Purchase a Virtual Dedicated Server with Jitsi Meet Installation

Jitsi Meet is an open-source video conferencing platform designed for hosting secure, high-quality online meetings. Packed with essential features such as video and audio calls, screen sharing, built-in chat, and custom meeting rooms, Jitsi Meet makes virtual collaboration effortless. You can join or host meetings directly from your web browser or mobile device, or self-host the entire platform on your own infrastructure.

Best of all, no account creation is required for participants to join. Simply create a custom meeting room, share the unique URL, and start collaborating instantly. Developers can also leverage powerful APIs and SDKs to embed video conferencing directly into their websites and applications. For organizations seeking greater privacy and control, Jitsi Meet can be easily self-hosted using Debian packages or Docker.

Why Choose Jitsi Meet?

Jitsi Meet provides a flexible, open-source alternative to traditional video conferencing solutions. It empowers individuals, teams, and developers with complete control over their virtual communication environments while maintaining a simple and user-friendly experience.

• Open-Source Flexibility: Built on transparent, open-source technology, Jitsi Meet can be customized and extended to meet your specific requirements.
• Instant, Account-Free Access: Launch a meeting room and invite participants using a simple URL, with no sign-ups or accounts required for guests.
• Seamless Screen Sharing: Share your entire desktop, specific applications, or presentations with a single click.
• Built-In Chat: Exchange messages, links, and notes alongside your video conversations.
• Full Self-Hosting Control: Deploy and manage your own private video conferencing server using Debian packages or Docker.
• Robust Security and Encryption: Protect your conversations with encrypted communication and support for end-to-end encrypted sessions.
• Mobile-Friendly Experience: Stay connected from anywhere using the official Android and iOS applications.
• Developer-Ready Platform: Easily embed live video conferencing into custom websites and mobile applications using powerful APIs and SDKs.

What Can You Do with Jitsi Meet?

Jitsi Meet adapts to a wide range of personal, educational, and business communication needs.

• Online Meetings: Host virtual meetings, client consultations, and partner discussions with ease.
• Remote Team Collaboration: Keep distributed teams connected through high-definition video, audio, screen sharing, and chat.
• Online Classes and Training: Conduct virtual classrooms, workshops, training sessions, and educational seminars.
• Secure Business Communication: Maintain private internal communication channels on your own dedicated infrastructure.
• Webinars and Presentations: Deliver presentations and share information effectively with large audiences.
• Developer Integration: Embed customized video conferencing capabilities directly into proprietary software and web applications.
• Private Infrastructure: Self-host the platform to maintain complete control over your organization's communication data.
• Advanced Features: Extend functionality with SIP telephone integration, cloud recording, live streaming, and collaborative document editing.

System Requirements

Before deploying, ensure your server meets the following hardware requirements to ensure smooth video and audio performance:

How to Purchase a Virtual Dedicated Server with Jitsi Meet Installation

Jitsi Meet can be installed on a Bluehost Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS). You can choose to have Jitsi Meet installed during the initial VDS purchase or install it manually at a later time.

1. In your browser, go to https://www.bluehost.com.
2. Click Hosting in the top menu, then select Virtual Dedicated Server.

   

   You can also go to this link directly: https://www.bluehost.com/vds-hosting.

3. On the Virtual Dedicated Server Hosting page, click Explore Plans. You can also scroll down to the hosting plans section.
   
    
4. Choose a plan from either tab — Standard or High Performance — by clicking Choose Plan.

   

   Pricing is subject to change. Please visit https://www.bluehost.com/vds-hosting for the current introductory/sign-up offer for the Bluehost Virtual Dedicated Server hosting. For the most up-to-date renewal pricing, visit your Bluehost Portal's Renewal Center.
5. On the next page, configure your VDS hosting to meet your requirements. The configuration options are divided into the following sections:
   • Location: Select your data center in this section.

