What you will set up
By the end, you will have OpenLiteSpeed running on your own offshore VPS, with the WebAdmin console working and your first website served from it. OpenLiteSpeed is the free version of LiteSpeed.
Do one step at a time. Finish a step, check it works, then move on. Avoid changing the firewall, the listener, and your site config all at once — that makes problems hard to find.
Before you start
The goal: install OpenLiteSpeed on an offshore VPS, log in to its WebAdmin console, and serve your website from it.
Take a backup first. Before changing anything, make a backup or a server snapshot you can roll back to. If a website is already on the server, back up its files and its database.
- Keep your domain login ready.
- Keep your hosting/server panel login ready.
- Keep the server IP, username, and password (or SSH key) ready.
- Open a notes file and write down every change you make.
- If you touch the firewall or SSH, keep one terminal window open until testing is done (so you don’t lock yourself out).
Where does each change happen?
Each kind of change lives in a different place. Here is the simple rule:
- Installing and restarting the server → over SSH on the VPS.
- Settings, listeners, and virtual hosts → the WebAdmin console in your browser (port 7080).
- Website files → your web folder on the server.
- WordPress content and the LSCache plugin → wp-admin (the WordPress dashboard).
The steps
Step 1: Add the OpenLiteSpeed repository and install it
This adds the official LiteSpeed repository and installs OpenLiteSpeed on an Ubuntu/Debian VPS.
wget -O - https://repo.litespeed.sh | bash
apt install openlitespeed -yCheck: the install should finish with no errors, and the files should be in /usr/local/lsws.
Step 2: Set the WebAdmin password
The WebAdmin console needs a username and password before you can log in. This script sets them.
/usr/local/lsws/admin/misc/admpass.shCheck: you have written down a username and a strong password you can use to log in.
Step 3: Open the WebAdmin console and allow the ports
Open the console in your browser at https://your-server-ip:7080 and log in with the details from Step 2. Then allow the ports in your firewall so they are reachable.
ufw allow 7080/tcp
ufw allow 8088/tcpCheck: the WebAdmin login page loads, and the default page opens at http://your-server-ip:8088.
Step 4: Create your site and turn on caching
In WebAdmin, create a Virtual Host that points to your web folder (for example /var/www/yourdomain.com), then set the Listener on ports 80 and 443 and map it to your domain. After your site is live, install the free LSCache plugin inside WordPress for speed.
Check: your domain opens your own site (not the default page), and the LSCache plugin is active in wp-admin.
Extra commands you may need
Run these only on your own server. If your server uses a managed panel, check with support before changing system-level settings.
Check OpenLiteSpeed is running
systemctl status lswsIt should say active.
Restart the server after config changes
/usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl restartRun this whenever you change the listener or a virtual host so the new settings load.
Keep short notes as you go
While you work, jot down each change: the old value, the new value, the time, and whether the test passed. For example: “Created vhost yourdomain.com, listener on 80/443, restarted 10:30, homepage works.” It sounds small, but it saves a lot of confusion if something breaks.
If you run server commands, paste the output into your notes too. Then if you ask support for help, you can show the exact command, the exact error, and the exact time.
If a step fails, how to undo it
Always have a way back. For the firewall, you can re-open or close a port with another ufw rule from the VPS console. For a virtual host or listener change, edit it back in WebAdmin and restart the server. For SSL, remove the forced-HTTPS rule until the certificate works. Don’t change ten things at once.
How to test after setup
- Open the WebAdmin console at
https://your-server-ip:7080and log in. - Open your domain in a private browser window — you should see your own site, not the default page.
- Check the HTTPS padlock — there should be no browser warning.
- Open an inner page and a blog post to be sure the listener is working.
- Make sure key pages return 200, and there are no redirect loops.
- Confirm the LSCache plugin is active and caching is on in WordPress.
Quick troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| WebAdmin won’t open | Port 7080 blocked in the firewall | Run ufw allow 7080/tcp, then retry |
| Site shows the default page | Virtual Host/listener not mapped to your domain | Map the vhost to your domain and restart the server |
| 503 error | The backend (PHP process) isn’t running | Check the external app/PHP setup, then restart lsws |
Final checklist
- OpenLiteSpeed installed.
- WebAdmin password set.
- Ports 7080 and 8088 allowed in the firewall.
- Virtual Host and listener mapped to your domain.
- LSCache plugin active in WordPress.
OffshoreKaka offers privacy-friendly VPS servers for people who want real control and reliable performance.
FAQ
Is OpenLiteSpeed the same as LiteSpeed?
OpenLiteSpeed is the free, open-source version of LiteSpeed. It gives you a fast web server and the WebAdmin console at no cost. The paid LiteSpeed Enterprise adds more features, but for most sites OpenLiteSpeed with the free LSCache plugin is plenty.
Will this get me to #1 on Google?
No honest tutorial can promise that. A fast, stable server with HTTPS gives you a strong base, but your content and backlinks still decide your ranking.
What should I send to support if something breaks?
Send your domain name, server IP, the exact error message, a screenshot, the last change you made, and whether it started after a firewall, listener, or virtual-host change.