The BYOI install checklist

Handing your server over to a managed host for VICIdial installation is straightforward, but only if the box is in the right state. Skipping any of the preparation steps below will either block the automated install or leave the dialer in a broken state that is tedious to debug after the fact. This checklist covers what needs to be in place before you hand over SSH access.

For a broader look at how BYOI compares to a standard managed plan, see the VICIdial cloud guide.

Checklist overview

flowchart TD
  A[Provision VPS - Ubuntu 22.04] --> B[Assign static public IP]
  B --> C[Open firewall: SSH 22 and SIP 5060]
  C --> D[Open RTP range 10000-20000 UDP]
  D --> E[Point DNS A record at server IP]
  E --> F[Confirm root SSH key access]
  F --> G[Share credentials with host]
  G --> H[Host runs automated install]
  H --> I[Dialer live on branded subdomain]

Step 1: Operating system

Use Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, fresh install, nothing else on it. VICIdial's build process compiles Asterisk from source, modifies several system files, and expects a clean base. Starting with a pre-configured image that has a control panel or other software already installed will cause conflicts that are hard to trace. Do not use Ubuntu 24.04 yet — it changes package names in ways that break parts of the VICIdial install scripts.

Step 2: Public IP and firewall

VICIdial needs a dedicated public IPv4 address. The SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) stack uses this for Phone registration — agents and carriers register to it. Do not put VICIdial behind a NAT'd private IP without a static public address mapped to it, because the SIP headers will advertise the wrong address and calls will fail to connect.

Open these ports in your cloud provider's firewall (security group or network rules) before the install starts:

22/tcp      # SSH (restrict to your IP after install)
80/tcp      # HTTP (for Let's Encrypt challenge)
443/tcp     # HTTPS (VICIdial web interface)
5060/udp    # SIP signaling
5061/tcp    # SIP TLS (optional but recommended)
10000-20000/udp  # RTP audio range

Step 3: DNS

Before the install, create an A record pointing your intended subdomain at the server's public IP. The install process will try to issue a TLS certificate using a DNS challenge, and that challenge will fail if the DNS is not already propagated. Allow 5 to 10 minutes after creating the record before starting the install. A DID (direct inward dialing) — a Direct Inward Dial number — that your carrier routes to this server also needs to be ordered and ready before you can take inbound calls, but that can come after install.

Step 4: Root SSH access

The automated install runs as root. Add the host's SSH public key to the server's /root/.ssh/authorized_keys file before handing over access. Confirm that you can log in yourself first — a fresh cloud VM will sometimes have root login disabled or password-only auth configured, and the installer will not be able to tell you why it cannot connect.

Once the install finishes, the host-managed SSH key can remain for ongoing maintenance. You keep your own key alongside it so you always have direct access.

Ready to hand off

With a clean Ubuntu 22.04 box, a static public IP, the right ports open, DNS resolving, and root SSH working, the host can run the automated VICIdial install without interruption. From that point it is their problem to get the dialer online. For what to do once it is running — keeping your recordings and lead data secure on the box — see keeping your leads and recordings on your own box.

If you would rather skip the provisioning steps entirely and get a dialer live in under 40 seconds, the standard managed plans on the VICIfast pricing page handle all of this for you.