### Author:  [@AstonJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/AstonJ)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/1 "2015-06-15T00:37:51Z")
**It’s not as daunting as it sounds!**
While this may sound a bit intimidating at first, it’s really not all that bad. You basically need to do two things:
1. Install HAProxy (or an alternative) which will take over port 80 and then divert your Discourse traffic to your docker container, and all your other sites to your usual Apache set-up.
2. Let Apache know which port to listen for.
While this is only a rough guide, it should do a good job of pointing you in the right direction. Let’s get started!
## Upgrade your kernel
I personally recommend you upgrade your kernel as docker works better with the latest kernels. Just Google how to upgrade your kernel for your distro.
**Edit** : This may not be such a good idea after all as Docker will only support certain kernels with certain distros. So if you can, upgrade your OS instead.
## Install Docker
I used the CentOS guide here: [https://docs.docker.com/installation/centos](https://docs.docker.com/installation/centos) (you only need to go as far as installing docker - you don’t need to pull any images)
Then start it, and set it to start on boot.
**Edit** : Discourse works best with the latest Docker version, for CentOS upgrade as per instructions here: [http://linoxide.com/linux-how-to/docker-1-6-features-upgrade-fedora-centos/](http://linoxide.com/linux-how-to/docker-1-6-features-upgrade-fedora-centos/)
## Install Discourse
Follow the install instructions (start from here: [discourse/docs/INSTALL-cloud.md at main · discourse/discourse · GitHub](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/INSTALL-cloud.md#install-discourse)). When you come to edit app.yml, under “## which TCP/IP ports should this container expose?” you want:
`"8888:80" # fwd host port 8888 to container port 80 (http)`
_Once it’s all installed you can continue setting up your Discourse forum after the rest of the steps below._
## Install HAProxy
On CentOS it’s `yum install haproxy`.
Then edit your config, to something like this:
```plaintext
global
# to have these messages end up in /var/log/haproxy.log you will
# need to:
#
# 1) configure syslog to accept network log events. This is done
# by adding the '-r' option to the SYSLOGD_OPTIONS in
# /etc/sysconfig/syslog
#
# 2) configure local2 events to go to the /var/log/haproxy.log
# file. A line like the following can be added to
# /etc/sysconfig/syslog
#
# local2.* /var/log/haproxy.log
#
log 127.0.0.1 local2
# chroot /var/lib/haproxy
pidfile /var/run/haproxy.pid
maxconn 4000
user haproxy
group haproxy
daemon
# turn on stats unix socket
stats socket /var/lib/haproxy/stats
defaults
mode http
log global
option httplog
option dontlognull
option http-server-close
option forwardfor except 127.0.0.0/8
option redispatch
retries 3
timeout http-request 10s
timeout queue 1m
timeout connect 10s
timeout client 1m
timeout server 1m
timeout http-keep-alive 10s
timeout check 10s
maxconn 3000
frontend http-in
bind *:80
default_backend main_apache_sites
# Define hosts
acl host_discourse hdr(host) -i my_discourse_site.com
# figure out which one to use
use_backend discourse_docker if host_discourse
backend main_apache_sites
server server1 127.0.0.1:8080 cookie A check
backend discourse_docker
server server2 127.0.0.1:8888 cookie A check
```
**EDIT** : For https, see the updated file [here](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/18)
## Edit Apache config
Edit the Apache config to listen on port 8080: `Listen *:8080`
Edit all of the existing virtual host files for each domain to reflect this change (first line should read) ``
## Install mod\_extract\_forwarded
You’ll want to install this or everyone’s IP will be of your servers. For CentOS see the guide here [Preserve remote IP address with HAProxy on CENTOS | Albertech.net](http://albertech.net/2014/03/preserve-remote-ip-address-with-haproxy-centos)
For Centos 7, use: [mod\_remoteip - Apache HTTP Server Version 2.5](http://httpd.apache.org/docs/trunk/mod/mod_remoteip.html)
## Configure NGINX (Discourse)
Add the following as a plugin (to the bottom of your app.yml):
```plaintext
run:
- replace:
filename: /etc/nginx/conf.d/discourse.conf
from: "types {"
to: |
set_real_ip_from 172.17.0.0/24;
real_ip_header X-Forwarded-For;
real_ip_recursive on;
types {
```
## Start HAProxy, restart apache and proceed to set up your discourse install
Set HAProxy to start to start on boot, start it, and then restart Apache to pick up your changes and you should be all sorted. All you’ve got left to do is set up your Discourse install.
