diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index 9175e3b..df749cd 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-# Vagrant Box with Ubuntu 14.04, Nginx, MySQL and PHP-FPM
+# Vagrant Box with Ubuntu 18.04, Nginx, MySQL and PHP-FPM
 
-A Vagrant setup to create an Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty) virtual machine with Nginx, MySQL and PHP for WordPress development.
+A Vagrant setup to create an Ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic) virtual machine with Nginx, MySQL and PHP for WordPress development.
 
 Intended to be as simple as possible:
 
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Intended to be as simple as possible:
 
 * Quickly create a fresh WP instance served up via the Vagrant server.
 * Optionally specify which version of WP to install
-* Choose PHP 5.5, 5.6 or 7.0
+* Choose PHP 5.6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, or 7.3
 * Can be dropped into an existing WP directory to provide a LEMP testing and development server with minimal config changes
 * Can load database dump as part of provisioning
 * Renames all domain references using WP-CLI
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ This Vagrant box and provisioning is based on [this box from Paul Herron](https:
 
 ## What's included in the VM?
 
-* Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahir)
+* Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver) (https://app.vagrantup.com/ubuntu/boxes/bionic64)
 * Nginx, listening on port 80
 * MySQL, listening for remote connections
-* Choose between  PHP 5.5, 5.6 or 7.0, with OpCache and XDebug
+* Choose between PHP 5.6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, or 7.3, with OpCache and XDebug
 * PHP-FPM
 * [Byobu](http://byobu.co/)
 * [WP-CLI](wp-cli.org)
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ Use these intructions if you have an existing WP install
 1. Clone the wp-vagrant repo
 	* `git clone git@github.com:digitalquery/wp-vagrant.git`
 	* This creates a subfolder called `wp-vagrant`
-1. Copy the VagrantFile into the site root directory
+1. Copy the `Vagrantfile` into the site root directory
 	* `cp wp-vagrant/Vagrantfile .`
+	* Or alternatively, create a symbolic link:
+	* `ln -s wp-vagrant/Vagrantfile Vagrantfile`
 1. If you want to import a database during the provisioning, then put a SQL dump file into the `wp-vagrant` folder. **This file must have a .sql extension**
 1. Using your editor of choice, edit `wp-vagrant/settings.sh`
 	* `install_wordpress=false `
@@ -104,17 +106,17 @@ Use these intructions if you have an existing WP install
 
 ### PHP version
 
-To change the PHP version, edit `settings.sh` and set the `php_version` setting to 5.5, 5.6 or 7.0. Run `vagrant provision` if you're changing an already created vagrant instance
+To change the PHP version, edit `settings.sh` and set the `php_version` setting to 5.6, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, or 7.3. Run `vagrant provision` if you're changing an already created vagrant instance
 
 ### Settings.sh
 
-The full list - more comments and explanation are in the `settings.sh`file itself. 
+The full list - more comments and explanation are in the `settings.sh`file itself.
 
 ##### Basic Settings
-* `hostname='wpvagrant.dev' # change this in the Vagrantfile as well`
-* `php_version='7.0' # valid values: '5.5', '5.6' or '7.0'`
+* `hostname='wpvagrant.test' # change this in the Vagrantfile as well`
+* `php_version='7.2' # valid values: '5.6', '7.0', '7.1', '7.2', or '7.3'`
 * `install_wordpress=true # change to false if this is being dropped in to an existing WP folder `
-* `wp_version="" # eg wp_version="3.5.2 or 4.0-beta1". Leave blank for latest stable release` 
+* `wp_version="" # eg wp_version="3.5.2 or 4.0-beta1". Leave blank for latest stable release`
 * `wp_path='/vagrant'`
 * `mysql_root_password='root'`
 
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ The full list - more comments and explanation are in the `settings.sh`file itsel
 ##### WP admin and site setup details
 * `wp_admin_user='admin'`
 * `wp_admin_password='123'`
-* `wp_admin_email='root@example.com'`
+* `wp_admin_email='root@wpvagrant.test'`
 * `wp_site_title='Vagrant'`
 
 ##### Database import
diff --git a/Vagrantfile b/Vagrantfile
index 498a172..9b5817d 100644
--- a/Vagrantfile
+++ b/Vagrantfile
@@ -10,11 +10,7 @@ Vagrant.configure(VAGRANTFILE_API_VERSION) do |config|
   # please see the online documentation at vagrantup.com.
 
