
Install apache using FreeBSD ports collection:
# cd /usr/ports/www/apache22
# make install clean
# echo ‘apache22_enable=”YES”‘ >> /etc/rc.conf
FreeBSD Install PHP5
Make sure php-cgi binary exists and it is compiled with fastcgi support:
# /usr/local/bin/php-cgi -v
Output
PHP 5.2.6 with Suhosin-Patch 0.9.6.2 (cgi-fcgi) (built: Sep 10 2008 19:07:02) Copyright (c) 1997-2008 The PHP Group Zend Engine v2.2.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2008 Zend Technologies with XCache v1.2.2, Copyright (c) 2005-2007, by mOo
If you do not see word cgi-fcgi, recompile php with fastcgi support by visiting /usr/ports/lang/php5:
# cd /usr/ports/lang/php5
# make config
# make install clean
Make sure you install php-gd, php-mysql and other extensions, enter:
# cd /usr/ports/lang/php5-extensions/
# make install clean
Configure FreeBSD Apache mod_fastcgi
Install mod_fastcgi, enter:
# cd /usr/ports/www/mod_fastcgi
# make install clean
Open /usr/local/etc/apache22/httpd.conf file, enter:
# vi /usr/local/etc/apache22/httpd.conf
Make sure following line exists:
LoadModule fastcgi_module libexec/apache22/mod_fastcgi.so
Create virtual hosting configurations
Your sample setup:
- Apache share IP address: 74.86.49.131
- Domain name: theos.in
- DocumentRoot Directory: /websites/home/theos.in/http
- Log Directory: /websites/home/theos.in/logs
- PHP cgi-bin Directory: /websites/home/theos.in/cgi-bin/
Create directory structure as above:
# mkdir -p /websites/home/theos.in/{http,https,logs,cgi-bin,images,private,stats}
# chown -R theosftpuser:theosftpgroup /websites/home/theos.in/
Replace username, groupname and directories as per your setup.
Append following configuration directives to httpd.conf virtual hosting section:
<VirtualHost *:80> ServerAdmin webmaster@theos.in DocumentRoot "/websites/home/theos.in/http" ServerName theos.in ServerAlias www.theos.in ErrorLog "/websites/home/theos.in/logs/error.log" CustomLog "/websites/home/theos.in/logs/access.log" common ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ "/websites/home/theos.in/cgi-bin/" <Directory "/websites/home/theos.in/http"> Options -Indexes FollowSymLinks +ExecCGI AllowOverride AuthConfig FileInfo AddHandler php5-fastcgi .php Action php5-fastcgi /cgi-bin/php.cgi Order allow,deny Allow from all </Directory> <Directory "/websites/home/theos.in/cgi-bin"> AllowOverride None Options None Order allow,deny Allow from all </Directory> </VirtualHost>
Save and close the file.
Create php.cgi script
Create a shell script as follows (/websites/home/theos.in/cgi-bin/php.cgi):
#!/bin/sh # Shell Script To Run PHP5 using mod_fastcgi under Apache 2.x # Tested under FreeBSD 6.x and 7.x ### Set PATH ### PHP_CGI=/usr/local/bin/php-cgi PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN=4 PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUESTS=1000 ### no editing below ### export PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN export PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUESTS exec $PHP_CGI
Copy above shell script to /websites/home/theos.in/cgi-bin/ as php.cgi. Set permissions:
# chmod +x /websites/home/theos.in/cgi-bin/php.cgi
Restart Apache
Type the following command to restart Apache:
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apache22 restart
Test your setup
Place following code at /websites/home/theos.in/http/test.php:
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
Optional: Open port 80 using FreeBSD PF firewall
Add following PF firewall rule to /etc/pf.conf file:
pass in on $ext_if proto tcp from any to 74.86.49.131 port 80 flags S/SA synproxy state
Close and save the file. Reload pf firewall:
# /etc/rc.d/pf restart
Further configuration:
I also recommend installing xcache opcode php cacher and MySQL database server to host dynamic web sites.
Once installed you can upload open source scripts / software such as wordpress, phpBB and others at /websites/home/theos.in/http directory.
Further readings:
- Apache documentation
- man pages: ports, make, httpd.conf
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Nice information about configuring apache server.