How to Install Jitsi Meet on Ubuntu 18.04 - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Jitsi Meet is a free, open-source video conferencing tool that allows you to host secure and high-quality meetings. If you want to set up your own video conferencing server, installing Jitsi Meet on Ubuntu 18.04 is a great choice. This guide will walk you through the entire process in a simple and easy way.

Why Choose Jitsi Meet?

• Free and Open Source – No hidden costs.
• Secure and Private – End-to-end encryption.
• No Account Required – Start meetings instantly.
• Self-Hosted – Complete control over data.

Prerequisites

Before you install Jitsi Meet, make sure you have the following:

• Ubuntu 18.04 server with root access
• A domain name (e.g., meet.example.com)
• At least 2GB RAM (4GB recommended for better performance)
• A valid SSL certificate (Let’s Encrypt recommended)

Step 1: Update and Upgrade Ubuntu

Before installing anything, update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures that all packages are up-to-date.

Step 2: Set the Hostname and Add Domain Name

Set up your server’s hostname:

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname meet.example.com

Edit the hosts file:

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Add this line (replace with your actual domain):

127.0.1.1 meet.example.com

Save and exit (CTRL+X, then Y, then ENTER).

Step 3: Install Jitsi Meet

First, add the Jitsi repository:

echo 'deb https://download.jitsi.org stable/' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jitsi-stable.list

Add the GPG key:

wget -qO - https://download.jitsi.org/jitsi-key.gpg.key | sudo apt-key add -

Update your package list:

sudo apt update

Now, install Jitsi Meet:

sudo apt install jitsi-meet -y

Step 4: Configure SSL Certificate

During installation, you will be asked to enter your domain name. After installation, obtain an SSL certificate:

sudo /usr/share/jitsi-meet/scripts/install-letsencrypt-cert.sh

This will enable HTTPS for secure connections.

Step 5: Configure the Firewall

Allow required ports:

sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
sudo ufw allow 10000/udp
sudo ufw enable

Step 6: Test Your Jitsi Meet Installation

Open a web browser and visit:

https://meet.example.com

Start a meeting and test if everything works!

Step 7: Secure Your Jitsi Meet Server

Enable Authentication

To restrict access, enable authentication:

sudo nano /etc/prosody/conf.avail/meet.example.com.cfg.lua

Find authentication = "anonymous" and change it to:

authentication = "internal_plain"

Restart services:

sudo systemctl restart prosody jicofo jitsi-videobridge2

Create a user:

sudo prosodyctl register myuser meet.example.com mypassword

Now, users need to log in before starting a meeting.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Jitsi Meet on Ubuntu 18.04. You can now host private and secure video meetings. If you want advanced features like recording and integration, check Jitsi’s official documentation.

If you need expert assistance with Jitsi Meet installation, visit Jitsi Guide for professional support.