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Thursday, June 26, 2025

Configure NGinx to serve static files and Apache for dynamic

CentOS 6.x

rpm -Uvh http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm
Now that the repo is installed, we need to install NGinx

yum install nginx

Configuring NGinx

Now that NGinx is installed we need to create a VirtualHost (actually NGinx calls them Server Blocks) for each site we are hosting.
nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/virtual.conf
#Insert one of these for each of the virtualhosts you have configured in Apache

server {
listen 80;
root /path/to/site/root;
index index.php index.html index.htm;
server_name www.yourdomain.com yourdomain.com;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php;
}
location ~ \.php$ {

proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;

}

location ~ /\.ht {
deny all;
}
}

This configuration tells NGinx to try and serve the requested file, but to pass the request onto Apache if it's unable to do so. Requests for PHP files should be forwarded automatically. Apache will be told who requested the file in the 'X-Forwarded-For' header.

The final section tells NGinx not to check requests for .htaccess files as no one want anyone to see the contents of these.


Configuring Apache

We want users to hit our NGinx installation (otherwise this effort is wasted) but Apache is currently sat on port 80. So we're going to move it to 8080 (given that's the port we specified in the NGinx configuration we created).

nano /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
# Find the following
Listen (someIP) 80
# Change the port to
Listen 127.0.0.1 8080

# Now at the bottom of the file, you'll find your virtualhost directives,
# Change all port definitions of 80 to 8080
# Don't forget the Default virtualhost definition
# <virtualhost *:80> becomes <virtualhost *:8080>

We change the Listen address as we don't want external hosts to access Apache directly, everything should go through NGinx. Ideally, we also want to forbid outside access to port 8080 at the firewall to ensure that the point of entry to our system is restricted to the authorised route - through NGinx.

Start the Services
We've now configured Apache to listen on a different port, so all we need to do know is restart Apache (so that it moves to port 8080) and start NGinx so that it can start handling requests.

service httpd restart
service nginx start
Now if you browse to your site, nothing should have changed visibly. However, if you check the HTTP headers you should see NGinx instead of Apache, checking a phpinfo file should still show Apache as having called the PHP parser though.

 

Installation FFmpeg on Linux RHEL/CentOS 6.X

FFmpeg :

FFmpeg is simply a tool which implements a decoder and then an encoder.It is a complete, cross-platform solution to record, convert and stream audio and video. This allows the users to convert files from one form to another.

Features :

  • FFmpeg is free software licensed under the LGPL or GPL depending on your choice of configuration options.

  • FFmpeg Hosting can convert any video format to the web-optimized .flv format so that they can get streamed on the website.

  • FFmpeg provide command line tool to convert multimedia files between formats.


Steps to Installation FFmpeg on Linux RHEL/CentOS 6.X

  

Step 1 : Create FFmpeg Repository

Open repository Directory

[root@bsrtech ~]# cd /etc/yum.repos.d/

Create name with ffmpeg(any name) repositorty& open with vi command

[root@bsrtech yum.repos.d]# vim ffmpeg.repo

Step 2 : Write the following data on that file

     [ffmpeg]
name=FFmpeg RPM Repository for Red Hat Enterprise Linux
baseurl=http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/x86_64/dag/  (64 Bit OS)
#baseurl=http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/i386/dag/   (32 Bit OS)
gpgcheck=1
enabled=1


Save&Quit the file(:wq)

Stewp 3 : Copy the conf file in lib directory

 Copy /etc/ld.so.conf file in /usr/local/lib/ directory

[root@bsrtech ~]# cp -r /etc/ld.so.conf  /usr/local/lib/

Then After Run This Command

[root@bsrtech ~]# ldconfig -v  (Enter)

Step 4 : Install rpmforge Repository

For 32 Bit OS


[root@bsrtech ~]#rmp -Uvh http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/i386/rpmforge/RPMS/rpmforge-release-0.5.3-1.el6.rf.i686.rpm

For 64 Bit OS

[root@bsrtech ~]# rpm -Uvh http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el6/en/x86_64/rpmforge/RPMS/rpmforge-release-0.5.3-1.el6.rf.x86_64.rpm

Once Update installed Packages using yum update command

[root@bsrtech ~]# yum update

Step 5 : Now Install ffmpeg & ffmpeg-devel

   [root@bsrtech ~]# yum -y install ffmpeg ffmpeg-devel
( or )

   [root@bsrtech ~]# yum -y install ffmpeg*

After Completion use ffmpeg command to see the Full Details of FFmpeg.

