How to Install HomelabOS on Windows 11

HomelabOS is an open-source project that aims to provide an easy-to-use, self-hosted server environment for home users. In this tutorial, we will learn how to install HomelabOS on Windows 11 operating system.

Step 1: Install WSL2

Before installing HomelabOS, we need to install WSL2 on our Windows 11. WSL2 is a Windows Subsystem for Linux that allows us to run a Linux environment on Windows 11.

To install WSL2, follow these steps:

1. Open the Windows PowerShell as an administrator.
2. Run the following command to enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature:

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart

3. Run the following command to enable the Virtual Machine feature:

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart

4. Restart your computer to finish the installation.

Step 2: Install Ubuntu

After installing WSL2, we need to install an Ubuntu distribution that we will use to run HomelabOS.

To install Ubuntu, follow these steps:

1. Open the Microsoft Store.
2. Search for Ubuntu and select the latest version available.
3. Click on the Install button to start the installation process.
4. Wait for the installation process to finish.

Step 3: Install Docker

To install HomelabOS, we need to install Docker on our Ubuntu distribution. Docker is a software platform that allows us to create, test, and deploy applications.

To install Docker, follow these steps:

1. Open the Ubuntu terminal.
2. Update the package list by running the following command:

sudo apt update

3. Install the necessary packages by running the following command:

sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release

4. Add the Docker GPG key by running the following command:

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg

5. Add the Docker repository by running the following command:

echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list >/dev/null

6. Update the package list again by running the following command:

sudo apt update

7. Install Docker by running the following command:

sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io

8. Verify that Docker is installed correctly by running the following command:

sudo docker run hello-world

Step 4: Install HomelabOS

Finally, we can install and run HomelabOS by following these steps:

1. Open the Ubuntu terminal.
2. Download the HomelabOS installation script by running the following command:

curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/homelab-os/homelabos/main/scripts/install.sh | sudo bash

3. Run the installation script by running the following command:

sudo homelab init

4. Wait for the installation process to finish.
5. Access the HomelabOS web interface by visiting https://localhost in your web browser.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed HomelabOS on your Windows 11 operating system using WSL2. Enjoy your self-hosted server environment!

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!