# Other

This guide will walk you through setting up `hostd` on Linux. At the end of this guide, you should have the following:

* Installed Sia `hostd` software
* Functional `hostd` Node
* Created a `hostd` wallet

## Pre-requisites

To ensure you will not run into any issues with running `hostd` it is recommended your system meets the following requirements:

* **Operating System Compatibility:** `hostd` is supported on the following Linux versions:
  * Trixie (Debian 13)
  * Bookworm (Debian 12)
  * Bullseye (Debian 11)
  * Plucky (Ubuntu 25.04)
  * Noble (Ubuntu 24.04)
  * Jammy (Ubuntu 22.04)
* **System Updates:** Ensure that your Linux system is up to date with the latest system updates, as 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.

## Install `hostd`

Download the latest version of `hostd` for your operating system from the [official website](https://sia.tech/software/hostd). For this guide, we'll be downloading the Linux version of `hostd`.

1. Open a terminal and download the latest version of `hostd` for your operating system.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="AMD64" %}

```console
wget https://sia.tech/downloads/latest/hostd_linux_amd64.zip
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="ARM64" %}

```console
wget https://sia.tech/downloads/latest/hostd_linux_arm64.zip
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

2. Now that we have downloaded `hostd`, we can unzip and extract the `hostd` binary to our `/usr/local/bin` directory

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="AMD64" %}

```console
unzip -j hostd_linux_amd64.zip hostd &&\
sudo mv -t /usr/local/bin hostd &&\
rm -rf hostd_linux_amd64.zip
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="ARM64" %}

```console
unzip -j hostd_linux_arm64.zip hostd &&\
sudo mv -t /usr/local/bin hostd &&\
rm -rf hostd_linux_arm64.zip
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

3. Create a new folder called `hostd`. This will hold all the runtime files `hostd` generates and uses.

   ```console
   mkdir /path/to/hostd/folder
   ```

## Configuring `hostd`

{% hint style="warning" %}
`hostd` uses BIP-39 12-word recovery phrases. It does not support legacy 28/29-word `siad` seeds.
{% endhint %}

1. Before running the `hostd` configuration wizard, make sure to `cd` into the `hostd` runtime folder you created in the last section. Then run the `hostd` configuration wizard. This will generate a `hostd.yml` file that is used by `hostd` on start-up.

   ```console
   cd /path/to/hostd/folder
   hostd config
   ```

## Start `hostd`

1. Once you have completed the configuration wizard, you can now start `hostd`.

   ```console
   cd /path/to/hostd/folder
   hostd
   ```

   ![](https://3679771871-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F6w9fYqdazlo30V4aFg36%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-81dd206c8422545cf07204db178cd34cb8bcc2b2%2Fhostd-success.png?alt=media)

## Accessing the UI

For users with a desktop environment, you can open a browser to `http://localhost:9980` to access the `hostd` UI.

If you do not have a desktop environment:

1. Find your server's LAN IP using `ip addr`, `ifconfig`, etc.
2. Switch to another computer in your LAN and open the browser
3. Type your LAN IP followed by `:9980` in the address bar (e.g. `http://192.168.1.50:9980`)

![hostd login](https://3679771871-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F6w9fYqdazlo30V4aFg36%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-fdfd7f8e05ae2e0bf543810159cfa34ef9c04ada%2Fhostd-ui.png?alt=media)

## Updating

It is very important to keep your host up to date. New versions of `hostd` are released regularly and contain bug fixes and performance improvements.

**To update:**

1. Stop `hostd`.
2. Download the latest version of `hostd`.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="AMD64" %}

```console
wget https://sia.tech/downloads/latest/hostd_linux_amd64.zip
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="ARM64" %}

```console
wget https://sia.tech/downloads/latest/hostd_linux_arm64.zip
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

3. Unzip and replace `hostd` with the new version.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="AMD64" %}

```console
unzip -j hostd_linux_amd64.zip hostd &&\
sudo mv -t /usr/local/bin hostd &&\
rm -rf hostd_linux_amd64.zip
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="ARM64" %}

```console
unzip -j hostd_linux_arm64.zip hostd &&\
sudo mv -t /usr/local/bin hostd &&\
rm -rf hostd_linux_arm64.zip
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

4. Start `hostd`.

   ```console
   cd /path/to/hostd/folder
   hostd
   ```

{% hint style="success" %}
Congratulations, you have successfully updated your version of `hostd`!
{% endhint %}