[root@bsrtech ~]# ffmpeg

Simplest rules to Redirect using .htaccess

Simplest rules to Redirect using .htaccess

How to write rewrite rule (URL rewriting, mod_rewrite)
(1) Redirect site from http to https :
Add the below in .htaccess file in public_html
===================================================
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule (.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI}
===================================================

(2) Redirecting a domain to another domain via .htaccess
Example :- redirect shaz.com to google.com
===================================================
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^shaz\.com$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.shaz\.com$
RewriteRule ^/?$ “http\:\/\/www\.google\.com\/” [R=301,L]
===================================================
(3) Redirect users to access the site with WWW
example :- redirect shaz.com to www.shaz.com
Add the below in .htaccess file
===================================================
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^shaz\.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.shaz.com/$1 [L,R=301]
===================================================

(4) Redirect page to another page within public_html
example :- to redirect home.html to index.php
===================================================
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^home.html$ index.php
===================================================

example2 :- rewrite site shaz.com/kb/index.php to shaz.com/blog/index.html
go to kb directory and create a .htaccess file
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#cd public_html/kb
#touch .htaccess
#vi .htaccess
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===================================================
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^index.php$ /blog/index.html
===================================================

Step-by-Step: Installing Home Assistant OS on VMware vSphere

This guide uses the official Home Assistant OS 12.3 VMDK image from GitHub and adapts it for vSphere environments.

Prerequisites

  • VMware vSphere 7.0+ access
  • Download haos_ova-12.3.vmdk.xz from GitHub Release 12.3
  • 7-Zip or similar extraction tool

Installation Steps

  1. Prepare the VMDK:
    • Extract the downloaded .xz file to get haos_ova-12.3.vmdk
    • Rename to home-assistant.vmdk
  2. Create Virtual Machine:
    • Guest OS Family: Linux
    • Version: Other Linux 5.x kernel 64-bit
    • Hardware:
      • 2 vCPU minimum
      • 2 GB RAM minimum
      • Remove all default storage devices
  3. Upload VMDK to Datastore:
    • Use Datastore Browser to upload home-assistant.vmdk
  4. Convert Disk Format: (Required for vSphere compatibility)
    vmkfstools -i /vmfs/volumes/[DATASTORE]/home-assistant.vmdk \ /home-assistant-converted.vmdk
  5. Configure Virtual Hardware:
    • Add SCSI Controller: LSI Logic SAS
    • Attach converted VMDK as existing hard disk
    • Network: Bridged adapter
  6. Enable UEFI Boot:
    • Edit VM Settings > VM Options > Boot Options
    • Firmware: EFI
    • Disable Secure Boot

First Boot Configuration

  • Power on the VM
  • Access via web browser:
    • http://homeassistant.local:8123
    • or use assigned IP address

Troubleshooting Tips

IssueSolution
"Unsupported disk type" errorRe-run vmkfstools conversion
Boot failureVerify EFI settings in VM options
Network unreachableCheck bridged network configuration

After successful installation, you can expand storage or add USB controllers for Zigbee/Z-Wave devices through vSphere's hardware settings.

Friday, April 25, 2025

How to Configure Static IP Address Using nmcli in Linux

Configuring a static IP address is a common task for Linux administrators, especially when setting up servers or virtual machines that require consistent network settings. The nmcli command-line tool, part of NetworkManager, provides a powerful and scriptable way to manage network connections without a GUI. In this guide, we’ll walk through the essential nmcli commands to set a static IPv4 address, gateway, DNS, and disable IPv6 for a network interface.

Step-by-Step: Setting a Static IP Address with nmcli

Let’s assume your network interface is named ens33. Here’s how to configure it:

  1. Assign a Static IPv4 Address
    nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.addresses "172.16.3.150/16"
    This sets the IP address to 172.16.3.150 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 (CIDR /16).
  2. Set the Default Gateway
    nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.gateway "172.16.0.1"
    This command configures the default gateway for outgoing traffic.
  3. Configure DNS Server
    nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.dns "8.8.8.8"
    This sets Google’s DNS server for name resolution. You can add multiple DNS servers by separating them with a comma, e.g., "8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4".
  4. Disable IPv6 (Optional)
    nmcli con mod ens33 ipv6.method "disabled"
    If your environment does not use IPv6, disabling it can simplify network troubleshooting and improve security.
  5. Set IPv4 Method to Manual
    nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.method manual
    This ensures that the interface uses manual (static) configuration instead of DHCP.

Applying the Changes

After making these changes, you need to bring the connection down and back up for the settings to take effect:

  • nmcli con down ens33 nmcli con up ens33

Example: Complete Static IP Setup Script

  • nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.addresses "172.16.3.150/16"
  • nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.gateway "172.16.0.1"
  • nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.dns "8.8.8.8"
  • nmcli con mod ens33 ipv6.method "disabled"
  • nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.method manual
  • nmcli con down ens33 nmcli con up ens33

Additional Tips

  • Check Connection Name: Use nmcli con show to list all available connections and confirm your interface name (e.g., ens33).
  • Disable IPv6 for Other Connections: Replace ens33 with your actual interface name as needed.
  • Verify Configuration: After applying changes, use ip addr and nmcli dev show ens33 to verify your settings.

