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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To host multiple websites on one Ubuntu server, create one Apache virtual-host definition per hostname in /etc/apache2/sites-available, enable each definition with a2ensite, verify the parsed order with apachectl -S, reload Apache, and point DNS (or a temporary hosts-file entry) at the server. Apache then selects the matching site from the hostname in each request.
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What an Apache virtual host does
An Apache virtual host is a set of instructions that tells one Apache service which files and settings to use for a particular hostname. With name-based virtual hosting, several domains can share one IP address. The browser sends a hostname, Apache compares it with each virtual host’s ServerName and ServerAlias, and Apache serves the matching DocumentRoot.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchName-based hosting is normally the simplest arrangement because DNS sends several names to the same address and Apache distinguishes them after the request arrives. You do not need a separate public IP for every website.
| Approach | How Apache chooses a site | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Name-based hosting | Matches the request hostname against ServerName and ServerAlias on a shared address and port. |
Most multi-site Ubuntu servers; several domains share one IP. |
| IP-based hosting | Uses different local IP addresses, with hosts grouped by address and port. | Only when separate addresses are available and required by the design. |
This guide uses a name-based HTTP configuration on port 80, then explains what changes for HTTPS on port 443.
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What you need before creating a site
- An Ubuntu server with administrative access through
sudo. - Apache2 installed, or permission to install it.
- A hostname for each site, such as
example.comandwww.example.com. - A separate directory for each site’s files.
- For public visitors, DNS A and/or AAAA records that resolve the hostname to the server’s address.
Apache configuration and DNS are separate systems. Enabling a site file does not create DNS records, and changing DNS does not create an Apache virtual host. A temporary entry in a client’s hosts file changes name resolution only on that one machine; it is useful for testing, but it does not make the site publicly reachable.
Set up the first HTTP virtual host
1. Install Apache2 and confirm the service
If Apache is not installed, install the Ubuntu package and start the service:
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sudo apt install apache2
sudo systemctl status apache2The status command should show that the service is running. If it is not running, start it with:
sudo systemctl start apache2Do not create several site files until the base service is working. A running default site gives you a known starting point for later hostname tests.
2. Create a separate document directory
Keep each website’s files in its own directory. For this example, create /var/www/example.com and a small index file:
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example.com
sudo sh -c 'printf "%sn" "<!doctype html>" "<html><head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>example.com</title></head><body><h1>example.com is working</h1></body></html>" > /var/www/example.com/index.html'The important part is that the directory in the virtual-host file exactly matches the directory containing the site’s files. A typo in DocumentRoot can make a correctly matched hostname appear broken.
3. Create the site definition in sites-available
Ubuntu keeps available site definitions in /etc/apache2/sites-available. Create a file named after the hostname:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.confEnter this configuration:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>ServerName is the primary hostname Apache should match. ServerAlias adds other names, such as the www form. DocumentRoot identifies the directory whose files Apache serves. The log directives give this site its own error and access logs under Apache’s configured log directory.
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Save the file and exit the editor. The filename can differ, but using example.com.conf makes the site easy to identify when enabling or disabling it.
4. Enable the virtual host
Creating a file in sites-available does not activate it. Enable it with:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemssudo a2ensite example.com.confa2ensite enables the named definition so Apache includes it in its active configuration. If you later need to remove this site from Apache’s active set without deleting the file, use:
sudo a2dissite example.com.conf5. Inspect Apache’s parsed virtual-host map
Before reloading, ask Apache how it has parsed the address, port, names, and file order:
sudo apachectl -SThis output is especially useful when several files are enabled. It shows which virtual host is first for each address and port, and therefore which host will be the fallback. Look for the expected ServerName, every required alias, and the intended document-root file.
