So, there's been a lot of chatter around using Bitcoin privately with HD wallets and why having your own node is a good idea. I figured I'd whip up an easy guide for those of you who aren't too familiar with Linux. A few folks mentioned wanting to run their own node but felt overwhelmed by learning a new operating system. No worries, this guide is all about keeping things simple and straightforward for you.
I'm choosing to focus on Umbrel for this guide since it's super easy to set up and use, plus it works on pretty much any device that can run Linux. It's a solid choice.
Quick heads up: Umbrel isn’t fully open-source software. It’s transparent enough for reviews, can be forked, modified, and shared, but you can't really use it for commercial purposes. There are also some applets included that might not be open-source. For more details, check out this link: https://github.com/getumbrel/umbrel/blob/master/LICENSE.md
As I put this guide together, I made a few assumptions:
You’re using Windows on a PC or laptop that’s connected to your local network. Your node will be set up on separate hardware just for it (let's call it the "node server"). You’ll be accessing this node server remotely.
One cool thing about Umbrel is that you can manage it from any device on the same local network, even your phone, using a web browser. That’s what makes Umbrel user-friendly and a pretty handy option for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
LTS version also has less bugs, due to less moving parts inside the OS being upgraded. With that being said, you could even use Debian as a better option, if that is supported by Umbrel. Unlike in Ubuntu, using the latest Debian is perfectly fine because its release snapshot is frozen.
You are 100% correct, the LTS version is what I recommend. My semantics were off (fixed now,) but the link I provided actually pointed to the LTS version (22.04.) Thanks for bringing it up.
I agree that Debian is lighter, and more stable due to being lighter. Having had servers running with both Ubuntu and Debian simultaneously it becomes obvious just how much more stable Debian really is. Since I maintain my severs regularly, i.e. perform updates and upgrades at least once a month, I noticed all the bloat on Ubuntu requires many more upgrades on a regular basis.
Being significantly lighter makes Debian lack some of the packages needed to install Umbrel. Specifically; sudo and curl. But there's also the way Debian sets up user accounts that make it a bit more cumbersome to set up for use with Umbrel. All of that can be configured during install if one chooses "expert install," or modified later, of course. But since this guide is designed for those with limited Linux skills I figured it's best to recommend the most convenient method.
Since we're on the subject it's worth noting that Umbrel's official Raspberry Pi image uses Debian 10 as the core OS.
You may not even need the USB if you've got a LAN that's connected to the internet (WiFi will not work here, it requires Etherenet). You can just use PXE boot to load any Linux distro you want and then start the installation process. netboot.xyz has a guide for it here: https://netboot.xyz/docs/booting/ipxe
You can also load netboot onto the USB to load any operating system you want, even Arch Linux and Proxmox. https://netboot.xyz/docs/booting/usb
Yes. But take note some things have changed since OP created this thread, because
1. Umbrel is no longer alpha/beta software.
2. Umbrel have become umbrelOS, where you install their OS rather than running installation script on your current linux OS.
Yes, I do. Unless you like punishing yourself with difficult to maintain Linux packages, of course.
As ABCbits mentioned, this guide was for the older version, and no longer applies. The newer version, UmbrelOS is a lot easier to install, but it's best suited for a dedicated machine with one hard drive that's large enough for the whole Bitcoin blockchain, electrs, and possibly other blockchains like Monero. I recommend 2TB. The core of the OS is Debian 12, and all the services run in Docker containers. UmbrelOS provides a shell interface where you can interact with each container, which is kind of nifty if you want to snoop around and learn more about Docker containers, or make some changes.
If you don't want to dedicate a machine to the UmbrelOS, you can install it in a VM but make sure to give it plenty of drive space.
They went and made this guide obsolete.
Very easy guide indeed DireWolfM14 and thanks for writing it.
I 'd like to try it on a spare Raspberry Pi 4B+ that I have, but just for educational purposes. Because, I think that Umbrel has a dedicated OS for Raspberry PIs that can be burnt in an SD card, without needing to use another linux OS. Am I wrong?
Indeed, but it's good thing since there's development burden (such as handling error/bug on specific distro).
You're right. In fact, these days they only provide OS build. But take note they don't recommend using microSD[1]
[1] https://github.com/getumbrel/umbrel/wiki/Install-umbrelOS-on-a-Raspberry-Pi-5
Yeah, this must be new, because I remember in the past they advised installing it on SD cards. Obviously, because of the fact that SD cards are less stable for long-term usage, they advise otherwise now, which is correct.
To be honest, I am running my Raspberry OS straight on my SSD, which makes it more durable than SD or flash storage.
Anyway, thanks for the info.