Summary Table: Key nmcli Commands

Command Description
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.addresses "IP/CIDR" Set static IP address and subnet
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.gateway "GATEWAY" Set default gateway
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.dns "DNS" Set DNS server(s)
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv6.method "disabled" Disable IPv6
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.method manual Set IPv4 configuration to manual
nmcli con down ens33 Deactivate the connection
nmcli con up ens33 Activate the connection

With these nmcli commands, you can quickly and reliably configure static IP settings on your Linux systems, making network management more efficient and consistent.

Installing PHP 8.3 on RHEL-based Systems: A Step-by-Step Guide


PHP stands as a cornerstone of web development, a versatile scripting language and interpreter renowned for its open availability and prevalent use on Linux-based web servers. Keeping your PHP installation up-to-date is crucial for performance, security, and access to the latest features. This guide walks you through the process of installing PHP 8.3 on your Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) based system, leveraging the EPEL and REMI repositories for a streamlined experience.

Adding the EPEL and REMI Repositories

To gain access to a wider range of software packages, including the latest PHP versions, we'll add the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) and the Remi Community Repository (REMI) to your system's package manager. Execute the following commands in your terminal:

Bash
sudo dnf install https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm
sudo dnf -y install https://rpms.remirepo.net/enterprise/remi-release-9.2.rpm

Note: The dnf command is the package manager used in modern RHEL-based systems like CentOS, Fedora, and AlmaLinux. The -y flag automatically confirms the installation, so proceed with caution.

Installing Yum Utilities

The yum-utils package provides a collection of helpful utilities for managing your DNF repositories and packages. Install it using the following command:

Bash
sudo dnf -y install yum-utils

While the command mentions yum, it's often a symbolic link to dnf on newer systems, so this command works seamlessly.

Enabling the PHP 8.3 Remi Repository

The REMI repository offers more recent PHP versions than the default RHEL repositories. To enable the PHP 8.3 stream from REMI, you'll first need to reset any active PHP modules and then enable the specific PHP 8.3 module:

Bash
sudo dnf module reset php
sudo dnf module install php:remi-8.3

The dnf module reset php command ensures a clean slate by disabling any previously enabled PHP modules. Following this, dnf module install php:remi-8.3 activates the PHP 8.3 module provided by the REMI repository.

With these steps completed, your system is now configured to install PHP 8.3 and its associated packages from the REMI repository. You can now proceed to install PHP 8.3 and any extensions you require using the dnf install php php-<extension-name> command.

Fixing “Permission Denied” Errors in Nginx Reverse Proxy Setups with SELinux

Running Nginx as a reverse proxy on a system with SELinux enabled can sometimes lead to frustrating errors like:

[crit] connect() to 172.16.5.32:32400 failed (13: Permission denied) while connecting to upstream, client: 172.16.0.1, server: rplex.adminz.in, request: "GET /web/index.html HTTP/2.0", upstream: "http://172.16.5.32:32400/web/index.html", host: "rplex.adminz.in:8443"

If you’re seeing this, SELinux is likely blocking Nginx from making outbound network connections to your upstream servers. Here’s how you can diagnose and fix the issue.

Understanding the Problem

When SELinux is in enforcing mode, it restricts what processes can do—even if you’re running as root. By default, Nginx (and other web servers running under the httpd_t SELinux context) cannot make arbitrary outbound network connections. This is a security feature, but it can block legitimate reverse proxy setups.

Typical log entries look like this:

[crit] connect() to <backend-ip>:<port> failed (13: Permission denied) while connecting to upstream, ...

Diagnosing SELinux Denials

To confirm SELinux is the culprit:

Check your Nginx error logs for “(13: Permission denied)” messages.

Inspect the SELinux audit logs:

sudo grep nginx /var/log/audit/audit.log | grep denied

If you see denials related to name_connect on a TCP socket, SELinux is blocking the connection.

The Solution: Allow Nginx Network Connections

SELinux controls network permissions for web servers using Boolean flags. The most relevant for Nginx reverse proxies is httpd_can_network_connect.

What does httpd_can_network_connect do?

Enabling this Boolean allows Nginx (and other httpd processes) to make outgoing network connections to any port.

This is required for Nginx to proxy requests to other backend servers, especially if they’re not on standard HTTP/HTTPS ports.

How to Enable It

Make the change persistent with:

setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect true

The -P flag makes the change survive reboots.

After running this command, restart Nginx:

systemctl restart nginx

This should resolve the “permission denied” errors when connecting to upstream servers.