After spending time with cloud platforms like Azure, AWS, and DigitalOcean — as well as Type 2 hypervisors (like VirtualBox) — I decided to try something new: a Type 1 hypervisor installed directly on hardware. My choice? The open-source, free, and powerful Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment).
Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough of how I installed and configured Proxmox VE 8.4, along with some beginner-friendly notes for those new to bare-metal setups 💡
🛠️ Step 0 – Check System Requirements
Before diving into installation, make sure your hardware is compatible with Proxmox. You’ll need:
A dedicated server or machine
Virtualization support (VT-x / AMD-V)
At least 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
SSD or HDD with enough space
💽 Step 1 – Download the ISO
Go to the official Proxmox VE website and download the latest LTS version of the ISO installer.
🔧 Step 2 – Create a Bootable USB Drive
Use Rufus to create a bootable USB stick. When prompted with the warning ISOHybrid image detected, don’t worry — just click Start ✅
💻 Step 3 – Boot from USB and Start Installation
You’ll need physical access to the server.
Plug in the USB stick
Enter BIOS/UEFI
Change the boot order to boot from USB
Start the Proxmox installer
(Installing Proxmox feels similar to installing any OS — because under the hood, Proxmox is Debian Linux 🐧)
⚙️ Step 4–7 – Installation Configuration
You’ll go through several steps:
Disk selection for the Proxmox installation
Region, timezone, and keyboard layout
Root password
Hostname, IP address, gateway, and DNS settings
🔐 Step 8 – First Login via Console
Once installed, you’ll see the “Welcome to Proxmox”, use:
Username: root
Password: the one you just set
🔎 At first, I wasn’t sure which user to log in as — in the cloud it’s often admin, but here it’s root. If you see the following screen, you’ve logged in successfully:
🌐 Step 9 – Network Setup for Web Interface Access
To use the GUI, you’ll need a second computer on the same network as your Proxmox server.
🔌 Option: Direct LAN connection
We’ll use a direct Ethernet cable (UTP) connection:
On your PC, assign: 192.168.1.1/24
On the server, assign: 192.168.1.100/24
Edit the network configuration file on the server: nano /etc/network/interfaces
📝 Step 10 – Update Network Settings
You’ll likely see 3 interfaces: lo, eno1, and vmbr0.
Update vmbr0 like this: address 192.168.1.100/24 gateway 192.168.1.254 (The gateway is optional for local-only setups).
Save changes with:
Ctrl + O to write
Ctrl + X to exit
🔄 Step 11 – Restart Network
Apply the changes by restarting networking: systemctl restart networking
✅ Step 12 – Test and Access the Web UI
From your PC, ping the server: ping 192.168.1.100
If ping works — go to your browser and enter: 192.168.1.100:8006
You’ll see the Proxmox Web UI login screen:
Log in with root and the password you set earlier.
🧠 Final Notes & Tips
Browser warnings: The certificate is self-signed — you can safely proceed
If ping fails: Double-check IPs, cables, and subnet masks
Security tip: Consider setting up a firewall and restricting access to port 8006
Updates: Run apt update && apt full-upgrade regularly to keep the system secure
✨ WARNING: I won’t swear by 100% accuracy – consider it more like my interpretive dance with the topic! ✨ Enjoyed this? Like and share! 🙌
