Apache: [warn] _default_ VirtualHost overlap on port 80, the first has precedence Error and Solution

Posted on in Categories , , , , , , , , , , , , last updated November 2, 2008

Question:I’m using Apache 2 to host multiple site on a single host using Apache name based VirtualHost feature. However, Apache is displaying lots of warning as follows:

Performing sanity check on apache22 configuration:
[Portal Oct 05 06:59:34 2008] [warn] _default_ VirtualHost overlap on port 80, the first has precedence
[Portal Oct 05 06:59:34 2008] [warn] _default_ VirtualHost overlap on port 80, the first has precedence
[Portal Oct 05 06:59:34 2008] [warn] NameVirtualHost 81.aaa.www.yyy:80 has no VirtualHosts
Syntax OK
Stopping apache22.
Waiting for PIDS: 14968.
Syntax OK
Starting apache22.
[Portal Oct 05 06:59:36 2008] [warn] _default_ VirtualHost overlap on port 80, the first has precedence
[Portal Oct 05 06:59:36 2008] [warn] _default_ VirtualHost overlap on port 80, the first has precedence
[Portal Oct 05 06:59:36 2008] [warn] NameVirtualHost 81.aaa.www.yyy:80 has no VirtualHosts

How do I fix this warning and host multiple websites under UNIX / Linux Apache 2 webserver?

Answer: The NameVirtualHost directive is a required to configure name-based virtual hosts. Add this to your httpd.conf file to fix this issue. Open httpd.conf file:
# vi httpd.conf
Add NameVirtualHost as follows:
NameVirtualHost *:80
OR add server IP
NameVirtualHost 202.54.1.1:80
Save and close the file. Restart httpd web server under RHEL / Red Hat / Fedora / CentOS Linux:
# service httpd restart
OR type the following to restart Apache 2 under Debian / Ubuntu Linux:
# /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Sample Apache 2 Virtual hosting configuration

If you want to maintain multiple domains/hostnames on your machine you can setup VirtualHost containers for them. Most configurations use only name-based virtual hosts so the server doesn’t need to worry about IP addresses. This is indicated by the asterisks in the directives below.

# My Virtual Hosts Config File for Two Domains
NameVirtualHost *:80
 
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot "/usr/local/docs/theos.in"
    ServerName www.theos.in
    ServerAlias theos.in
    ErrorLog "/var/log/theos.in-error_log"
    CustomLog "/var/log/theos.in-access_log" common
</VirtualHost>
 
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot "/usr/local/docs/nixcraft.com"
    ServerName www.nixcraft.com
    ServerAlias nixcraft.com
    ErrorLog "/var/log/nixcraft.com-error_log"
    CustomLog "/var/log/nixcraft.com-access_log" common
</VirtualHost>

Posted by: Vivek Gite

The author is the creator of nixCraft and a seasoned sysadmin and a trainer for the Linux operating system/Unix shell scripting. He has worked with global clients and in various industries, including IT, education, defense and space research, and the nonprofit sector. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+.

Share this on:

43 comment

  1. is not working for me… really dont know why… its always taking the first entry…

    my domain provider:
    -----------halbgasse.at:
    http://80.108.98.115
    -----------hebron.at:
    http://80.108.98.115

    —————/etc/apache2/sites-available:

    NameVirtualHost *:80
 

    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot "/var/www/halbgasse"
    ServerName www.halbgasse.at
    ServerAlias halbgasse.at
    ErrorLog "/home/www/halbgasse_error_log"
    CustomLog "/home/www/halbgasse_in-access_log" common

 

    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot "/var/www/hebron"
    ServerName www.hebron.at
    ServerAlias hebron.at
    ErrorLog "/home/www/hebron_error_log"
    CustomLog "/home/www/hebron_access_log" common

-------------------------------------------------------------
    Reply Report comment

  6. # My Virtual Hosts Config File for Two Domains
    NameVirtualHost *:80

    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot “/usr/local/docs/theos.in”
    ServerName http://www.theos.in
    ServerAlias theos.in
    ErrorLog “/var/log/theos.in-error_log”
    CustomLog “/var/log/theos.in-access_log” common

    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot “/usr/local/docs/nixcraft.com”
    ServerName http://www.nixcraft.com
    ServerAlias nixcraft.com
    ErrorLog “/var/log/nixcraft.com-error_log”
    CustomLog “/var/log/nixcraft.com-access_log” common

    When I configure the same file , I have a problem. I used Firefox, everytime I type http://www.theos.in or http://www.nixcraft.com, I only see mainpage (theos.in), no nixcraft.com

    Reply Report comment

  12. Finally it fixed.

    I’ve had this problem on an Ubuntu Server for the whole time I’ve been running it (about 18 months) and have just avoided using Apache on it since I couldn’t find a fix and it seemed to work fine everywhere else. Now its fixed and I can use it properly.

    My eternal gratitude!!!!

    Reply Report comment

  17. If you use Ubutu 10.10 as server and have configured as they suppose
    For example:
    under apache2/sites-enabled/eww.test.de
    with the content:
    # —————–
    # eww.test.de
    # ——————————————————-

    ServerName eww.test.de
    ServerAlias eww.test.de
    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/test-error_log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/test-access_log common
    DocumentRoot /home/eww/local

    …

    and edit your /etc/apache2/apache2.conf to add “NameVirtualHost *:80”
    beware that you don’t add this at the end of the file instead put it over
    >Include httpd.conf< or add this directive in the httpd.conf.
    It took some hours of "service apache2 restart" until I found it.

    Reply Report comment

    1. Oops, the blog eat my <
      Again the eww.test.de content\

      # -----------------
# eww.test.de
# -------------------------------------------------------
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName eww.test.de
ServerAlias eww.test.de
ServerAdmin [email protected]
ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/test-error_log
CustomLog /var/log/httpd/test-access_log common
DocumentRoot /home/eww/local
<Directory /home/eww/local>
#	AllowOverride None
#	Order Allow,Deny
#	Allow from all
#	Options +Indexes	
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>
      Reply Report comment

  21. If you find yourself really stuck with this error, make sure that ALL of your VirtualHosts’ port designators match the port designated on the NameVirtualHost directive!

    For instance:

    NameVirtualHost *:80

    # Some Apache Directives

    That will result in the Port Overlap error because your VHost port doesn’t match the NameVirtualHost port.

    Reply Report comment

  26. Also remember, at least on Red-hat based distors, that all the site configurations are loaded from /etc/httpd/conf.d in alphabetical order making the first one the default virtual host.

    Reply Report comment

  28. For all of you who got problem.

    This line : NameVirtualHost *:80 MUST be just before :

        ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot "/usr/local/docs/theos.in"
    ServerName www.theos.in
    ServerAlias theos.in
    ErrorLog "/var/log/theos.in-error_log"
    CustomLog "/var/log/theos.in-access_log" common

 

    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot "/usr/local/docs/nixcraft.com"
    ServerName www.nixcraft.com
    ServerAlias nixcraft.com
    ErrorLog "/var/log/nixcraft.com-error_log"
    CustomLog "/var/log/nixcraft.com-access_log" common

    Thx for this tweak !

    Reply Report comment

Leave a Comment

Tagged as: Tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,