How to install phpBB in cPanel

Built entirely on PHP, phpBB is the most used forum application software in the world. It is used by millions of forum boards on the internet and has an extensive feature set that allows for easy forum administration out-of-the-box.

To install phpBB through cPanel, you will have to do the following:

1.) Log in to cPanel

2.) Locate and click on the Softaculous application icon

3.) Within the Softaculous Application page, navigate to Forums > phpBB

4.) Click on the blue "Install" button and proceed to the next step.

5.) Fill in phpBB's Required Installation Fields

Software Setup

• Choose Installation URL - Installation URL for your phpBB installation. Can either be installed on your root domain or in a folder.

Board Settings

• Board Name - The name of your forum or board. Can be changed later on.
• Site Description - Description for your forum.
• Board Email - The primary email address that phpBB will use to send out notifications regarding your forum.

Admin Account

• Admin Username - Username for your phpBB Administrator account. Be sure to make it something easy to remember. We recommend not setting this as the default value (Admin, Administrator, etc), choose something more unique for added security.
• Admin Password - Password for your phpBB Administrator account. Be sure to make it alphanumerical and a password that you can remember as you will need it to manage and administer your forum.
• Admin Email - Administrator's primary email address.

Choose Language

• Select Language - The default language of your phpBB forum. You can choose between 10+ options including English, Spanish, Russian, German, and more.

6.) Once you have filled in the required fields, enter your email address in the "Email installation details to" field and click on the "Install" button.

 Path : /home/phpbb/public_html/phpbb
  URL : http://phpbb.example.com/phpbb
  Admin URL : http://phpbb.example.com/phpbb/index.php
  Admin Username : notaobivioususername
  Admin Password : ********
  Admin Email: [email protected]
  MySQL Database : phpbb_phpb22
  MySQL DB User : phpbb_phpb22
  MySQL DB Host : localhost
  MySQL DB Password : ********
  Update Notification : Enabled
  Auto Upgrade : Enabled
  Automated Backups : Disabled

7.) To log in to your phpBB Forum as an administrator it's a bit different than normal forums as you log in on the same page as regular users.

So both your admin and regular user login will be located at example.com/phpbb/index.php if you installed phpBB on example.com/phpbb/

Once logged in, you can visit the administration control panel by clicking on the "Administration Control Panel " link by the footer of your forum.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the alternatives to phpBB?

SMF and MyBB are amongst the most used alternative forum platforms other than phpBB.

Are there any requirements for phpBB?

Yes, the most common requirements are as follows:

• MySQL 3.23 or above
• PHP 5.6 or above
• getimagesize() function enabled
• Required PHP Modules - Json, Corresponding module for the database you intend on using
• Optional PHP Modules - zlib Compression, Remote FTP support, XML Support, Imagemagick and GD Support

All Asura Hosting's phpBB Hosting plans come included with all the recommended and optional modules as listed above.

Is phpBB free to use?

phpBB is opensource and completely free to use without any limitations whatsoever.

Will I need extensive technical knowledge to run a phpBB forum?

No, phpBB makes it extremely easy to manage and administer a forum without any extensive technical knowledge required.