phpBB installation

Forum Fortress for phpBB is installed as an extension.

Download the ZIP, place the files in the correct ext/ directory, enable the extension in the ACP, then complete the Forum Fortress settings.

Before you start

Make sure you have:

a phpBB version supported by the package
administrator access to the ACP
file access to your phpBB installation
PHP with outbound HTTPS support, such as curl or equivalent
network access from your server to Forum Fortress services

Privacy and outbound access

Forum Fortress needs outbound HTTPS access to provide spam checks.

If your server uses an outbound firewall, allow HTTPS traffic on port 443 to hosts ending in:

*.ffapi.net

Before enabling the extension on a live community, you may need to update your forum's privacy policy. Forum Fortress receives forum activity details for spam analysis, including submitted content and user details relevant to each check.

Read Privacy and network access before installing.

Install steps

Follow phpBB’s standard extension install flow:

Download the latest Forum Fortress phpBB package from forumfortress.com/#platforms (Download now on the homepage).
Unzip the package and upload it to your board’s ext/ directory. Keep the folder layout from the archive (typically ext/forumfortress/protect/...).
In the phpBB ACP, go to Customise → Manage extensions and enable the Forum Fortress extension.
Open the extension settings.
Enter your forum's public URL and any required fields shown.
Optionally connect the forum to your customer portal account.

You can read more about account linking here: Your account and forums.

What happens after install

Forum Fortress starts checking supported forum actions and can help stop spam before it appears publicly.

Depending on the decision and your settings, an action may be allowed or blocked.

The portal shows the activity known to Forum Fortress. Some moderation behaviour may look slightly different from XenForo because phpBB handles queues and extensions differently.

Updating the extension

When a new version is available, follow phpBB’s standard extension update flow:

Download the latest phpBB package from forumfortress.com/#platforms.
In Customise → Manage extensions, disable the Forum Fortress extension.
Delete the extension’s files from the filesystem (ext/forumfortress/protect/).
Unzip the new package into ext/ (same layout as install).
Enable the extension in Manage extensions and run database migrations if prompted.
Check the Forum Fortress settings after the update.

Removing the extension

To remove Forum Fortress completely from your board:

In Customise → Manage extensions, disable the Forum Fortress extension.
Delete the extension’s data (use phpBB’s purge/delete data option for the extension when offered).
Delete the extension’s files from the filesystem (ext/forumfortress/protect/).

Reinstalling

If the extension is broken or settings are corrupted, disable it, delete its files (and data if you want a clean slate), then repeat the install steps with a fresh download.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	What to check
Extension does not appear in ACP	Confirm install steps 1–3: files under `ext/` with correct layout, then enable in Manage extensions.
Problems after an update	Follow Updating the extension: disable, delete old files, upload new files, enable.
Broken or inconsistent behaviour	Try Reinstalling: disable, delete data (optional), delete files, install again.
Connection errors	Outbound HTTPS, PHP curl support, DNS, firewall, WAF, or hosting egress rules.
Portal does not show the forum	Confirm the forum is connected to the same portal account you are using.
Moderation behaviour differs from another platform	This can be normal. Each forum platform handles queues and plugin hooks differently.

For help:

Check the FAQ and troubleshooting guide
Use Contact in the portal for specific issues

Include your forum URL, phpBB version, extension version, and any error message shown.