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Check the VPS before installing
OpenLiteSpeed packages are tied to the operating-system family and version. Confirm the image running on the VPS before adding a repository or choosing an alternative installer.
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cat /etc/os-release
uname -mThe official repository procedure lists current, non-EOL releases in these families (the support matrix can change, so verify it immediately before a production deployment):
| Family | Versions listed for the repository procedure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu | 22, 24, and 26 | Use the package commands in the Debian/Ubuntu section. |
| Debian | 11, 12, and 13 | Use the package commands in the Debian/Ubuntu section. |
| CentOS | 8, 9, and 10 | Use the CentOS-family package command. |
| Listed derivatives | AlmaLinux, CloudLinux, Oracle Linux, RockyLinux, and VzLinux | Confirm the exact release and repository compatibility before proceeding. |
You also need an SSH account with sudo privileges, access to the VPS or cloud firewall, and enough administrative control to open TCP port 7080. A domain name is optional for the first login; the VPS IP address works for WebAdmin.
Install OpenLiteSpeed with the repository method
This is the shortest repeatable path for a supported Ubuntu, Debian, or CentOS-family VPS. Run the commands after connecting over SSH.
1. Add the official repository
The repository bootstrap command adds the package source used by the following installation commands:
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sudo wget -O - https://repo.litespeed.sh | sudo bashThe command is published at https://repo.litespeed.sh. If your organisation requires review of remote scripts, inspect the script and its changes according to your own change-control policy before executing it.
2. Install the server package
Use the package manager that matches the operating-system family:
# Debian or Ubuntu
sudo apt-get -y install openlitespeed
# CentOS-family distributions
sudo yum install openlitespeed -yKeep the package-manager output. It confirms whether the repository was detected and gives an immediate reason for failures such as an unsupported release or unavailable package.
3. Add LSPHP when the site needs PHP
OpenLiteSpeed and PHP are separate installation steps. For the PHP 8.4 example documented by OpenLiteSpeed, install the matching core, common, and database-driver packages:
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sudo apt-get install lsphp84 lsphp84-common lsphp84-mysql
# CentOS-family distributions
sudo yum install lsphp84 lsphp84-common lsphp84-mysqlndThe corresponding interpreter is installed at /usr/local/lsws/lsphp84/bin/lsphp. Applications that do not run PHP do not need this package step. If an application requires a different PHP branch, confirm that branch’s package names and compatibility in the current repository documentation instead of substituting a guessed package name.
Start the service and verify that it is running
Use the OpenLiteSpeed control utility rather than assuming that a successful package transaction means the daemon is serving traffic:
sudo /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl start
sudo /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl statusThe status command should report a running server. If it does not, keep the package-manager and status output for troubleshooting before changing configuration files. The default installation root is /usr/local/lsws.
Set the WebAdmin password and connect on port 7080
Find or replace the generated password
OpenLiteSpeed creates a randomly generated WebAdmin password during installation and stores it in /usr/local/lsws/adminpasswd. You can read that file as root when you need the initial credential:
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sudo cat /usr/local/lsws/adminpasswdTreat the output as a secret and avoid pasting it into tickets, shell history, or chat. To set a new administrator password, run the bundled password utility:
sudo /usr/local/lsws/admin/misc/admpass.shAllow the management port
Permit inbound TCP 7080 in both layers that can filter traffic: the VPS’s local firewall and the provider’s cloud firewall or security-group interface. Opening only one layer still leaves the console unreachable.
Open the console
After the service is running and the port is allowed, browse to:
https://your-domain-or-vps-ip:7080/Use the WebAdmin username and the password you retrieved or set. The official installation documentation identifies 7080 as the WebAdmin port. If the browser reports a certificate warning on a new installation, verify that you are connecting to the correct VPS and port before proceeding; do not expose the management port more broadly than your administration policy requires.
What to do after the first login
At this point the server package is installed, the daemon has been started, and WebAdmin is reachable. Before deploying an application, record the following details in your operations notes:
- The VPS distribution and exact release.
- The installation method and package versions selected.
- The OpenLiteSpeed root,
/usr/local/lsws. - The LSPHP binary path, if PHP was installed.
- Which firewall rule permits TCP 7080 and who can reach it.
- The location and owner of the WebAdmin credentials.
Application-specific virtual-host, listener, document-root, TLS, and PHP-handler settings belong in the deployment configuration for that application. Do not assume that installing LSPHP automatically selects it for every virtual host; confirm the handler and document-root settings in WebAdmin or the server configuration before putting a PHP site into production.
Alternative installation paths
The repository is not the only supported route. Choose an alternative when its trade-offs match the VPS lifecycle you need rather than mixing methods on the same installation.
One-click script
The official one-click script installs OpenLiteSpeed and LSPHP:
bash <(curl -k https://raw.githubusercontent.com/litespeedtech/ols1clk/master/ols1clk.sh)The command uses curl -k, which tells curl not to verify the downloaded connection’s certificate. Review that choice against your security policy and inspect what the script will change before running it.
