Install LAMP Stack on VPSGrid Linux VPS

Short answer

Install LAMP on VPSGrid: apt install apache2 mariadb-server libapache2-mod-php php-mysql, enable mod_rewrite, create VirtualHost with AllowOverride All, test before disabling default site, mysql secure install, allow OpenSSH before UFW, verify PHP and MariaDB.

Overview

Customers preferring Apache httpd on VPSGrid Linux VPS — common for legacy PHP, .htaccess rules, or cPanel migration familiarity via Migrate from cPanel Shared Hosting to VPSGrid VPS.

VPSGrid sells unmanaged VPS with root or administrator access. Guest OS configuration, application data, backups, and patching inside the VM are your responsibility unless a separate product is documented. Review What Is an Unmanaged VPS at VPSGrid? and Security Responsibilities on Unmanaged VPS before expecting support to perform stack work.

US-Based VPS infrastructure

VPSGrid provides unmanaged Linux and Windows VPS on US-Based KVM infrastructure with NVMe storage and Proxmox virtualization. You manage the guest OS, applications, backups, and security. Current plan specifications appear at checkout on vpsgrid.net — articles do not publish fixed pricing.

LAMP Stack on VPSGrid Client Apache mod_php MariaDB NVMe Apache httpd + PHP module + MariaDB on unmanaged VPS

Diagram: Apache serves PHP via mod_php with MariaDB on VPSGrid Linux VPS.

Decision guidance: LAMP vs LEMP

Choose LAMP when	Choose LEMP when
.htaccess / AllowOverride required	Greenfield Nginx stack
Legacy Apache modules	WordPress guide alignment — How to Deploy WordPress on Ubuntu VPS uses Nginx

Step 2: Enable mod_rewrite

a2enmod rewrite && systemctl restart apache2

What it does: Enables URL rewriting for WordPress permalinks.
Why it matters: WordPress pretty permalinks require rewrite module.
Expected result: apache2ctl -M lists rewrite_module.
If it fails: Syntax error in vhost prevents restart — check error log.

Step 3: Virtual host

Test Apache with the default site before disabling it — browse http://PRIMARY_IP to confirm Apache responds, then create your vhost:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName example.com
    ServerAlias www.example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com/public_html

    <Directory /var/www/example.com/public_html>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

AllowOverride All for WordPress

WordPress pretty permalinks and many plugins expect .htaccess — only available when AllowOverride All is set on Apache (not on Nginx/LEMP).

a2ensite example.com.conf && apache2ctl configtest && systemctl reload apache2

What it does: Enables the new site and reloads Apache after syntax check.
Why it matters: configtest prevents a broken vhost from stopping the entire web server.
Expected result: Syntax OK and curl -H "Host: example.com" http://127.0.0.1 returns your index.
If it fails: 403 Forbidden — check Directory permissions and DocumentRoot path; chown -R www-data:www-data on web root.

Before disabling default site

Run curl -H "Host: example.com" http://127.0.0.1 and confirm your vhost serves content. Only then run a2dissite 000-default.conf if you no longer need the default page on PRIMARY_IP.

a2dissite 000-default.conf && systemctl reload apache2

What it does: Disables default site after custom vhost verified.
Why it matters: Prevents accidental serving of default page for your domain.
Expected result: curl -H "Host: example.com" http://127.0.0.1 serves your site.
If it fails: Only run after Step 3 vhost test succeeds — see warning in vhost section.

Step 4: MariaDB setup

mysql_secure_installation

What it does: Hardens MariaDB root account interactively.
Why it matters: Removes test database and anonymous users.
Expected result: Prompts complete; remote root login disabled.
If it fails: Run as root on fresh install before creating app databases.

mysql -e "CREATE DATABASE appdb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci; CREATE USER 'appuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strongpass'; GRANT ALL ON appdb.* TO 'appuser'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

What it does: Creates application database and user.
Why it matters: Same pattern as LEMP stack and WordPress guides.
Expected result: App user can connect locally.
If it fails: Use strong password; never bind 3306 publicly.

Step 5: Firewall and SSL

Allow SSH before UFW enable

See How to Configure UFW Firewall on Ubuntu/Debian — allow OpenSSH first. Certbot Apache plugin: certbot --apache per Let's Encrypt SSL with Certbot on VPSGrid.

phpMyAdmin not recommended on public VPS

phpMyAdmin increases attack surface. Prefer CLI mysql, WP-CLI, or SSH tunnel. If installed, restrict by IP and use strong auth.

Verify

apache2ctl configtest returns Syntax OK
PHP executes via index.php in DocumentRoot
MariaDB app user connects
WordPress permalinks work with mod_rewrite enabled

Troubleshooting matrix

Symptom	Likely cause	What to check
403 Forbidden	Directory permissions	chown www-data:www-data; AllowOverride All
500 error	PHP fatal	Check /var/log/apache2/error.log
Port 80 conflict	Nginx also installed	Stop nginx or choose one stack only

Security considerations

Disable directory listing, keep Apache patched via apt upgrade, use Fail2ban — Fail2ban Setup on VPSGrid Linux VPS.

Certbot with Apache

After vhost works on port 80, run Certbot Apache plugin per Let's Encrypt SSL with Certbot on VPSGrid: certbot --apache -d example.com -d www.example.com. Certificate issuance is not guaranteed — depends on DNS, HTTP validation, and rate limits.

Apache event vs prefork MPM

Default MPM varies by distribution. PHP mod_php traditionally used prefork; php-fpm + Apache proxy_fcgi allows event MPM for better concurrency. This guide uses mod_php for simplicity matching most cPanel migrations.

Post-install patching

Schedule regular apt upgrade windows; test apps after PHP or MariaDB minor bumps.