     
      

   • Hardware: This section shows your pre-selected plan. You can also switch to another Virtual Dedicated Server plan in this section

     
      

   • Software:
     If the selected plan does not meet the app's minimum requirements, the app will be grayed out.
     1. Under the Application tab, click on Jitsi Meet.

        

        You can install only one application per purchase; the system will automatically select the best operating system for it.
     2. In the pop-up, click Confirm.

        

   • Support & Security: You can add Premium Support - Recurring, which provides priority access to expert assistance and faster response times.

     
      

   • Advanced Options:
     • Extra IP's: You can add IP addresses for an additional fee. Pricing changes based on how many IPs you add.
     • Hostname: Assign a custom hostname to identify your server. This is optional.

       

6. Select your billing term and review your selected items on the right pane, along with the summarized total cost.

   
    

7. Click Continue to checkout.
8. Do the following on the Checkout page:

   
   If you're new to Bluehost:

   1. Create your Bluehost account by using your email address or by connecting with your Google, Apple, or GitHub account — whichever you prefer!

      
       

   2. Select your preferred payment method: credit card, Google Pay, or PayPal. Enter your billing information.

      

   If you have an account with us, you will see your Bluehost login details when you are logged into your Bluehost Portal. If you are not logged in, please click the Log In link.

   
    

9. In the Shopping Cart, choose your billing term if you did not choose one on the previous page.

   
    

10. Add a Promo code if you have one and then click Submit Payment to complete your purchase.

After completing the purchase, your VDS hosting will begin provisioning. You can access and manage your new VDS hosting in the Hosting tab of your Bluehost Portal.

How to Deploy and Manage Your Own Jitsi Meet Server on Ubuntu 24.04

Jitsi Meet is a powerful, open-source video conferencing solution that allows you to host private, secure meetings directly in your browser. This guide walks you through the process of deploying and managing a pre-configured Jitsi Meet stack on Ubuntu 24.04.

Phase 1: Reset Your Root Password

1. Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
2. In the left-hand menu, click the Hosting tab.

   
    

3. Look for the server you want to manage then click the View Details to see more options.

   
    

4. Click the Reset Password.

   
    

5. In the pop-up window, type your new root password, then click Reset Password again to confirm and save the changes.

   
    

Phase 2: Initial Server Access

After launching your instance, the system automatically performs an initial boot sequence that takes approximately 30 seconds. This process detects your server's public IP, configures the Jitsi components, and generates a self-signed TLS certificate.

1. SSH into your server: Open your terminal and connect as the root user:
   Replace your_server_ip with your actual server IP address.

   ssh root@your_server_ip

2. Verify Setup: If you need to check the progress or verify that initialization completed, you can view the logs:
   Copy

   cat /var/log/cloud-init-output.log

Phase 3: Access the Web Interface

Once the server is ready, you can start hosting video calls immediately.

1. Navigate to the interface: Go to https://<server-ip> in your web browser.
   Example: https://12.3.456.789/
2. Bypass the security warning: Because the server uses a self-signed certificate by default, your browser will show a security warning. This is expected. Click Advanced, then Proceed.
3. Start a meeting: Click the Start meeting button. No account is required to get started.

   

4. Allow Access: Click the camera icon in your browser's address bar and select "Allow" for camera and microphone access. Then, refresh the page.
5. Enter Name: Type your name in the "Enter your name" box.
6. Join: Click the blue "Join meeting" button.

   

Phase 4: Configure and Secure Your Server

To move from a testing environment to a production-ready server, you need to apply a trusted SSL certificate and manage system settings.

1. Set up a Domain: Ensure you have pointed a domain name (eg, meet.yourdomain.com) to your server's public IP address via your DNS provider.
2. Install a Trusted SSL: Once your DNS has propagated, run the following script in your SSH terminal to automatically obtain and install a Let's Encrypt certificate:
   Copy

   sudo /opt/jitsi/setup-ssl.sh

   This will replace the self-signed certificate and remove browser security warnings.