With the -W option, the script also installs MariaDB, WordPress, and LiteSpeed Cache:
bash <(curl -k https://raw.githubusercontent.com/litespeedtech/ols1clk/master/ols1clk.sh) -WUse the bundled option only on a fresh VPS where all of those components are wanted together. It changes the server beyond the web-server package, so document the intended database, application, and cache layout before execution. The script is convenient for a prepared stack; it is less suitable when you need a minimal host or individually reviewable package changes.
Precompiled binary
The binary guide requires superuser privileges and documents a one-click binary path for the listed 64-bit operating systems. With the archive already downloaded into the working directory, the documented sequence is:
tar -zxvf openlitespeed-*.tgz
cd openlitespeed
./install.sh
/usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl start
/usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl statusThis route gives you a self-contained installation workflow instead of package-manager transactions. Confirm that the archive matches the operating system and architecture before running install.sh, and retain the archive name and version for later maintenance.
Build from source
Source installation is the control-oriented option for a custom build. Extract the source archive, run ./build.sh so the build process handles dependencies, configure and compile the server, review ols.conf, and then run ./install.sh. The documented defaults remain /usr/local/lsws for the server root and 7080 for WebAdmin. Start and check the resulting service with:
/usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl start
/usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl statusSource builds require you to preserve your build inputs, configuration decisions, and compiler environment. That record is essential when reproducing the installation or diagnosing a later upgrade.
Compare the methods before choosing one
| Method | Automation | Bundled software | Control and reproducibility | Upgrade approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repository | Low-friction package installation after one repository command. | OpenLiteSpeed; LSPHP is an explicit, separate step. | Native package management makes the transaction easy to audit and repeat. | Use the same repository method and the matching package-manager command. |
| One-click script | Highest automation. | OpenLiteSpeed and LSPHP; -W additionally installs MariaDB, WordPress, and LiteSpeed Cache. |
Fast for a prepared stack, but the script makes several decisions on your behalf. | Follow the script’s documented lifecycle and avoid changing to a different installation method. |
| Precompiled binary | Moderate; you unpack and run the installer manually. | OpenLiteSpeed binary package. | Useful when you need a specific archive and a controlled, self-contained install; the documented path targets 64-bit systems. | Continue with the binary workflow and do not replace it with repository packages. |
| Source build | Lowest automation. | Only what you build and configure. | Maximum control over build and configuration, with the largest reproducibility and maintenance burden. | Repeat the controlled build process using preserved sources, configuration, and dependencies. |
For most general-purpose VPS deployments, the repository path is the practical default. Select the one-click script for a deliberately bundled fresh stack, the binary path when an archive-based deployment is required, or a source build when custom compilation is worth the ongoing operational work.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Upgrade without mixing installation methods
OpenLiteSpeed’s upgrade guidance warns against switching between binary and repository installations. Record how the server was installed and use that same family of procedure for updates.
Repository installation on Debian or Ubuntu
sudo apt-get upgrade openlitespeedRepository installation on CentOS-family systems
sudo yum update openlitespeedPackage availability and supported distribution versions change over time. Test an upgrade on a staging VPS, or pin and validate the version in your normal release process, before applying it to production. After an upgrade, run the service status check and verify WebAdmin and the application’s PHP handler.
Troubleshoot the common installation failures
The package manager cannot find OpenLiteSpeed
- Recheck the output of
cat /etc/os-releaseagainst the current supported-release matrix. - Run the repository bootstrap command again only after confirming that the VPS has outbound network access and that the command completed without an error.
- Make sure you used
apt-geton Debian or Ubuntu andyumon a CentOS-family system. - Do not switch to a binary installer merely to bypass an unsupported operating-system release without first deciding how that choice will be maintained.
LSPHP will not install
Check that the package names match the operating-system family: Debian and Ubuntu use lsphp84-mysql, while CentOS-family systems use lsphp84-mysqlnd. A package failure can also indicate that the selected release is not covered by the repository. Resolve the operating-system or repository issue before changing the PHP package list.
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The service status is not running
Run the start and status commands as a sudo-capable account and read the complete output. If the package transaction was interrupted, finish or repair that transaction with the operating system’s package manager before attempting repeated starts. Avoid editing ols.conf or other files blindly; establish whether the failure occurred during installation or startup first.
WebAdmin times out
- Confirm that the service status reports a running server.
- Check TCP 7080 in the VPS firewall.
- Check the separate cloud firewall or security group.
- Try the VPS IP address instead of a DNS name to isolate a DNS problem.
- Use the HTTPS URL with port 7080 exactly; the WebAdmin port is not the site’s public HTTP or HTTPS port.
The WebAdmin password is rejected
Retrieve the current credential from /usr/local/lsws/adminpasswd or reset it with /usr/local/lsws/admin/misc/admpass.sh. Ensure that a password manager or shell-copy operation has not added whitespace, and protect the file and new credential from other users.
A later upgrade reports conflicting files or packages
Investigate whether the server was originally installed from a repository, binary archive, one-click script, or source. The documented warning is especially important for binary-versus-repository combinations: remove the ambiguity through a planned migration or rebuild rather than layering another installer over the existing tree.
Limits of the installation guidance
Official installation pages do not publish a guaranteed installation time, RAM requirement, disk requirement, or performance number for this procedure. VPS capacity should therefore be selected from the application’s workload and the operating system’s own requirements, not from an invented OpenLiteSpeed benchmark.
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Quick Recap
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