Jitsi Meet is an open-source, fully encrypted video conferencing solution that allows users to host their own video conferences without relying on third-party services. It provides a high-quality and secure environment for meetings, making it an ideal choice for businesses, organizations, and individual users who need complete control over their conferencing data. This guide will walk you through the process of hosting your own Jitsi Meet server on a VPS.

Why Host Your Own Jitsi Meet Server?

1. Privacy and Security: Hosting your own server gives you complete control over your data and communication, avoiding reliance on third-party platforms.
2. Customization: You can tailor the server to fit your organization’s specific needs, adding features like custom branding, integrations, and more.
3. Scalability: Jitsi Meet is scalable and can accommodate small meetings or large conferences with many participants.
4. Open-Source: Jitsi Meet is free to use and is supported by an active open-source community, making it a cost-effective solution.

Prerequisites

Before you start setting up your Jitsi Meet server, ensure you have the following:

1. A Domain Name: You will need a domain or subdomain (e.g., meet.example.com).
2. A VPS or Dedicated Server:
   • CPU: 2 cores (recommended for small to medium usage).
   • RAM: 4 GB minimum (for small to medium meetings).
   • Storage: 20 GB SSD or more.
   • Bandwidth: At least 1 TB per month (depending on the expected number of participants).
3. Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04 or later.
4. A Static IP Address: This is necessary for your server's DNS and SSL configuration.
5. Basic Linux Knowledge: Familiarity with the Linux command line.

Step 1: Set Up Your Server

1. Update Your System

Begin by updating the system to make sure all packages are up-to-date:

2. Install Dependencies

Install the necessary dependencies, including curl and wget:

Step 2: Install Jitsi Meet

1. Add the Jitsi Repository

Add the Jitsi repository and import the GPG key:

2. Install Jitsi Meet

Update the package index and install Jitsi Meet:

3. Set Up Your Domain Name

During the installation process, you will be asked to configure your domain. Enter your domain or subdomain (e.g., meet.example.com).

4. Generate SSL Certificates

Jitsi Meet uses SSL certificates to ensure secure communication. The installation process will prompt you to either use a self-signed certificate or configure SSL with Let's Encrypt.

To use Let's Encrypt for a free SSL certificate:

This script will automatically obtain and install the SSL certificate for your domain.

Step 3: Configure the Server

1. Configure Firewall

If you are using a firewall, open the necessary ports for Jitsi Meet to function:

2. Update Configuration Files

After installation, you may want to modify the configuration files to tailor the server to your needs. The main configuration files are located in /etc/jitsi/.

• Jitsi Meet Configuration: /etc/jitsi/meet/meet.example.com-config.js
  • Customize settings such as default room options, authentication, and branding.
• Prosody Configuration: /etc/prosody/conf.d/meet.example.com.cfg.lua
  • Customize the XMPP server settings (Prosody is the default XMPP server used by Jitsi).
• Jicofo Configuration: /etc/jitsi/jicofo/sip-communicator.properties
  • Configure Jicofo, which handles the video conferencing logic and room management.

Step 4: Test the Installation

After installation and configuration, it’s important to test the Jitsi Meet server:

1. Open a web browser and visit https://meet.example.com (replace with your domain).
2. You should see the Jitsi Meet interface where you can create and join video meetings.
3. Test with multiple users to ensure that video, audio, and chat features are working properly.

Step 5: Configure Authentication (Optional)

By default, Jitsi Meet allows anyone to create and join meetings. If you want to restrict access to your meetings, you can configure authentication.

1. Enable Authentication

Edit the Prosody configuration file (/etc/prosody/conf.d/meet.example.com.cfg.lua) and uncomment the authentication line:

2. Create Admin Users

To create admin users for your Jitsi Meet server, you can use the following command:

Replace username with the desired admin username, meet.example.com with your domain, and password with the desired password.

Step 6: Maintain and Monitor the Server

1. Monitor Server Health

You can monitor the performance and health of your Jitsi server using tools like htop, netstat, and journalctl. For example:

2. Configure Backups

To avoid data loss, it's important to set up regular backups of your Jitsi Meet server. You can use tools like Rclone or a simple cron job to automate backups.

Step 7: Optional Features

1. Record Meetings

If you need to record meetings, Jitsi supports integration with Jitsi Meet Recorder. You can configure it to store recordings on your server or in cloud storage.

2. Integrate with Other Services

Jitsi Meet can be integrated with other services such as Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, or Slack for scheduling and notifications. You can also use various bots to enhance your meetings, like a note-taking bot or a translation bot.

3. Customize Branding

You can customize the look and feel of the Jitsi Meet interface by modifying the /etc/jitsi/meet/meet.example.com-config.js file. You can change the logo, color scheme, and other interface elements.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully host your own Jitsi Meet server for secure and private video conferencing. Whether you're hosting a small team or large-scale conferences, Jitsi Meet provides a reliable, scalable, and customizable solution. With full control over your server, you ensure your meetings are secure, private, and optimized to your needs. Enjoy hassle-free video calls with complete data privacy, thanks to Jitsi Meet!