6. Reload Apache
Apply the enabled configuration without a full service stop:
sudo systemctl reload apache2A reload is normally preferable for a configuration change because the service remains available while workers adopt the new settings. If a reload does not apply a change or the service is in a failed state, perform a full restart:
sudo systemctl restart apache2| Operation | Use it when | Effect |
|---|---|---|
systemctl reload apache2 |
A valid configuration has changed. | Apache rereads its configuration with less disruption. |
systemctl restart apache2 |
A reload is insufficient or the service must be fully restarted. | Stops and starts the service again, so expect more disruption. |
Add additional websites on the same server
Repeat the same pattern for every hostname: create a distinct document directory, create a distinct file in sites-available, set a unique ServerName, add any aliases, enable the file, inspect the map, and reload Apache. For a second site, the configuration might look like this:
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<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName second.example
ServerAlias www.second.example
DocumentRoot /var/www/second.example
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/second.example-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/second.example-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>Save it as /etc/apache2/sites-available/second.example.conf, then run:
sudo a2ensite second.example.conf
sudo apachectl -S
sudo systemctl reload apache2The two definitions can share *:80 because Apache uses the hostname to distinguish them. They should not point to the same document directory unless serving identical content is intentional.
Understand fallback order and the Apache default page
Apache first groups virtual hosts by the most specific address and port. Within that group it compares the request hostname with ServerName and ServerAlias. If no name matches, Apache sends the request to the first listed virtual host for that address and port.
This fallback explains a common symptom: you enable a new site successfully but still see Ubuntu’s default page. The request may be using a hostname that is not listed, may be reaching the wrong address, or may be falling through to the first host because of a name typo. The default file is commonly named 000-default.conf, and its position can make it the fallback.
For a controlled test in which you do not want the default site involved, disable it:
sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
sudo apachectl -S
sudo systemctl reload apache2In production, keep a deliberate fallback site when appropriate. A fallback can provide a clear response for unknown hostnames instead of exposing whichever site’s content happens to be listed first.
Test the site before changing public DNS
Use a temporary hosts-file entry
You can test the hostname from one client before DNS is changed. Add the server’s IP address and hostname to that client’s hosts file. On Linux, the file is /etc/hosts; on Windows, it is typically C:WindowsSystem32driversetchosts; on macOS, it is also /etc/hosts.
Add a line using the server address, for example:
203.0.113.10 example.com www.example.comReplace the example address with the actual server address. Then open the hostname in a browser from that same client. Apache will receive the intended Host header while only that machine uses the override. Remove the line after testing or when public DNS is active.
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A hosts-file entry is not a substitute for DNS. Other computers, mobile devices, and public visitors will continue using their normal DNS answers.
Point public DNS after the local test
Create the required A record for an IPv4 address and/or AAAA record for an IPv6 address at your DNS provider. Each hostname used in ServerName or ServerAlias must resolve to the server that runs this Apache configuration. Apache’s own documentation makes the dependency explicit: names must exist in DNS and resolve to the server’s IP address or other users cannot see the site.
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After DNS changes, verify that the hostname resolves to the expected address from an external network, then request the hostname rather than the raw IP. Requesting only the IP may select the fallback virtual host because it does not provide the name you configured.
How Apache chooses among matching hosts
- Apache considers the address and port received by the connection, such as
*:80. - It narrows the candidates to virtual hosts configured for that address and port.
- It compares the request hostname with each
ServerNameandServerAlias. - If one matches, Apache serves that virtual host’s
DocumentRootand applies its directives. - If none matches, Apache uses the first listed virtual host for that address and port.
The order shown by apachectl -S is therefore operational information, not cosmetic output. A duplicate name, misspelled alias, or unexpectedly early default file can change which content visitors receive.
Troubleshoot the most common failures
The Ubuntu default page still appears
- Confirm that the browser is using the configured hostname, not only the server IP.
- Check that the hostname exactly matches
ServerNameor one of theServerAliasvalues. - Run
sudo apachectl -Sand see whether the intended host is listed and enabled. - Check whether DNS points to a different server.
- If this is a controlled test, disable
000-default.confand reload Apache. - Verify that the intended
DocumentRootcontains the expected index file.