Phase 5: Service Management

Your Jitsi stack consists of several core services. If you need to perform maintenance, always restart them in the following order to ensure proper dependency synchronization:

1. Copy

   systemctl restart prosody
2. Copy

   sleep 5
3. Copy

   systemctl restart jicofo
4. Copy

   systemctl restart jitsi-videobridge2
5. Copy

   systemctl restart nginx

Phase 6: Monitoring and Troubleshooting

If you experience connectivity issues, use these commands to inspect the health of your server.

• Check Service Status:
  Copy

  systemctl status jitsi-videobridge2 systemctl status jicofo systemctl status prosody systemctl status nginx
• View Real-time Logs:
  • Video bridge:
    Copy

    tail -f /var/log/jitsi/jvb.log
  • Jicofo:
    Copy

    tail -f /var/log/jitsi/jicofo.log
  • Nginx:
    Copy

    journalctl -u nginx -f
• Firewall: Your server uses UFW to protect sensitive ports. View the status with:
  Copy

  ufw status verbose

Configuration Reference

If you need to make advanced adjustments, refer to these primary configuration files:

1. Nginx web configuration:
   Copy

   /etc/nginx/sites-available/jitsi
2. Jitsi Meet client interface settings:
   Copy

   /etc/jitsi/meet/-config.js
3. Jicofo backend configuration:
   Copy

   /etc/jitsi/jicofo/jicofo.conf
4. Videobridge media configuration:
   Copy

   /etc/jitsi/videobridge/jvb.conf
5. Prosody XMPP server settings:
   Copy

   /etc/prosody/conf.d/jitsi.cfg.lua

Supporting Information and Sample Output

You can run cat /root/README.md to see more information and useful commands:

Example Output:

 # Jitsi Meet - `jitsi`

## Description

Jitsi Meet is a fully open-source, self-hosted video conferencing platform that supports multi-party HD audio and video calls directly in the browser -- no client downloads required. This image provides a complete Jitsi Meet stack (Videobridge, Jicofo, Prosody, Nginx) on Ubuntu 24.04, ready to use immediately after first boot.

On first boot the image automatically detects the server's public IP, reconfigures all Jitsi components to use it, and generates a self-signed TLS certificate. For production use, point a domain name at the server and a Let's Encrypt certificate will be obtained automatically.

---

## Services

| Service             | Port  | Protocol | Purpose                                    |
|---------------------|-------|----------|--------------------------------------------|
| Jitsi Meet UI       | 443   | TCP      | HTTPS -- Jitsi Meet web interface          |
| HTTP redirect       | 80    | TCP      | Redirects HTTP to HTTPS / ACME challenge   |
| Jitsi Videobridge   | 10000 | UDP      | WebRTC media traffic                       |
| RTP fallback        | 4443  | TCP      | RTP over TCP fallback (Videobridge)        |
| STUN                | 3478  | UDP      | STUN queries (coturn)                      |
| TURNS               | 5349  | TCP      | TURNS / coturn TLS fallback                |
| OpenSSH             | 22    | TCP      | Remote access                              |

Ports are protected using UFW.

---

## How-to-use

### 1. Open Jitsi Meet

After the instance boots, open your browser and go to:

| URL | Purpose |
|-----|---------|
| `https://` | Jitsi Meet web interface |

Accept the self-signed certificate warning and click **Start a meeting** -- no account required by default.

### 2. SSH into the server

```bash
ssh root@
```

### 3. If Jitsi Meet is not accessible after boot

Run the first-boot script manually:

```bash
sudo bash /var/lib/cloud/scripts/per-instance/001_onboot
```

---

## Manage

### Jitsi services

```bash
systemctl status jitsi-videobridge2
systemctl status jicofo
systemctl status prosody
systemctl status nginx
```

```bash
systemctl restart jitsi-videobridge2
systemctl restart jicofo
systemctl restart prosody
systemctl restart nginx
```

### Service startup order

When restarting all services manually, always follow this order:

```bash
systemctl restart prosody
sleep 5
systemctl restart jicofo
systemctl restart jitsi-videobridge2
systemctl restart nginx
```

Prosody (XMPP server) must be fully up before Jicofo connects to it.

