phpBB is one of the most popular forum software currently available for free. It has been installed on thousands of websites and is used widely on bulletin boards across the web. Installing phpBB manually on a web server can be a bit challenging. Fortunately the vast majority of webmaster this is not a big problem due to cPanel Fantastico and other script installers. I am giving the example of Fantastico because my hosting provider (Hostmonster) has the option of using it.

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The first thing you need to do before installing phpBB is to make sure you have all the necessary components. The 2 most important things are PHP and MySQL. As a rule of thumb, if you can install WordPress on your web server then you will not have any problems with phpBB. If you are still unsure consult the official requirements documentation.

Once confirmed, load up Fantastico on your webhosting account. Click phpBB on the left sidebar towards the bottom. This will load specific instructions and links to what phpBB is, how disk space it will need to install and how much is available to you. It will also have a link to the official website for more info on features, docs, latest version and beta software availability.

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Click New Installation which will take to to a phpBB installation form.

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Fill out all the fields and remember the note down the username and password for the admin account. All future administrative work such as setting permissions or changing themes are done through this account. After that click Install phpBB.

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The next screen will ask for confirmation before the installer creates a new database for use by phpBB software. It will also give you the domain and the directory under which the forum will be installed. Check and make sure these settings are correct and click Finish Installation.

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The final screen will give you a confirmation that installation was completed successfully and a quick link to the newly created website. You can also have the details of the installation emailed to you (highly recommended) for future reference. After that sit back and enjoy your new forum installation.

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