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Setting up a server may seem hard at first, but it can actually be done easily with some help. In this post, I will share the simple steps I used to set up my server during an online summer class in 2025 at Point Park University. The class was titled “Server Management” and taught by Professor Jeffrey Seaman. I will focus on how to install and set up a basic configuration using FreeBSD with VirtualBox.

Step 1: Prepare Your Environment

• Hardware Requirements: Ensure your host system meets the minimum requirements for VirtualBox and FreeBSD. Typically, at least 4GB RAM and a few GBs of free disk space are recommended.
• Download the ISO: Get the latest FreeBSD ISO from https://www.freebsd.org/.
• Install VirtualBox: Download and install VirtualBox from https://www.virtualbox.org.

Note: Before proceeding further, you will need to download the FreeBSD ISO image file. Go to
https://www.freebsd.org/where.html. The documentation makes it clear that you should download the amd64 installer. When you click on that link it takes you to this rather confusing list of options without any explanation for which is the best one:
We recommend that you download the 2.7 GB DVD ISO. This download could take some time.

Run VirtualBox
After your download is completed, run VirtualBox.

• Create a New Virtual Machine:
  • Open VirtualBox.
  • Click “New”.
  • Name your VM (e.g., “FreeBSD”).
  • Set Type to BSD and Version to FreeBSD (64-bit).
  • Allocate RAM (e.g., 2GB or more).
  • Create a virtual hard disk (VDI, dynamically allocated, at least 20GB).

Step 2: Attach the FreeBSD ISO

• Select your VM and click “Settings”.
• Go to Storage.
• Under Controller: IDE, click the disk icon with a plus sign.
• Choose “Choose a disk file” and select your downloaded FreeBSD ISO.
• Confirm and close settings.

Step 3: Boot from Installation Media

• Start your VM.
• The VM will boot from the ISO.
• You should see the FreeBSD boot loader menu.

Step 4: Boot into the FreeBSD Installer

• Select “Install” or “Boot Multi User” to launch the installer.
• For initial setup, choose “Install”.

Step 5: Choose Your Keyboard Layout

• Select your preferred keyboard layout.
• Confirm to proceed.

Step 6: Disk Partitioning

• Choose guided or manual partitioning:
  • Guided: Accept defaults.
  • Manual: Create partitions explicitly:
    • / (root): for system files.
    • swap: for virtual memory.
    • /home (optional): for user data.
• Select the filesystem type: UFS or ZFS. For this illustration, I chose UFS.

Step 7: Install the Bootloader

• Confirm the installation of the bootloader.
• Choose the target disk (e.g., virtual disk).

Step 8: Set the Root Password

• Create and confirm a password for the root user.
• Remember this password for administrative tasks.

Step 9: Configure Network Settings

• The installer attempts DHCP automatically.

• To set manually:
  • Select your network interface (e.g., em0).
  • Enter IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS as needed.
• Test network connectivity to ensure setup is correct.

Step 10: Configure User Accounts

• (Optional) Add other user accounts.
• Set passwords and default shells.
• Adjust other account settings as needed.

Step 11: Select Distribution Components

• Choose additional services to install, such as SSH or graphical interfaces.
• You can skip or customize based on your needs.

Step 12: Finalize and Install

• Review your configuration summary.
• Confirm to start installation.
• The installer copies files and sets up your system—wait for completion.

Step 13: Reboot and Remove the ISO

• After installation, the VM prompts for reboot.
• Shutdown the VM.
• Remove the ISO from the storage settings:
  • Go to Settings > Storage.
  • Select the ISO and click “Remove disk” or “Unattach”.
• Start the VM again, now booting into your new FreeBSD system.

Step 14: Post-Installation Configuration

• Log in as root or your user.
• Configure network settings, update packages:
• Run# freebsd-update fetch install
• pkg update
• pkg upgrade

• Install your desired software, set up services, or hardware as needed.

Conclusion:

There are a few crucial steps to setting up a server. The first thing you need to do is install the OS. Then, you will set up the network’s configuration. After that, you’ll set up and start the services that your server will use. Lastly, it’s important to protect access to keep your server safe. It could seem hard at first, but taking your time with each step makes it easier. You can add more services to your server, such as databases or hosting websites, after it’s complete.

References:

Presented by Fabrice Paida, a senior student at Point Park University with a Bachelor’s degree in Networking and Security.