While setting up my new VPS to host a Rails application with Apache/Passenger, I noticed an odd discrepancy between servers. Both running Ubuntu with Apache installed via aptitude, but the older server threw this error:

root@www:/etc/apache2# apache2ctl status
/usr/sbin/apache2ctl: 124: www-browser: not found

Meanwhile, the newer VPS showed the expected server status output. Here's what I discovered about this behavior.

The apache2ctl status command attempts to display server information in a text-based browser. On line 124 of /usr/sbin/apache2ctl, you'll find:

www-browser -dump "http://$HOST:$PORT/server-status" 2>/dev/null || \
lynx -dump "http://$HOST:$PORT/server-status" 2>/dev/null || \
links -dump "http://$HOST:$PORT/server-status" 2>/dev/null

The script tries three different text browsers in sequence. The error occurs when none are installed.

Option 1: Install a text browser

The simplest fix is to install one of the supported browsers:

sudo apt-get install w3m  # Lightweight option
# OR
sudo apt-get install lynx # More feature-rich

Option 2: Directly query the status URL

For server environments where you don't need the formatted output:

curl http://localhost/server-status?auto

This gives you machine-readable output perfect for monitoring scripts.

The difference between your VPS instances likely comes from:

• Different Ubuntu base images (minimal vs standard)
• Changed package dependencies in newer Apache versions
• Manual installation of text browsers during other setup processes

For production environments, I recommend:

# Install minimal browser
sudo apt-get install w3m

# Then secure your status page by editing apache config:
<Location /server-status>
    SetHandler server-status
    Require local
    # Optional: Add basic auth
    AuthType Basic
    AuthName "Server Status"
    AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/.htpasswd
    Require valid-user
</Location>

---

When running apache2ctl status on some Ubuntu systems, you might encounter the error:

/usr/sbin/apache2ctl: 124: www-browser: not found

This occurs because the Apache status handler attempts to launch a text-based web browser to display server statistics, but no suitable browser is installed on your system.

The apache2ctl script contains logic to display status information in a browser when run interactively. On line 124 (in Apache 2.2.x), it tries to execute:

www-browser "http://$SERVER:$PORT/server-status"

Ubuntu systems typically don't ship with www-browser by default, although some installations may have it as part of the debianutils package or from other browser installations.

Option 1: Install a Text Browser

The most straightforward solution is to install a text-based web browser:

sudo apt-get install w3m

Alternatively, you could install lynx or links:

sudo apt-get install lynx

Option 2: Modify apache2ctl Behavior

If you prefer not to install a browser, you can modify how apache2ctl handles the status command. Edit the file:

sudo nano /usr/sbin/apache2ctl

Find the line containing www-browser (around line 124) and change it to:

curl "http://$SERVER:$PORT/server-status"

Or simply comment out the browser invocation entirely if you only need the raw output.

Option 3: Access Status Directly

Instead of using apache2ctl status, you can query the status page directly:

curl http://localhost/server-status?auto

This gives you machine-readable output that's often more useful for scripting.

For production systems, I recommend:

sudo apt-get install lynx
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/lynx /usr/bin/www-browser

This provides a lightweight solution that maintains compatibility with other system tools that might expect www-browser to exist.

For serious monitoring, consider parsing the machine-readable output:

#!/bin/bash
STATS=$(curl -s "http://localhost/server-status?auto")
echo "Current connections: $(echo "$STATS" | grep "Total Accesses" | cut -d' ' -f3)"

You can extend this script to monitor critical metrics and alert when thresholds are exceeded.