🔧 Today's post is going to be a bit more technical and hands-on! If you've ever wanted to build and run your own social network, this guide will take you through every step—from setting up a Raspberry Pi-based server to securing your network with Cloudflare and finally deploying Web4 Lite, the open-source social platform.
By following this guide, you'll have a fully functional, self-hosted social network that is accessible from anywhere in the world, secure with HTTPS, and completely under your control.
🖥️ 1. Preparing Your Hardware: Setting Up a Raspberry Pi as a Server
To host your social network from home, you'll need a Raspberry Pi. This small yet powerful device can function as a full-fledged web server.
📌 What You Need
✅ Raspberry Pi 4 (or Raspberry Pi 3 Model B)
✅ MicroSD card (32GB or more, Class 10 recommended)
✅ Card reader or SSD with at least 120GB (for larger networks)
✅ Power adapter
✅ Internet connection (Ethernet or WiFi)
⚙️ Installing the Raspberry Pi OS
The recommended operating system is Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit), which is optimized for lightweight web hosting.
1️⃣ Download Raspberry Pi Imager from the official website:
🔗 Download Here
2️⃣ Insert your microSD card into your computer or connect your external SSD.
3️⃣ Open Raspberry Pi Imager and select:
- Device: Raspberry Pi 4
- Operating System: Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit)
- Storage: Your microSD card or SSD
4️⃣ Click "Next" and Edit Settings:
- Set your hostname (e.g.,
raspberrypi.local) - Create a secure username and password
- Configure WiFi settings (if using wireless)
- Enable SSH for remote management
5️⃣ Click "Write" to install the OS. Once finished, remove the SD card or SSD, insert it into the Raspberry Pi, and power it up.
📖 For a step-by-step guide with images, check out this detailed documentation:
➡️ Full Documentation (Google Drive)
🔌 2. Remote Access: Connecting via SSH
To manage your Raspberry Pi without a monitor, you’ll use SSH (Secure Shell Protocol).
ssh pi@raspberrypi.local
Enter your password when prompted. If successful, you'll see the Raspberry Pi command prompt.
🌐 3. Installing the Apache2 Web Server
A web server is essential for hosting your social network. Apache2 is a reliable and widely used option.
🛠️ Installation Steps
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install apache2 -y
sudo usermod -a -G www-data pi
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html
sudo systemctl restart apache2
Open a browser and visit:
🔗 http://raspberrypi.local
If Apache is running correctly, you'll see the default welcome page.
⚡ 4. Installing PHP for Dynamic Content
sudo apt install php -y
cd /var/www/html/
sudo nano index.php
Add the following code:
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
Save & exit (CTRL + S, then CTRL + X).
sudo service apache2 restart
Visit: 🔗 http://raspberrypi.local/index.php
🔒 5. Setting Up a Secure Domain with Cloudflare
Instead of exposing your home IP address, use Cloudflare Tunnels to securely route traffic.
➡️ Get a free subdomain for your home server at pi.linkspreed.com.
🔗 Steps to Connect Cloudflare
1️⃣ Register a domain (or use an existing one).
2️⃣ Set up a Cloudflare Tunnel to securely route traffic.
3️⃣ Link your domain to the Raspberry Pi web server.
✅ This eliminates the need for a static public IP address and protects your network from direct exposure.
🔐 6. Enabling HTTPS with SSL Encryption
sudo a2enmod ssl
sudo systemctl restart apache2
Generate an SSL certificate via Cloudflare and install it on your server.
Update your Apache configuration to use HTTPS (port 443).
Restart Apache and test your domain with HTTPS:
🔗 https://yourdomain.com
✅ Now, your social network is fully secure!
📲 7. Deploying Web4 Lite: Your Own Social Network
Now, let’s install Web4 Lite and bring your social network to life.
sudo rm -r /var/www/html/index.html
git clone https://github.com/Web4-Organisation/Web4-Lite/
Follow the installation instructions in the GitHub repository to configure databases and final settings.
💡 For additional customization, explore more open-source projects on:
🔗 GitHub: Web4-Organisation
🎯 Final Thoughts & Resources
🎉 Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up your own self-hosted social network using Web4 Lite from Linkspreed!
🔹 More information about Web4: web4.one
🔹 Step-by-step guide with images: Full Documentation (Google Drive)
🔹 Get a subdomain for your server: pi.linkspreed.com
🔹 Open-source code on GitHub: Web4-Organisation
By following this guide, you now have full control over your social network. Happy hosting!
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