How to Self-Host Websites on a Home Server with OpenPanel

You can run OpenPanel on a spare PC, mini PC, NAS or small ARM board at home and host your own websites, apps and services. Installation is the same as on a VPS - the extra work is making the server reachable from the internet.

For a Raspberry Pi, see Install OpenPanel on a Raspberry Pi. For a VM on Proxmox, see Install OpenPanel on Proxmox VE.

What You Need​

• A dedicated machine or VM - OpenPanel needs a clean OS with nothing else installed (no other web server, Docker or panel).
• CPU: any 64-bit x86 (AMD64) or ARM64 (AArch64) processor.
• RAM: at least 2 GB, 4 GB or more recommended.
• Disk: at least 20 GB, an SSD is strongly recommended.
• OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (recommended), Debian, AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux - see the supported systems.
• Wired network connection - more reliable than Wi-Fi for a server.

Use the resource calculator to see how many websites your hardware can handle.

Step 1: Install the Operating System​

1. Install Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS on the machine and enable OpenSSH server during setup.
2. Give the server a fixed local IP - either set a static IP during installation, or create a DHCP reservation for it in your router. Port forwarding breaks if the local IP changes.

Step 2: Install OpenPanel​

Connect from another computer and run the installer as root:

ssh [email protected]
sudo -i
bash <(curl -sSL https://openpanel.org)

When the installation finishes, open https://192.168.1.50:2087 from your local network and log in with the printed credentials.

Step 3: Make Websites Reachable from the Internet​

Option A: Port Forwarding​

In your router's admin page (often under NAT, Port Forwarding or Virtual Servers), forward these ports to the server's local IP:

Then point your domain's A record to your public IP (the one shown at ip.openpanel.com). OpenPanel detects the public IP automatically and uses it in new DNS zones.

CGNAT check​

If your router's WAN IP is different from the IP shown on ip.openpanel.com, or starts with 100.64-100.127, your ISP uses CGNAT and port forwarding will not work. Ask your ISP for a public IP, or use option B.

Option B: Cloudflare Tunnel (No Port Forwarding)​

A Cloudflare Tunnel makes an outgoing connection from your server to Cloudflare, so you don't need a public IP or open ports. It works behind CGNAT and on networks where the ISP blocks incoming traffic.

Follow Host Websites Behind a Cloudflare Tunnel.

Step 4: Handle a Changing Public IP​

Most home connections get a dynamic public IP that changes from time to time. When it changes, your domains point to the old IP and the websites go offline.

Options:

• Ask your ISP for a static IP - the simplest fix, often available for a small fee.
• Use a Cloudflare Tunnel - the IP doesn't matter at all.
• Keep DNS at Cloudflare or another provider with an API, and run a dynamic DNS client (such as ddclient) on the server to update the A records when the IP changes.

If you host DNS on another OpenPanel server, its Dynamic DNS feature gives you an update URL you can call from a cron job at home to keep a record in sync.

Step 5: Accessing Your Sites from Inside Your Network​

Many home routers don't support NAT loopback (hairpin NAT), so opening https://yourdomain.com from a device on the same network may time out even though it works from outside.

Fixes:

• Enable NAT loopback / NAT reflection in the router, if available.
• Or add a local DNS override (in your router, Pi-hole, or the hosts file of your computer) that points your domains to the server's local IP, e.g. 192.168.1.50 yourdomain.com.

Email from a Home Server​

Sending email directly from a home connection almost never works:

• Most ISPs block outgoing port 25.
• Home IP ranges are listed on spam blocklists, and you can't set reverse DNS (PTR) for them.

Websites can still send email through an external SMTP relay - see Port 25 Blocked: How to Use an SMTP Relay.

Keeping It Running​

• Power: a small UPS protects the server and disks from power cuts.
• Backups: configure OpenPanel backups to an external drive or remote storage - a home server has no provider snapshots.
• Security: keep OpenAdmin (2087) off the internet or restrict it by IP, and follow the server hardening checklist.