Can a mod please edit this in to the end of the first post please..
# Enabling HTTPS
Here are some notes on enabling HTTPS:
- It’s easier than you think!
- You don’t need to worry whether your sites are served via Docker, or Apache - it’s HAProxy that speaks to the browser so you can let HAProxy handle it all.
- You simply need to add `bind *:443 ssl crt /etc/haproxy/certs/` to your front-end then just make sure your certs are in that directory.
- See [this article](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-secure-haproxy-with-let-s-encrypt-on-centos-7) on how to set-up and renew Lets Encrypt certs.
That’s it!
_Thanks to @macsmith71 for his help with HAProxy 🙂_
_If I’ve missed anything out please let me know, it’s way past my bed time_ 😛
---
### Author:  [@dmitry\_fedyuk](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dmitry_fedyuk)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2015, 1:59pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/2 "2015-07-17T13:59:52Z")
As an alternative you can install the Nginx proxy before Apache.
Here is my real locahost config for a Discourse forum in the root and a Magento 2.0 store in the `/store` subfolder: [How to install Magento 2.0 into subdirectory using Nginx + Apache - Magento 2](https://mage2.pro/t/topic/23)
---
### Author:  [@ctataru](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ctataru)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2016, 11:43am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/3 "2016-03-12T11:43:09Z")
This also works on a CPanel server for me. I followed all instructions and I set
backend main\_apache\_sites
server server1 \*:8080 cookie A check
backend discourse\_docker
server server2 \*:8888 cookie A check
instead of
backend main\_apache\_sites
server server1 127.0.0.1:8080 cookie A check
backend discourse\_docker
server server2 127.0.0.1:8888 cookie A check
---
### Author:  [@Daffy\_Chu](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Daffy_Chu)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2016, 11:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/4 "2016-05-22T23:49:26Z")
What if I wanted to use https for this. Is it possible? and what additional step do I have to do in order to do so
(I have already got the regular http working, but I want https included since I’m using LetsEncrypt for https (SSL)
EDIT: I have fixed it
---
### Author:  [@AstonJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/AstonJ)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/5 "2016-05-23T15:01:02Z")
Can you share what you did please? I am due to set this up to and will be interested in learning how you went about it @Daffy_Chu
---
### Author:  [@Daffy\_Chu](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Daffy_Chu)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/6 "2016-05-23T17:08:50Z")
Currently I have only gotten it work for normal sites thats not discourse, as I’m having subdomain issue just for discourse. But the way I enabled the SSL in HAProxy was just by simplify adding
`bind *:443 ssl crt /etc/haproxy/certs/cert.pem`
into your HAProxy config under your
`bind *:80`
As well as since I also changed my apache SSL Port to 4444, I had to add listening to SSL line
` backend main_apache_sites server server1 *:8080 cookie A check server server1 *:4444 check ssl verify none #added backend discourse_docker server server2 *:8888 cookie A check`
---
### Author:  [@erasmus\_grant](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erasmus_grant)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/8 "2016-07-16T22:56:27Z")
I am new to Linux. Thing are different in my Ubuntu set up, like the syslog stuff in haproxy text. I was wonder you could update the guide and possibly break it down Barney style.
---
### Author:  [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/9 "2016-08-22T21:00:06Z")
So I set this up on a local server at my university, and it works 99%. One problem is that the forums are now served at `$hostname:8888/` instead of just `$hostname`, and uploads are broken. See below topic for more details.
@AstonJ, how did you get around this issue?
---
### Author:  [@AstonJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/AstonJ)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/10 "2016-08-22T22:37:33Z")
Did you edit `app.yml`?
> [@AstonJ](#):
>
> Install Discourse
>
> Follow the install instructions (start from here: [discourse/docs/INSTALL-cloud.md at main · discourse/discourse · GitHub](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/INSTALL-cloud.md#install-discourse)). When you come to edit app.yml, under “## which TCP/IP ports should this container expose?” you want:
>
> “8888:80” # fwd host port 8888 to container port 80 (http)
>
> Once it’s all installed you can continue setting up your Discourse forum after the rest of the steps below.