### UFW Firewall

```bash
ufw status verbose
```

### Logs

```bash
tail -f /var/log/jitsi/jvb.log
tail -f /var/log/jitsi/jicofo.log
journalctl -u prosody -f
journalctl -u nginx -f
journalctl -u jitsi-firstboot.service
cat /var/log/cloud-init-output.log
```

---

## Security hardening

| Hardening        | Detail                                                              |
|------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
| UFW firewall     | Ports 22, 80, 443, 4443, 5349, 10000 open. Default deny incoming   |
| SSH rate limiting| Port 22 set to LIMIT -- brute force protection                      |
| HTTPS only       | All HTTP traffic redirected to HTTPS, WebRTC requires secure context|
| TLS certificate  | Self-signed by default, Let's Encrypt for production domains        |

---

## Configuration files reference

| File | Purpose | Permissions |
|------|---------|-------------|
| `/etc/nginx/sites-available/jitsi` | Nginx virtual host config | `0644` |
| `/etc/jitsi/meet/-config.js` | Jitsi Meet client config | `0644` |
| `/etc/jitsi/jicofo/jicofo.conf` | Jicofo config | `0644` |
| `/etc/jitsi/videobridge/jvb.conf` | Videobridge config | `0644` |
| `/etc/prosody/conf.d/jitsi.cfg.lua` | Prosody XMPP config | `0644` |
| `/opt/jitsi/setup-ssl.sh` | SSL setup and nginx rewrite script | `0755` |
| `/var/lib/cloud/scripts/per-instance/001_onboot` | First-boot script | `0755` |
| `/etc/update-motd.d/99-jitsi` | MOTD shown on SSH login | `0755` |
| `/etc/logrotate.d/jitsi` | Log rotation config | `0644` |

---

## Notes

- Jitsi Meet requires HTTPS -- WebRTC will not allow camera or microphone access over plain HTTP.
- The self-signed certificate will show a browser warning -- this is expected. For production, use a real domain so Let's Encrypt can issue a trusted certificate.
- First-boot configuration runs automatically via `jitsi-firstboot.service` and completes in approximately 30 seconds.
- The sentinel file `/var/lib/jitsi-firstboot.done` prevents the first-boot script from running more than once. Delete it to force a re-run.
- Remove the MOTD once no longer needed: `rm -f /etc/update-motd.d/99-jitsi`

---

## Minimum Resources

| Resource | Minimum  | Recommended       |
|----------|----------|-------------------|
| CPU      | 4 cores  | 4 dedicated cores |
| RAM      | 4 GB     | 8 GB              |
| Disk     | 20 GB    | 20 GB SSD         |
| Network  | 100 Mbps | 1 Gbps            |

---

## Links

- Jitsi Meet: [https://jitsi.org/jitsi-meet/](https://jitsi.org/jitsi-meet/)
- Jitsi Self-Hosting Guide: [https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/devops-guide/devops-guide-quickstart](https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/devops-guide/devops-guide-quickstart)
- Jitsi GitHub: [https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet](https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet)
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Release Notes: [https://wiki.ubuntu.com/NobleNumbat/ReleaseNotes](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/NobleNumbat/ReleaseNotes

Summary

Jitsi Meet is a versatile, open-source video conferencing solution that delivers reliable meetings, screen sharing, chat, mobile accessibility, and seamless integration capabilities. Whether you use the hosted service or deploy it on your own infrastructure, Jitsi Meet provides a secure and flexible platform for virtual communication. For individuals, teams, and organizations seeking a powerful video conferencing solution with complete control over configuration, deployment, and data privacy, Jitsi Meet offers an ideal and highly customizable environment.