RoudCube is a fantastic browser-based mail client created using PHP, MySQL and AJAX technology.

A little from the developers..

RoundCube is a browser-based multilingual IMAP client with an application-like user interface. It provides full functionality you expect from an e-mail client, including MIME support, address book, folder manipulation and message filters. RoundCube Webmail is written in PHP and requires the MySQL database. The user interface is fully skinnable using XHTML and CSS 2.

Read more for the installation guide.

Onwards we go..

If you're really unconfident using SSH to install things, try the friendly way to install RoundCube.

First get to the directory where we'll download and unpack RoundCube. Download and unpack RoundCube. Nobody wants their webmail folder to be called 'roundcubemail-0.1beta2', so lets rename it 'roundcube'. Before we continue, you should set up a database with a name of your choice with a secure password. This database will be used so RoundCube can store information. Once you have done that, we can rename two configuration files in order for RoundCube to work properly. We'll edit them soon. This command is ALL one line! This command is ALL one line! Next you need to set up a MySQL database. We'll call it 'roundcube'. Execute these commands and it will set up the database and install the SQL file (provided by RoundCube). Change DatabasePassword to the root user's password: Now you need to edit these files, especially db.inc.php. Edit the line which shows this: You'll need to change those in bold. root is the MySQL user, pass is the MySQL user password, localhost is the MySQL host (normally localhost) and roundcubemail is the MySQL database.

Next you should edit the file main.inc.php. There's no requirements needed here so you can edit this file as you please. I would advise you in changing the following line: to Putting localhost here will stop your users being able to connect to different mail servers other than the one on the same server as RoundCube is on.

Next you need to replace the string "./" in all the included files. This is so that e-mail can be sent and you can edit preferences easily. Execute this command: Credits: Scott Mcintyre

And there you have it! RoundCube should be working on your server. Try going to this URL: http://yourdomain.com:2095/roundcube/index.php

Why not tweak it? ;o]

You might be thinking, how can you *somehow* make RoundCube display itself on the webmail page that all users see when trying to login to view their webmail. Well, we'll show you how to do this and automatically log your users into RoundCube once they have logged in through the default HTTP Authentication!

This bit of this tutorial has been lost. I no longer am on a cPanel web server. If anyone has any useful links or can finish this part of the tutorial off, please comment and I'll update this with the new information giving credit.

The friendly way

Okay, so I'm presuming you've already used an FTP Client before. Well, there's a SFTP Client that eliminates the need to use the SSH window for browsing, altering and downloading files from your server. This is a great way if you don't like doing this via SSH. Remember though, if you login through root in this, you can potentially damage all of your server if you accidentally delete a folder. So when using this software keep in mind to be VERY carefully.

Download WinSCP to your computer. Use this link for a direct download or head to their web site incase there have been some updates since this article was modified.

Once you've done that, install it then open up the program. Click the 'New' button and type in the hostname, port number, username and password then click the 'Save' button. It will prompt you for a name to save it as. Once you've saved it you will be returned to the main screen where you can see your new saved session.

Double click it or highlight it and click the 'Load' button. You should be redirect to /root/ if you're logged in as the root user. Use the top drop-down box on the right hand side to get to the root folder (as in the first view /).

You will need to download roundcube to your computer and unpack it. After that, rename the folder 'roundcubemail-0.1beta' to 'roundcube' then rename the files: to and rename to Once that's done you'll need to create a database for RoundCube to use to store certain things. You need to remember the password, database name and user name used to connect to your MySQL database server to do the next part.

Assuming that you already have these details, you can now go ahead and edit the main files. First, open up the file db.inc.php and edit this line: You'll need to change those in bold. roundcube is the MySQL user, pass is the MySQL user password, localhost is the MySQL host (normally localhost) and roundcubemail is the MySQL database.

Next you should edit the file main.inc.php. There's no requirements needed here so you can edit this file as you please. I would advise you in changing the following line: to Putting localhost here will stop your users being able to connect to different mail servers other than the one on the same server as RoundCube is on.

Now all the required files have been modified you can upload RoundCube. Using WinSCP, browse to the folder /usr/local/cpanel/base (just like you would with any FTP program) and start uploading the roundcube folder that you just renamed into the /usr/local/cpanel/base folder. This will be a very slow process as it's uploading securely but will work in the end.

Once that's all uploaded your RoundCube installation should be working on your server. Try going to this URL: http://yourdomain.com:2095/roundcube/index.php