---
### Author:  [@pihentagy](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pihentagy)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/12 "2019-02-15T15:42:26Z")
> [@AstonJ](#):
>
> Follow the install instructions (start from here: [discourse/INSTALL-cloud.md at master · discourse/discourse · GitHub](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/INSTALL-cloud.md#install-discourse)). When you come to edit app.yml, under “## which TCP/IP ports should this container expose?” you want:
But I cannot successfully run ./discourse-setup for the very reason I come here: port 80 is occupied. Not running discousse-setup means I don’t have `app.yml` file.
---
### Author:  [@itsbhanusharma](https://meta.discourse.org/u/itsbhanusharma)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/13 "2019-02-15T15:43:59Z")
One way is to temporarily stop apache2, install discourse and then editing the app.yml then enabling apache2 back.
---
### Author:  [@pihentagy](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pihentagy)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/14 "2019-02-15T17:41:07Z")
> [@pihentagy](#):
>
> But I cannot successfully run ./discourse-setup for the very reason I come here: por
I cannot do that. There are important services on port 80 and 443. I started that docker-based install in the hope it won’t interfere with anything else.
So the graph now:
1. Trying to [install discourse in docker](https://github.com/discourse/discourse_docker)
2. As [Getting started](https://github.com/discourse/discourse_docker#getting-started) suggests, started the linked readme.
3. At [whatever](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/INSTALL-cloud.md#edit-discourse-configuration) I’ve been bitten by:
4. Ok let’s see what [the mentioned link](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1724) offers:
---
### Author:  [@itsbhanusharma](https://meta.discourse.org/u/itsbhanusharma)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 5:44pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/15 "2019-02-15T17:44:34Z")
in the `samples` directory there is a file called `standalone.yml` and `./discourse-setup` makes the `app.yml` using that file and tweaking a few values depending upon your system.
>
if you can do it by hand then feel free to try out.
---
### Author:  [@pihentagy](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pihentagy)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2019, 3:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/16 "2019-03-06T15:24:50Z")
Tried out, has the following issue: [Install Discourse, change docker port 80 - #9 by pihentagy](https://meta.discourse.org/t/install-discourse-change-docker-port-80/31114/9)
Sorry, not sure where to post.
---
### Author:  [@weWantPHP](https://meta.discourse.org/u/weWantPHP)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2019, 12:11am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/17 "2019-12-28T00:11:48Z")
So I’ve followed through with this guide but things aren’t really working. I’m not sure exactly where the issue lies.
The end result is I can access my Apache websites on port 8080 if I disable forced HTTPS, but I still can’t access my Discourse website at all. Seeing as everything should be on port 80/443 as far as the client is concerned, I expect the issue lies in HAProxy. It’s running and using your configuration file (with my\_discourse\_site.com replaced, of course), but it doesn’t seem to be doing anything.
---
### Author:  [@AstonJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/AstonJ)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/18 "2020-01-05T20:22:27Z")
For https, have a look at my most recent config file:
```plaintext
global
#
# upload to: /etc/haproxy/
#
# to have these messages end up in /var/log/haproxy.log you will
# need to:
#
# 1) configure syslog to accept network log events. This is done
# by adding the '-r' option to the SYSLOGD_OPTIONS in
# /etc/sysconfig/syslog
#
# 2) configure local2 events to go to the /var/log/haproxy.log
# file. A line like the following can be added to
# /etc/sysconfig/syslog
#
# local2.* /var/log/haproxy.log
#
# log 127.0.0.1 local2
tune.ssl.default-dh-param 2048
ssl-default-bind-options no-sslv3 no-tls-tickets