Do not assume that a successful a2ensite means every request will match the new host. Enabling changes the configuration set; hostname matching still depends on the incoming request and DNS path.
The hostname works locally but not publicly
A hosts-file override can make a site appear fixed on the test computer while public DNS still points elsewhere. Remove or inspect the override, query the public A or AAAA record, and ensure it resolves to the Apache server. Remember that hosts-file edits are local and invisible to everyone else.
An alias such as www fails
Add the alternate name to ServerAlias and ensure that the alias itself has a DNS record resolving to the server. Reload Apache after editing the file, then confirm the alias appears in apachectl -S output or in the active configuration map.
The site serves the wrong files
Compare the configured DocumentRoot character for character with the directory where you placed the index file. If another virtual host uses the same address and the request hostname does not match, Apache will serve that host’s root instead. Check the request name, aliases, and fallback order before moving files.
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Apache does not adopt the change
Run sudo apachectl -S again to see what Apache currently parses. Confirm that you edited the file in /etc/apache2/sites-available, enabled the correct filename, and reloaded the service. Use a restart only when a reload is insufficient; a restart does not correct a misspelled hostname or a DNS record pointing to another machine.
Extend the configuration for HTTPS
HTTPS is a second virtual-host context, not merely a change to the port-80 block. Create or enable a virtual host on port 443 and configure the certificate and private-key paths supplied by your certificate issuer. The HTTPS definition needs the same hostname mapping concepts, but it listens on *:443 and includes TLS settings.
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<VirtualHost *:443>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com
SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile /path/supplied-by-your-certificate-issuer/certificate.pem
SSLCertificateKeyFile /path-supplied-by-your-certificate-issuer/private-key.pem
</VirtualHost>The exact certificate paths depend on the certificate authority and issuance method; do not copy the placeholder paths above into production. Enable the appropriate SSL support and the port-443 site according to the certificate provider’s instructions, then inspect the result with apachectl -S and reload Apache.
For HTTPS, Apache can use TLS Server Name Indication (SNI). The client sends the requested hostname during the TLS handshake, allowing Apache to select the correct SSL virtual host when several HTTPS sites share an address. A certificate must cover every hostname you expect clients to use, including aliases such as www.
Certificate issuance and renewal are separate operational tasks. They depend on the certificate authority and are not completed merely by creating an Apache virtual-host block.
A repeatable multi-site workflow
- Choose the hostname and its aliases.
- Create a unique directory such as
/var/www/example.comand place an index file there. - Create
/etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.confwithServerName, optionalServerAlias, and the matchingDocumentRoot. - Enable it with
sudo a2ensite example.com.conf. - Run
sudo apachectl -Sand inspect names, ports, file paths, and fallback order. - Reload Apache with
sudo systemctl reload apache2. - Test with a temporary hosts-file entry before changing public DNS.
- Point the public A and/or AAAA records at the server.
- For HTTPS, add the port-443 host, certificate paths, and SNI-compatible name coverage.
Keeping this sequence consistent makes failures easier to isolate: filesystem problems stay separate from Apache matching problems, and Apache problems stay separate from DNS problems.
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Operational checklist
- Every public hostname resolves to the server’s address.
- Every hostname used by visitors appears in
ServerNameorServerAlias. - Each site has the intended, distinct
DocumentRoot. - The site file is in
/etc/apache2/sites-availableand enabled witha2ensite. apachectl -Sshows the expected address, port, names, and first-listed fallback.- Apache has been reloaded after the final edit.
- Local hosts-file testing has been removed or documented so it does not hide a DNS error.
- HTTPS has a separate port-443 definition and certificate configuration for every required name.
Final takeaway
Multiple websites on Ubuntu Apache require three pieces to agree: the files in each document directory, the virtual-host definitions Apache has enabled, and DNS that sends each hostname to the correct server. Build one isolated definition per site, verify Apache’s parsed order with apachectl -S, test locally with a hosts-file override, and only then publish DNS and add the HTTPS host.
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