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Installation

This guide details the official installation process for a self-hosted PlugNmeet server. Our recommended method uses a Docker-based script that automates the setup of all necessary components on a clean Ubuntu or Debian system. The source code for this installation script is available in the plugNmeet-install repository.

Alternatively, for those who prefer a managed service, our official PlugNmeet Cloud solution provides a ready-to-use server, allowing you to bypass the installation process entirely. Our cloud solution is built with the same commitment to privacy as our open-source version, following strict security best practices to keep your data safe. For large-scale deployments, it also includes our Intelligent Geo-Distribution feature to reduce latency. You can start with a free plan and upgrade as you grow.

This guide will show you how easy it is to set up your own PlugNmeet web conferencing system using the installation script, so you can start video conferencing right away.

Requirements​

  • A clean Ubuntu or Debian server with a public IP address. We recommend Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
  • If your infrastructure uses a firewall, please configure ports and firewall before proceeding.
  • The server should not have Apache or Nginx pre-installed, or the installation will fail.
  • Hardware recommendations: The requirements depend on your usage. For small groups, a modest server is sufficient. For production environments, we recommend:
    • CPU: At least 4 cores (8 cores or more if using the recorder). A dedicated CPU is recommended.
    • RAM: At least 4GB (8GB or more if using the recorder).
    • Storage: PlugNmeet does not require much storage unless you use the recorder.
    • Connection speed: At least 100 Mbits/sec bandwidth.
  • You will need two subdomains pointing to your server's public IP: one for the main PlugNmeet URL (e.g., plugnmeet.example.com) and one for the TURN server (e.g., turn.example.com).
  • A valid email address is required to generate a Let's Encrypt SSL certificate.

Note: If DNS resolution fails for either domain, the installation will be aborted.

Installation Steps​

Connect to your Ubuntu/Debian server via SSH. Download and run the installation script as the root user:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mynaparrot/plugNmeet-install/main/install.sh
sudo bash install.sh

Or:

sudo su -c "bash <(wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mynaparrot/plugNmeet-install/main/install.sh)" root

Follow the prompts in the terminal. You will be asked to provide information as needed. At the end of the installation, you will receive all relevant details. The script creates a directory under /opt called plugNmeet and sets up all necessary files and configurations there.

Managing Services​

# Start services
systemctl start plugnmeet
systemctl start plugnmeet-recorder

# Restart services
systemctl restart plugnmeet
systemctl restart plugnmeet-recorder

# Stop services
systemctl stop plugnmeet
systemctl stop plugnmeet-recorder

# View log files
cd /opt/plugNmeet
tail -n 100 log/plugNmeet.log
tail -n 100 recorder/logs/recorder.log

Optional: Fonts Installation​

If you need to export or import Microsoft Word files containing non-English characters, you may encounter font issues. You can install additional fonts on your Ubuntu/Debian server using the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt -y install --no-install-recommends \
culmus \
fonts-beng \
fonts-hosny-amiri \
fonts-lklug-sinhala \
fonts-lohit-guru \
fonts-lohit-knda \
fonts-samyak-gujr \
fonts-samyak-mlym \
fonts-samyak-taml \
fonts-sarai \
fonts-sil-abyssinica \
fonts-sil-padauk \
fonts-telu \
fonts-thai-tlwg \
ttf-wqy-zenhei \
fonts-arphic-ukai \
fonts-arphic-uming \
fonts-ipafont-mincho \
fonts-ipafont-gothic \
fonts-unfonts-core \
ttf-mscorefonts-installer \
fonts-noto-color-emoji

Updating PlugNmeet​

To update PlugNmeet, use the update.sh script. This will update all Docker images, the client, and the recorder (if installed).

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mynaparrot/plugNmeet-install/main/update.sh
sudo bash update.sh

Or:

sudo su -c "bash <(wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mynaparrot/plugNmeet-install/main/update.sh)" root

Scalable/Distributed setup​

PlugNmeet can be set up on multiple hosts to support a large distribution. The setup procedures were discussed in this article.