Jitsi is a popular open-source video conference suite for secure and reliable video conferences. It offers a flexible and cost-effective solution suited for small businesses seeking an affordable conferencing tool or individuals wanting a private meeting space without the limitations of commercial platforms.
What is Jitsi?
Jitsi is an open-source video conferencing platform that allows users to communicate through video, voice, and chat, without relying on third-party services. It’s built to be highly scalable and can be used for everything from casual meetings to professional webinars.
The Jitsi suite includes tools like:
- Jitsi Meet: The web app that lets users join or start video calls right in their browsers. No downloads or accounts needed.
- Jitsi Videobridge: A component that manages the video streams, making sure everyone’s video and audio reach the right people smoothly. It runs on your own server, giving you control over your meetings.
And many others. It’s a flexible platform that gives users full control over their meetings, with a focus on privacy and security. Some of its features include:
Open-source & Customizable: No hidden fees or data tracking. And highly customizable.
No Account Required: You can set up Jitsi Meet without authentication for quick video calls.
Secure & Private: Full control over your data and meeting room access.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to install and set up Jitsi Meet on your own server, step-by-step. We’ll also show how to configure SSL encryption using Let’s Encrypt to ensure your web access and video calls are secure.
System Requirements
Before diving into the installation process, let’s check the basic system requirements for installing Jitsi:
- A fresh server running Ubuntu 18.04+ (22.04 recommended) or Debian 10+
- At least 2 GB of RAM (preferably 4 GB+ for higher usage)
- 1-2 CPUs (more for larger meetings)
- A public IP address and domain name (e.g., meet.yourdomain.com) pointing with DNS A record
- SSL certificate (we’ll show you how to obtain with Let’s Encrypt using Jitsi’s script during or after installation)
Step-by-Step Guide: Installing Jitsi Meet
Let’s walk through the installation process. You can also find the official guide on Jitsi’s website here.
1. Prepare Your Server
Ensure your server is running Ubuntu 18.04 or later and is fully updated. Run the following commands to make sure your system is up-to-date:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgradeTo ensure your Ubuntu version meets minimum, you can use the command “lsb_release -a”
2. Install Dependencies
Next, install the necessary dependencies and needed repositories:
sudo apt install apt-transport-https
sudo apt-add-repository universe
sudo apt update3. Add the Jitsi Repository
Add the Jitsi repositories and GPG key to your server. This allows you to download the latest stable packages directly from Jitsi.
sudo curl -sL https://prosody.im/files/prosody-debian-packages.key -o /etc/apt/keyrings/prosody-debian-packages.key
echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/prosody-debian-packages.key] http://packages.prosody.im/debian $(lsb_release -sc) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/prosody-debian-packages.list
sudo apt install lua5.2
curl -sL https://download.jitsi.org/jitsi-key.gpg.key | sudo sh -c 'gpg --dearmor > /usr/share/keyrings/jitsi-keyring.gpg'
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/jitsi-keyring.gpg] https://download.jitsi.org stable/" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jitsi-stable.list
sudo apt update4. Install Jitsi Meet
Now that the repository is set up, install Jitsi Meet with the following command:
sudo apt install jitsi-meet5. Configure Your Domain & SSL
During installation, you will be prompted to enter the domain name you want to use for your Jitsi Meet instance (e.g., meet.yourdomain.com). Make sure you’ve already set up your domain’s DNS to point to your server’s IP address.
You’ll also be prompted if you want to obtain an SSL certification with Let’s Encrypt or self-signed. Choose the recommended option of Let’s Encrypt. You can also do this later with Jitsi’s script by running “/usr/share/jitsi-meet/scripts/install-letsencrypt-cert.sh”
Running Jitsi Meet
Once the script completes, your Jitsi server should now be fully configured with SSL encryption. You can confirm this by visiting your Jitsi Meet server using https:// in your browser (e.g., https://meet.yourdomain.com). You should see a secure connection with a padlock symbol next to the URL.
Now that the installation is complete, you can start using your Jitsi Meet server!
Open a browser and go to the domain you set up earlier (e.g., https://meet.yourdomain.com).
You should now be able to create or join video meetings directly from your browser.
You’re all set up! Whether you’re using Jitsi for casual video calls, team meetings, or webinars, you can now enjoy a private, secure video conferencing solution.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you run into any issues, here are a few things to check:
- Check Firewall Settings: Make sure the correct ports are open on your server. For Jitsi Meet, you typically need to allow HTTP (80) and HTTPS (443) for web access, and additional ports (5349 via TCP and 10000, 3478 via UDP) for the Jitsi service.
- Check DNS Settings: Verify that your domain name is properly pointing to your server’s IP address.
- Review Logs: If something isn’t working, check the Jitsi logs (/var/log/jitsi/) for more detailed error information. You can use a command such as tail to see the last lines of the file (e.g.: tail /var/log/filename)
Installing Jitsi Meet is an excellent way to set up a secure and private video conferencing solution whether you need a platform for personal use or to host business meetings.
By following the steps in this guide, you can have your own Jitsi server up and running in no time, complete with SSL encryption for added security.
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