How to Install Webmin with Free Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate on Windows VPS

Introduction

Webmin is a web-based interface for system administration on Unix-like systems, but it can also be installed on Windows. Let’s Encrypt provides a free, automated SSL certificate, which can secure your Webmin login. In this guide, we will walk you through the installation of Webmin and setting up a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate on a Windows VPS.

Step 1: Install Prerequisites

Before you start installing Webmin, you need to install some prerequisites:

• Perl: Webmin is written in Perl. You can download the Windows version from here.
• ActivePerl: Install the latest version of ActivePerl (or Strawberry Perl) on your system.
• OpenSSL: You will need OpenSSL for generating the SSL certificate. Download it from this page.

Step 2: Download and Install Webmin

1. Visit the official Webmin download page at here.
2. Download the Windows version of Webmin.
3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install Webmin on your Windows VPS.

Step 3: Start Webmin

1. After installation, open your browser and go to https://localhost:10000 or https://:10000.
2. You will be prompted to log in. Use your system administrator username and password to access the Webmin interface.

Step 4: Install Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificate

1. To install the Let’s Encrypt certificate, you first need to install the Let’s Encrypt client (Certbot). For Windows, you can use the Certbot Windows client.
2. Download and install Certbot.
3. Once installed, open the command prompt on your Windows VPS and run the following command to obtain a certificate:

certbot certonly --standalone --preferred-challenges http -d yourdomain.com

1. Replace yourdomain.com with the domain or IP address of your Windows VPS.
2. Follow the instructions to complete the certificate issuance process.

Step 5: Configure Webmin to Use SSL

1. Once the SSL certificate is obtained, navigate to your Webmin configuration directory (typically located in C:\Program Files\Webmin\).
2. Edit the Webmin configuration file webmin.conf.
3. Locate the following lines:

ssl=0
        keyfile=
        certfile=

1. Change ssl=0 to ssl=1.
2. Enter the paths to your SSL certificate and key files:

keyfile=C:/path/to/privkey.pem
        certfile=C:/path/to/cert.pem

1. Save the changes and restart Webmin using the following command:

net stop webmin
        net start webmin

Step 6: Verify SSL Configuration

Open your browser and go to https://yourdomain.com:10000 or https://:10000. If everything is configured correctly, Webmin should load with a secure HTTPS connection using the Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Webmin with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate on your Windows VPS. Your Webmin interface is now secured with HTTPS, providing encrypted communication between your browser and the server. For additional Webmin configurations and support, visit the official Webmin website.