ssl-default-bind-ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:DHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:DHE-DSS-AES128-GCM-SHA256:kEDH+AESGCM:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA256:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-SHA:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-SHA:DHE-RSA-AES128-SHA256:DHE-RSA-AES128-SHA:DHE-DSS-AES128-SHA256:DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA256:DHE-DSS-AES256-SHA:DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA:AES128-GCM-SHA256:AES256-GCM-SHA384:AES128-SHA256:AES256-SHA256:AES128-SHA:AES256-SHA:AES:CAMELLIA:DES-CBC3-SHA:!aNULL:!eNULL:!EXPORT:!DES:!RC4:!MD5:!PSK:!aECDH:!EDH-DSS-DES-CBC3-SHA:!EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA:!KRB5-DES-CBC3-SHA
ssl-default-server-options no-sslv3 no-tls-tickets
ssl-default-server-ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:DHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:DHE-DSS-AES128-GCM-SHA256:kEDH+AESGCM:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA256:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-SHA:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA:ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-SHA:DHE-RSA-AES128-SHA256:DHE-RSA-AES128-SHA:DHE-DSS-AES128-SHA256:DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA256:DHE-DSS-AES256-SHA:DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA:AES128-GCM-SHA256:AES256-GCM-SHA384:AES128-SHA256:AES256-SHA256:AES128-SHA:AES256-SHA:AES:CAMELLIA:DES-CBC3-SHA:!aNULL:!eNULL:!EXPORT:!DES:!RC4:!MD5:!PSK:!aECDH:!EDH-DSS-DES-CBC3-SHA:!EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA:!KRB5-DES-CBC3-SHA
# chroot /var/lib/haproxy
pidfile /var/run/haproxy.pid
maxconn 4000
user haproxy
group haproxy
daemon
# turn on stats unix socket
stats socket /var/lib/haproxy/stats
tune.ssl.default-dh-param 2048
defaults
mode http
log global
option httplog
option dontlognull
option http-server-close
# option forwardfor except 127.0.0.0/8
option forwardfor
option redispatch
retries 3
timeout http-request 10s
timeout queue 1m
timeout connect 10s
timeout client 1m
timeout server 1m
timeout http-keep-alive 10s
timeout check 10s
maxconn 3000
frontend http-in
bind *:80
bind :::80
bind *:443 ssl crt /etc/haproxy/certs/ no-sslv3 no-tlsv10
bind :::443 ssl crt /etc/haproxy/certs/ no-sslv3 no-tlsv10
acl letsencrypt-acl path_beg /.well-known/acme-challenge/
use_backend letsencrypt-backend if letsencrypt-acl
default_backend main_apache_sites
reqadd X-Forwarded-Proto:\ https if { ssl_fc }
# Define hosts
redirect prefix http://forum1domain.com code 301 if { hdr(host) -i www.forum1domain.com }
acl host_discourse hdr(host) -i forum1domain.com
redirect prefix http://forum2domain.com code 301 if { hdr(host) -i www.forum2domain.com }
acl host_discourse_2 hdr(host) -i forum2domain.com
redirect prefix http://forum3domain.com code 301 if { hdr(host) -i www.forum3domain.com }
acl host_discourse_3 hdr(host) -i forum3domain.com
#Redirect sites to HTTPS
acl ssl_redirect_hosts hdr(Host) -i forum2domain.com
acl ssl_redirect_hosts hdr(Host) -i forum1domain.com
acl ssl_redirect_hosts hdr(Host) -i forum3domain.com
redirect scheme https if ssl_redirect_hosts !{ ssl_fc }
redirect scheme https code 301 if !{ ssl_fc }
# figure out which one to use
use_backend discourse_docker if host_discourse
use_backend discourse_docker_2 if host_discourse_2
use_backend discourse_docker_3 if host_discourse_3
backend main_apache_sites
server server1 127.0.0.1:8080 cookie A check
cookie JSESSIONID prefix nocache
backend discourse_docker
server server2 127.0.0.1:8888 cookie A check
cookie JSESSIONID prefix nocache
backend discourse_docker_2
server server2 127.0.0.1:8889 cookie A check
cookie JSESSIONID prefix nocache
backend discourse_docker_3
server server2 127.0.0.1:8890 cookie A check
cookie JSESSIONID prefix nocache
backend letsencrypt-backend
server letsencrypt 127.0.0.1:54321
```
---
### Author:  [@Healthy\_Software\_Dev](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Healthy_Software_Dev)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2020, 3:37pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-discourse-on-a-server-with-existing-apache-sites/30013/19 "2020-09-18T15:37:10Z")
I’ve got an Apache site that already has /mydomain.com/ mapped as both port 80 and port 443 with existing SSL certs (not pems, from namecheap).
My discourse is running as /forum.mydomain.com/ at port 8888:80 and 443:443 inside docker.
I want my existing apache sites to work with discourse, behind haproxy that are currently HTTPS.
Does anyone have any tips for how to set this up?
The example config here seems to assume the Apache sites aren’t using HTTPS (or I’m missing something).
I’m not sure whether I need to put the existing Apache SSL certs (converted to PEM) into haproxy’s certs folder and then create a separate Apache HTTPS backend, or if I can forward requests for [mydomain.com](http://mydomain.com) to Apache and it will handle SSL there.
Thanks in advance for any help.