Setting up RPI3 with Docker, Portainer, WordPress, Google Domain, and No-IP DDNS

Setting up a Raspberry Pi 3 with Docker, Portainer, WordPress, Google Domain, and No-IP DDNS

In this article, we will go through the process of setting up a Raspberry Pi 3 with Docker, Portainer, WordPress, Google Domain, and No-IP DDNS. We will cover key concepts, provide detailed instructions, and use subtitles to organize the content. By the end of this article, you will have a fully functional WordPress website hosted on a Raspberry Pi 3 using Docker and Portainer, with a custom domain name and dynamic DNS.

Setting up the Raspberry Pi 3

To get started, you will need a Raspberry Pi 3 board, a power supply, a microSD card, and a case (optional). Follow these steps to set up the Raspberry Pi 3:

1. Download and install the Raspberry Pi OS on the microSD card using a tool like the Raspberry Pi Imager.
2. Boot the Raspberry Pi 3 and connect it to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
3. Configure the Raspberry Pi 3 by running sudo raspi-config and setting a static IP address.

Installing Docker and Portainer

Once the Raspberry Pi 3 is set up, you can install Docker and Portainer. Follow these steps:

1. Update the package list by running sudo apt update.
2. Install Docker by running sudo apt install docker.io.
3. Start and enable Docker by running sudo systemctl start docker and sudo systemctl enable docker.
4. Install Portainer by running docker run -d -p 9000:9000 -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock -v portainer_data:/data portainer/portainer.

After running the above command, you can access Portainer by opening a web browser and navigating to http://:9000.

Installing WordPress using Portainer

Now that Docker and Portainer are installed, you can use Portainer to install WordPress. Follow these steps:

1. In Portainer, click on Endpoints and then click on the name of your Raspberry Pi 3.
2. Click on Stacks and then click Add Stack.
3. Paste the following code into the Docker Compose field:

   version: '3.7'
   
   services:
     wordpress:
       image: wordpress:latest
       restart: always
       environment:
         WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db
         WORDPRESS_DB_USER: wordpress
         WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: wordpress
         WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: wordpress
       ports:
         - "80:80"
       depends_on:
         - db
   
     db:
       image: mysql:latest
       restart: always
       environment:
         MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: wordpress
         MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
         MYSQL_USER: wordpress
         MYSQL_PASSWORD: wordpress
       volumes:
         - db_data:/var/lib/mysql
   
   volumes:
     db_data:
   

   This code will create a WordPress container and a MySQL container, with the WordPress container connected to the MySQL container. The WordPress container will be accessible on port 80.

4. Click Deploy the stack.

After the stack is deployed, you can access WordPress by opening a web browser and navigating to http://.

Installing WordPress plugins

Once WordPress is installed, you can install plugins to add functionality to your website. One useful plugin is the WP PHP My Admin plugin, which allows you to manage your WordPress database using a web-based interface. To install this plugin, follow these steps:

1. In the WordPress dashboard, click on Plugins and then click Add New.
2. Search for WP PHP My Admin and click Install Now next to the plugin.
3. Once the plugin is installed, click Activate.

After the plugin is activated, you can access it by adding /wp-admin/tools.php?page=wpphpmyadmin to the end of your WordPress URL (e.g. http:///wp-admin/tools.php?page=wpphpmyadmin).

Configuring a Google Domain and No-IP DDNS

Finally, you can configure a custom domain name for your WordPress website using a Google Domain and No-IP DDNS. Follow these steps:

1. Purchase a domain name from Google Domains.
2. Create a No-IP account and set up a dynamic DNS hostname (e.g. mywebsite.no-ip.org).
3. In the Google Domains dashboard, click on DNS and then click Add custom resource record.
4. Create an A record with the following settings:
   • Name: @
   • Type: A
   • TTL: 1H
   • Data: your-rpi-ip

   This will map the root domain (e.g. mywebsite.com) to the IP address of your Raspberry Pi 3.

5. Create a CNAME record with the following settings:
   • Name: www
   • Type: CNAME
   • TTL: 1H
   • Data: ghs.googlehosted.com.

   This will map the www subdomain (e.g. www.mywebsite.com) to the Google Domains name servers.

6. In the No-IP dashboard, click on Dynamic DNS and then click Add a Host.
7. Create a host with the following settings:
   • Hostname: mywebsite.no-ip.org
   • IP Address: your-rpi-ip

   This will map the No-IP hostname to the IP address of your Raspberry Pi 3.

8. In the WordPress dashboard, click on Settings and then click General.
9. Update the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields with your custom domain name (e.g. http://mywebsite.com).

After these steps are completed, your WordPress website will be accessible using your custom domain name (e.g. mywebsite.com).

In this article, we covered the process of setting up a Raspberry Pi 3 with Docker, Portainer, WordPress, Google Domain, and No-IP DDNS. We went through the following steps:

1. Setting up the Raspberry Pi 3
2. Installing Docker and Portainer
3. Installing WordPress using Portainer
4. Installing WordPress plugins
5. Configuring a Google Domain and No-IP DDNS

By following these steps, you will have a fully functional WordPress website hosted on a Raspberry Pi 3 using Docker and Portainer, with a custom domain name and dynamic DNS. This setup is ideal for learning about Docker, Portainer, and WordPress, and can also be used for small-scale production websites.

References

• Raspberry Pi OS
• Docker Installation
• Portainer
• WordPress
• Google Domains
• No-IP