Windows

Setup a new host on Windows

The hostd desktop app provides a user-friendly web UI to start providing storage on the Sia network. By the end of this guide, you will have:

• Installed the hostd desktop application.

• Created a hostd wallet

Pre-requisites

To run hostd on Windows, your system should meet the following specifications:

• Operating System Compatibility: hostd is only supported by 64-bit versions of Windows.

• System Updates: Ensure that your Windows version is up to date with the latest system updates. These updates can contain important security fixes and improvements.

• Hardware Requirements: A stable setup that meets the following specifications is recommended. Not meeting these requirements may result in fewer contracts from renters or the loss of collateral.

  • A quad-core CPU

  • 8GB of RAM

  • 256 GB SSD for hostd

    • 10 GB per 1 TB hosted for database storage

  • At least 4TB of HDD storage for renter data

• Network Access: hostd requires a stable internet connection and open network access to store and retrieve data on the Sia network.

Download

1. Go to Sia Software Downloads. Here you can find the latest software downloads for all our daemons.

1. From the dropdown menu, select Windows AMD64.

Before proceeding with downloading, please read our Terms of Service. Once you have reviewed and are satisfied, check the box to agree.

1. Click Download to get the latest hostd version for your operating system.

Run

After downloading the hostd desktop application:

1. Install the app: Double-click the installer (e.g., hostd.<version>.Setup.exe) and follow the prompts. The app installs to the default location.

2. Launch the app: After installation, you can delete the installer, and launch hostd from the Start Menu like any other program.

3. Initial setup (first-time users only): On first launch, the Welcome to hostd window will guide you to do the following:

• Name your storage provider.

• Generate a recovery phrase (which you can copy and lock).

• Set a password to access web UI.

1. Access the Web UI (first-time users only): Click save and start daemon. It will open automatically, or if not, you can access it at http://localhost:9980 while hostd runs in the background.

When you first run hostd, Windows Security may ask to allow public and private network access. This is normal - select Allow so hostd can communicate properly through the firewall.

Success! hostd is now running on your Windows system, and you’re ready to start providing storage on the Sia network.

Configure

You can customize hostd through the desktop app, which provides full control over all available settings.

On Windows, you can access the hostd configurations by going to the taskbar, expanding the up arrow to see hidden icons, and double-clicking the hostd app. This will open the configuration window and let you customize its behavior.

There are several configurable settings in hostd. Below is a breakdown of what each setting does:

Field	Description
Recovery Phrase	Your wallet recovery seed
Password	Set or update your wallet password
Automatically open the Web UI on startup	Enable this to launch the interface when hostd starts
Data Directory	Where hostd stores its data and config files
Log Level	Amount of detail in logs
HTTP Address	Local address for the Web UI
Syncer Address	Peer address hostd uses to sync the blockchain and find other peers
RHP4 port	Listening port for incoming storage traffic

Always save and restart daemon after making configuration changes to ensure they are applied.

You can monitor your node’s activity and track changes by checking the logs. These provide detailed information about the system, network connections, API endpoints, S3 interface, and autopilot operations, helping you understand what your node is doing at any given time.

Update

hostd updates regularly with bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features. Updating your node ensures stability and compatibility with the Sia network.

On Windows, the app downloads updates automatically and notifies you when they’re ready. Simply restart the app to run the latest version.

You can always check for the version of the software at the bottom of the app interface.