   # Every Vagrant virtual environment requires a box to build off of.
-  config.vm.box = "digitalquery/wpvagrant"
-
-  # The url from where the 'config.vm.box' box will be fetched if it
-  # doesn't already exist on the user's system.
-  #  config.vm.box_url = "https://vagrantcloud.com/ubuntu/trusty64"
+  config.vm.box = "ubuntu/bionic64"
 
   # Create a forwarded port mapping which allows access to a specific port
   # within the machine from a port on the host machine. In the example below,
@@ -55,21 +51,20 @@ Vagrant.configure(VAGRANTFILE_API_VERSION) do |config|
   end
 
   config.vm.network "private_network", ip: "192.168.50.2"
-  config.vm.hostname = "wpvagrant.dev"
+  config.vm.hostname = "wpvagrant.test"
   config.hostsupdater.remove_on_suspend = true
 
   # Vagrant triggers
-  config.trigger.before :destroy, :stdout => true do
-    info "Dumping the database before destroying the VM..."
-    run  "vagrant ssh -c 'sh /vagrant/wp-vagrant/mysql/db_dump.sh'"
+  config.trigger.before :destroy do |trigger|
+    trigger.info = "Dumping the database before destroying the VM..."
+    trigger.run_remote = {inline: "sh /vagrant/wp-vagrant/mysql/db_dump.sh"}
   end
 
   # provisioning script
   provisioning_file = 'wp-vagrant/bootstrap.sh'
   if ( File.file?(provisioning_file) )
-    config.vm.provision "shell" do |s|
-            s.path = provisioning_file
-    end
+    config.vm.provision "shell",
+      inline: ". /vagrant/wp-vagrant/bootstrap.sh"
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index f9caa1e..8bd9aa9 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -5,16 +5,17 @@
 #
 . /vagrant/wp-vagrant/settings.sh
 
-debconf-set-selections <<< "mysql-server-5.5 mysql-server/root_password password $mysql_root_password"
-debconf-set-selections <<< "mysql-server-5.5 mysql-server/root_password_again password $mysql_root_password"
+# https://serversforhackers.com/c/installing-mysql-with-debconf
+debconf-set-selections <<< "mysql-server mysql-server/root_password password $mysql_root_password"
+debconf-set-selections <<< "mysql-server mysql-server/root_password_again password $mysql_root_password"
 
-# default packages (php, mysql, nginx, etc), are preinstalled in the base box
-# update anyway, and also make sure php-mbstring is installed
-# we'll move this into the base box next update 
 
+add-apt-repository -y ppa:ondrej/php
+add-apt-repository -y ppa:ondrej/nginx-mainline
 apt-get update
 apt-get upgrade
-apt-get install php-mbstring php7.0-mbstring php5.5-mbstring php5.6-mbstring -y
+
+apt-get install -y nginx php${php_version} php${php_version}-fpm php${php_version}-gd php${php_version}-mysql php${php_version}-cgi php${php_version}-cli php${php_version}-curl php${php_version}-mbstring ffmpeg vim git-core mysql-server mysql-client curl tmux
 
 echo "**** add byobu config"
 . /vagrant/wp-vagrant/configs/byobu.sh
@@ -23,8 +24,7 @@ echo "**** Moving nginx config files into place…"
 . /vagrant/wp-vagrant/nginx/nginx.sh
 
 echo "**** mysql config…"
-mv /etc/mysql/my.cnf /etc/mysql/my.cnf.default
-cp /vagrant/wp-vagrant/mysql/my.cnf /etc/mysql/my.cnf
+. /vagrant/wp-vagrant/mysql/mysql.sh
 
 echo "**** Set PHP to ${php_version} and copy config files"
 . /vagrant/wp-vagrant/php/php.sh
@@ -32,10 +32,6 @@ echo "**** Set PHP to ${php_version} and copy config files"
 
 echo "Starting services…"
 service nginx restart
-service php5.5-fpm stop
-service php5.6-fpm stop
-service php7.0-fpm stop
-
 service php${php_version}-fpm restart
 service mysql restart
 
diff --git a/mysql/create_database.sh b/mysql/create_database.sh
index ec1fb34..926a999 100644
--- a/mysql/create_database.sh
+++ b/mysql/create_database.sh
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 if [ ! -z $wp_db_name ] ; then
 
   echo "**** creating database"
-  mysql -u root -p$mysql_root_password -e "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS $wp_db_name;"
+  mysql --defaults-extra-file=~/.mysql_root.cnf -e "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS $wp_db_name;"
 
