With the popularity of Ubuntu, I can’t believe there’s no freepbx package in the repo. Why?
It’s such a battle trying to get freepbx running with the ./install_amp script file. It mostly never works.
This should work:
apt-get install asterisk mysql-server apache2 freepbx
There is no Ubuntu package. If you want to run on Ubuntu you will have to build your own system by hand. IS there any reason that you can’t use the FreePBX distro which runs Centos?
I’d like to be updated to the newer kernels etc, the distro is on like 2.6 or something like that. Ubuntu 12.04 server is at 3.2, so that’s a big step up. Plus my PBX is not real busy, so I use it as my DHCP and DNS server. I just like the Ubuntu setup better.
If I were running a bigger PBX setup, I’d use the distro and it would be dedicated to just that, but when us use it for more, it’s just outdated.
I have great sympathy with the view of the original poster but, as she has already found out, getting these things to work is very time consuming. So pulling a working Ubuntu distro/package out of a hat is not so easy.
I have to declare that I hate Red Hat based distros. Rarely do things work. For example, plug a bluetooth dongle into an Ubuntu box and it will work straight off. Try it on CentOS and you’ll get nothing. It is hard to comprehend why CentOS is chosen for these distros but I can only assume that the creators are more familiar with Red Hat based distros.
The problem, also, with these PBX distros (Asterisk/FreePBX combined) is that they are often not upgradeable - you have to go through the same pain to reinstall again for an upgrade.
Getting Asterisk to install on Ubuntu OS not so difficult. What is difficult is getting FreePBX to work with it. It would be so good if there was an Ubuntu package. There are some Debian based PBX but it is evident that the creators, in some cases, have moved on to other things and the projects have been abandoned. Further evidence that it requires a lot of commitment to maintain these distributions.
There is no real problem installing FreePBX on Debian or Ubuntu for that matter, make sure you have the dependencies needed:-
apt-get install mpg123 sox lame libmad0 libmad0-dev curl libapr1 libaprutil1 libsqlite3-0 libnetpbm10-dev giflib-tools php-mail php-mail-mime php-file psutils wdiff rsync libgnutls-dev libogg-dev python-setuptools python-mysqldb python-lalchemy python-psycopg2 subversion mysql-server apache2
download the source code
VER_FREEPBX=“2.9” # for example. but at least 2.4-2.10 work also if you are “migrating” from a broken box
cd /usr/src/
mkdir -p freepbx
cd freepbx
svn co http://www.freepbx.org/v2/svn/freepbx/branches/${VER_FREEPBX}
cd ${VER_FREEPBX}
and make sure that webroot is defined correctly for your system in install_amp in the semi constants bit (yes, Ubuntu is not totally Debian and Debian is definitely not Centos/RedHat)
./install_amp
I suggest you don’t apt-get asterisk as it is old and quirky and your sound files will end up in the wrong place, just get what you want from Digium.
That’s all
Thanks for your comments. A good tip to download from Digium instead of ‘apt-get’.
I’m installing Ubuntu Server right now onto a VirtualBox. I’m going to try putting Asterisk & FreePBX on there. I’ll also be needing a lightweight desktop because I need to run Skype. If I get it all working then I’ll be installing it on an EeePC4G. I have a PBX distro on there now. It is working but I want to add new features which a just not going to be possible with the old kernel as it won’t see my bluetooth dongle, nor will it see the built-in ethernet.
I am thinking of Asterisk 1.8 with FreePBX 2.9. Would that be a good combination?
Webroot: I know that is something to do with security but that is all I know.
My concern about the installation is getting Asterisk and FreePBX to gel. I’ll try your installation instructions and see how it goes - thank you.
webroot is where apache looks for your websites, /var/www/html/ in Centos/RH, usually just /var/www in Ubuntu but depends on how you configure your webserver on any platform. lxde is a slim desktop, fluxbox slimmer, minimalists might suffer wm alone and is enought to run skype in a 1x1 pixel box if you want, you might want to look for a lighter weight web server than apache too, perhaps lighttpd.
Asterisk/FreePBX is of your choice, 2.9 and 1.8 is pretty well stable and familiar to most.
have fun . .
Ah, that’s what you meant by webroot. Yes, I do know about that web root. 
There is a security application called webroot also. It’s used for anti-spyware/malware.
So, I’ve downloaded the source for Asterisk 1.8. I have compiled/installed that before on CentOS so that should be OK. Then, I can try your install method for FreePBX and hope it all works.
I was considering LXDE-core as the desktop. It has a file manager and a few more things.
It’s getting late now so I think I’ll start this tomorrow.
python-sqlalchemy
In the list of packages to install you have: 'python-lalchemy’
I assume there is a typo in this and it is supposed to be ‘python-alchemy’.
‘apt’ can’t find it and the only reference I’ve found to python alchemy is an API.
AlchemyAPI_Python-0.8.tar.gz
Can you cast some more light on this for me please?
It should be noted that although I have always arranged for my webroot to be /var/www/html/ in debian, my previous comment to change the webroot in install.sh does not apparently work, due to the fact that as of “about now” there is still a bug(s?) in FreePBX that has the webroot /var/www/html hardcoded within itself (at least in freepbx_engine and the amportal chown bit ) (yes I checked it)
So here Mohammed will have to go to the mountain until that bug is resolved so that the Mountain will come to Mohammed as the file would suggest it does.
(hmm . . . maybe i got that metaphor backwards for some thinkers )
ref:
http://www.freepbx.org/trac/ticket/5412
Anyway, mess with your apache2 configs for now and do it the Centos Way.