   if [ ! -z "$wp_db_user" ]; then
 	  echo "**** adding custom user"
-      mysql -u root -p$mysql_root_password -e "GRANT ALL ON $wp_db_name.* TO '$wp_db_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '$wp_db_password'"
+      mysql --defaults-extra-file=~/.mysql_root.cnf -e "GRANT ALL ON $wp_db_name.* TO '$wp_db_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '$wp_db_password'"
   fi
 
 else
diff --git a/mysql/db_dump.sh b/mysql/db_dump.sh
index c007f4d..8a68a92 100644
--- a/mysql/db_dump.sh
+++ b/mysql/db_dump.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ if [ ! -z $wp_db_name ]; then
     mkdir /vagrant/wp-vagrant/db_dumps
   fi
 
-  mysqldump -u root --password=$mysql_root_password $wp_db_name > /vagrant/wp-vagrant/db_dumps/$db_dump_file
+  mysqldump --defaults-extra-file=~/.mysql_root.cnf $wp_db_name > /vagrant/wp-vagrant/db_dumps/$db_dump_file
 
   if [ ! "$?" -eq 0 ]; then
     echo "***** DATABASE DUMP FAILED - YOU MAY WISH TO ABORT VAGRANT DESTROY."
diff --git a/mysql/import_database.sh b/mysql/import_database.sh
index 533e79b..c323478 100644
--- a/mysql/import_database.sh
+++ b/mysql/import_database.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ if [ ! -z $wp_db_name ] && $import_database; then
       echo "**** SQL file found - proceeding with import"
       wp_db_dump_file=$(find /vagrant/wp-vagrant -maxdepth 1 -name '*.sql')
       echo "**** import filename is: $wp_db_dump_file"
-      mysql -u root -p$mysql_root_password $wp_db_name < $wp_db_dump_file
+      mysql --defaults-extra-file=~/.mysql_root.cnf $wp_db_name < $wp_db_dump_file
 
       if [ ! -z $import_site_domain ]; then
         echo "**** wp-cli search and replace"
diff --git a/mysql/my.cnf b/mysql/my.cnf
deleted file mode 100644
index 56f3229..0000000
--- a/mysql/my.cnf
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,127 +0,0 @@
-#
-# The MySQL database server configuration file.
-#
-# You can copy this to one of:
-# - "/etc/mysql/my.cnf" to set global options,
-# - "~/.my.cnf" to set user-specific options.
-#
-# One can use all long options that the program supports.
-# Run program with --help to get a list of available options and with
-# --print-defaults to see which it would actually understand and use.
-#
-# For explanations see
-# http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/server-system-variables.html
-
-# This will be passed to all mysql clients
-# It has been reported that passwords should be enclosed with ticks/quotes
-# escpecially if they contain "#" chars...
-# Remember to edit /etc/mysql/debian.cnf when changing the socket location.
-[client]
-port		= 3306
-socket		= /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock
-
-# Here is entries for some specific programs
-# The following values assume you have at least 32M ram
-
-# This was formally known as [safe_mysqld]. Both versions are currently parsed.
-[mysqld_safe]
-socket		= /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock
-nice		= 0
-
-[mysqld]
-#
-# * Basic Settings
-#
-user		= mysql
-pid-file	= /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid
-socket		= /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock
-port		= 3306
-basedir		= /usr
-datadir		= /var/lib/mysql
-tmpdir		= /tmp
-lc-messages-dir	= /usr/share/mysql
-skip-external-locking
-#
-# Instead of skip-networking the default is now to listen only on
-# localhost which is more compatible and is not less secure.
-bind-address		= 0.0.0.0
-#
-# * Fine Tuning
-#
-key_buffer_size		= 16M
-max_allowed_packet	= 16M
-thread_stack		= 192K
-thread_cache_size       = 8
-# This replaces the startup script and checks MyISAM tables if needed
-# the first time they are touched
-myisam-recover         = BACKUP
-#max_connections        = 100
-#table_cache            = 64
-#thread_concurrency     = 10
-#
-# * Query Cache Configuration
-#
-query_cache_limit	= 1M
-query_cache_size        = 16M
-#
-# * Logging and Replication
-#
-# Both location gets rotated by the cronjob.
-# Be aware that this log type is a performance killer.
-# As of 5.1 you can enable the log at runtime!
-#general_log_file        = /var/log/mysql/mysql.log
-#general_log             = 1
-#
-# Error log - should be very few entries.
-#
-log_error = /var/log/mysql/error.log
-#
-# Here you can see queries with especially long duration
-#log_slow_queries	= /var/log/mysql/mysql-slow.log
-#long_query_time = 2
-#log-queries-not-using-indexes
-#
-# The following can be used as easy to replay backup logs or for replication.
-# note: if you are setting up a replication slave, see README.Debian about
-#       other settings you may need to change.
-#server-id		= 1
-#log_bin			= /var/log/mysql/mysql-bin.log
-expire_logs_days	= 10
-max_binlog_size         = 100M
-#binlog_do_db		= include_database_name
-#binlog_ignore_db	= include_database_name
-#
-# * InnoDB
-#
-# InnoDB is enabled by default with a 10MB datafile in /var/lib/mysql/.
-# Read the manual for more InnoDB related options. There are many!
-#
-# * Security Features
-#
-# Read the manual, too, if you want chroot!
-# chroot = /var/lib/mysql/
-#
-# For generating SSL certificates I recommend the OpenSSL GUI "tinyca".
-#
-# ssl-ca=/etc/mysql/cacert.pem
-# ssl-cert=/etc/mysql/server-cert.pem
-# ssl-key=/etc/mysql/server-key.pem
-
-
-
-[mysqldump]
-quick
-quote-names
-max_allowed_packet	= 16M
-
-[mysql]
-#no-auto-rehash	# faster start of mysql but no tab completition
-
-[isamchk]
-key_buffer_size		= 16M
-
-#
-# * IMPORTANT: Additional settings that can override those from this file!
-#   The files must end with '.cnf', otherwise they'll be ignored.
-#
-!includedir /etc/mysql/conf.d/
diff --git a/mysql/mysql.sh b/mysql/mysql.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..510d9b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql/mysql.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+cp /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf.default
+
+# Allow access from host machine (digitalquery#21)
+sed -i 's/bind-address[[:space:]]\+= 127\.0\.0\.1/bind-address = 0.0.0.0/' /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf
+
+# https://stackoverflow.com/a/22933056/2603230
+echo "[client]
+user = root
+password = $mysql_root_password
+host = localhost
+" > ~/.mysql_root.cnf
diff --git a/nginx/default.conf b/nginx/default.conf
index 8dd78b6..c0326eb 100644
--- a/nginx/default.conf
+++ b/nginx/default.conf
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ server {
         fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+\.php)(/.+)$;
         fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php%%php_version%%-fpm.sock;
         fastcgi_index index.php;
-        include fastcgi_params;
+        # https://stackoverflow.com/a/16887296/2603230
+        include fastcgi.conf;
     }
 }
diff --git a/nginx/nginx.sh b/nginx/nginx.sh
index 28a4cee..aa9525a 100644
--- a/nginx/nginx.sh
+++ b/nginx/nginx.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+# Start after boot
+sudo update-rc.d nginx enable
+
 # copy nginx config
 cp /vagrant/wp-vagrant/nginx/nginx.conf /etc/nginx/
 
diff --git a/settings.sh b/settings.sh
index eda5443..e25d867 100644
--- a/settings.sh
+++ b/settings.sh
@@ -8,14 +8,16 @@
 
 # this is hostname for the vagrant box
 # make sure to change it in the Vagrantfile as well
-hostname='wpvagrant.dev'
+hostname='wpvagrant.test'
 
 # PHP version to install
 # valid values:
-# 5.5
 # 5.6
 # 7.0
-php_version='7.0'
+# 7.1
+# 7.2
+# 7.3
+php_version='7.2'
 
 # specify path (inside the Vagrant VM) to WordPress to allow wp-cli to do search and replace
 # shouldn't need to change this from /vagrant unless you've made other config changes
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ wp_db_password=''
 
 wp_admin_user='admin'
 wp_admin_password='123'
-wp_admin_email='root@example.com'
+wp_admin_email='root@wpvagrant.test'
 wp_site_title='WP Vagrant'
 
 #
diff --git a/wp/wp-cli.sh b/wp/wp-cli.sh
index 8d9d0ce..bc15ce6 100644
--- a/wp/wp-cli.sh
+++ b/wp/wp-cli.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
 if [  -f /usr/local/bin/wp ]; then
   echo "**** updating wp-cli"
   sudo wp cli update --allow-root --yes
+else
+  echo "**** installing wp-cli"
+  cd ~/
+  curl -Os https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar
+  chmod +x wp-cli.phar
+  sudo mv wp-cli.phar /usr/local/bin/wp
 fi
 
 wpcli_defaults_folder='/home/vagrant/.wp-cli'