LearnBuild

Windows Installation Instructions

Overview

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for setting up the AR.IO node on a Windows computer. It covers installing necessary software, cloning the repository, creating an environment file, starting the Docker container, setting up networking, and installing and configuring NGINX Docker. No prior coding experience is required.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation process, ensure you have the following:

  • A Windows computer
  • Administrative privileges on the computer

Install Required Packages

  1. Install Docker:

    • Download Docker Desktop for Windows from here.
    • Run the installer and follow the prompts.
    • During installation, make sure to select the option to use WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) rather than Hyper-V.
    • Restart your PC.
    • Update Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL):
      • Open the command prompt as an administrator:
        • Press Windows Key + R.
        • Type cmd and press Enter.
        • Right-click on the "Command Prompt" application in the search results.
        • Select "Run as administrator" from the context menu.
      • Run the following commands: 
        wsl --update
wsl --shutdown
    • Restart Docker Desktop.

  2. Install Git:

    • Download Git for Windows from here.
    • Run the installer and use the default settings.

Clone the Repository

  1. Clone the main repository:
    • Open the command prompt:
      • Press Windows Key + R.
      • Type cmd and press Enter.
    • Navigate to the directory where you want to clone the repository:
      • Use the cd command to change directories. For example, to navigate to the Documents directory: 
        cd Documents
        • More detailed instructions on navigating with the cd command can be found here
        • NOTE: Your database of Arweave Transaction Headers will be created in the project directory, not Docker. So, if you are using an external hard drive to turn an old machine into a node, install the node directly to that external drive.
    • Run the following command: 
      git clone -b main https://github.com/ar-io/ar-io-node

Create the Environment File

  1. Create an environmental variables file:

    • Open a text editor (e.g., Notepad):

      • Press Windows Key and search for "Notepad".
      • Click on "Notepad" to open the text editor.

    • Paste the following content into the new file, replacing <your-domain> with the domain address you are using to access the node, and <your-public-wallet-address> with the public address of your Arweave wallet:

      GRAPHQL_HOST=arweave.net
GRAPHQL_PORT=443
START_HEIGHT=0
RUN_OBSERVER=true
ARNS_ROOT_HOST=<your-domain>
AR_IO_WALLET=<your-public-wallet-address>
OBSERVER_WALLET=<hot-wallet-public-address>
      • The GRAPHQL values set the proxy for GQL queries to arweave.net, You may use any available gateway that supports GQL queries. If omitted, your node can support GQL queries on locally indexed transactions, but only L1 transactions are indexed by default.
      • START_HEIGHT is an optional line. It sets the block number where your node will start downloading and indexing transactions headers. Omitting this line will begin indexing at block 0.
      • RUN_OBSERVER turns on the Observer to generate Network Compliance Reports. This is required for full participation in the AR.IO Network. Set to false to run your gateway without Observer.
      • ARNS_ROOT_HOST sets the starting point for resolving ARNS names, which are accessed as a subdomain of a gateway. It should be set to the url you are pointing to your node, excluding any protocol prefix. For example, use node-ar.io and not https://node-ar.io. If you are using a subdomain to access your node and do not set this value, the node will not understand incoming requests.
      • AR_IO_WALLET is optional, and sets the wallet you want associated with your Gateway. An associated wallet is required to join the AR.IO network.
      • OBSERVER_WALLET is the public address of the wallet used to sign Observer transactions. This is required for Observer to run, but may be omitted if you are running a gateway outside of the AR.IO network and do not plan to run Observer. You will need to supply the keyfile to this wallet in the next step.

    Advanced configuration options can be found at docs.ar.io

    • Save the file with the name ".env" and make sure to select "All Files" as the file type. This helps to ensure the file saves as ".env" and not ".env.txt"

    Note: The .env file should be saved inside the same directory where you cloned the repository (e.g., ar-io-node).

Supply Your Observer Wallet Keyfile:

If you are running Observer, you need to provide a wallet keyfile in order to sign report upload transactions. The keyfile must be saved in the wallets directory in the root of the repository. Name the file <Observer-Wallet-Address>.json, replacing "<Observer-Wallet-Address>" with the public address of the wallet. This should match your OBSERVER_WALLET environmental variable.

Learn more about creating Arweave wallets and obtaining keyfiles here

Start the Docker Containers

  1. Start the Docker container:
    • Open the command prompt:
      • Press Windows Key + R.
      • Type cmd and press Enter.
    • Navigate to the directory where you cloned the repository (e.g., ar-io-node):
      • Use the cd command to change directories. For example, if the repository is located in the Documents directory, you would enter: 
        cd Documents\ar-io-node
      • If the directory path contains spaces, enclose it in double quotation marks. For example: 
        cd "C:\My Documents\ar-io-node"
      • Use the dir command to list the contents of the current directory and verify that you're in the correct location: 
        dir
    • Once you are in the correct directory, run the following command to start the Docker container: 
      docker compose up -d

      • Explanation of flags:

        • up: Start the Docker containers.
        • -d: Run the containers as background processes (detached mode).

        NOTE: Effective with Release #3, it is no longer required to include the --build flag when starting your gateway. Docker will automatically build using the image specified in the docker-commpose.yaml file.

        The gateway can be shut down using the command:

        docker compose down
    • If prompted by the firewall, allow access for Docker when requested.

Set Up Router Port Forwarding

To expose your node to the internet and use a custom domain, follow these steps:

  1. Obtain a Domain Name:

    • Choose a domain registrar (e.g., Namecheap) and purchase a domain name.

  2. Point the Domain at Your Home Network:

    • In your browser, go to https://www.whatsmyip.org/ to display your public ip address. It can be found at the top of the screen. Note this number down.
    • Access your domain registrar's settings (e.g., Namecheap's cPanel).
    • Navigate to the DNS settings for your domain. In cPanel this is under the "Zone Editor" tab.
    • Create an A record with your registrar for your domain and wildcard subdomains, using your public IP address. For example, if your domain is "ar.io," create a record for "ar.io" and "*.ar.io."
      • Instructions may vary depending on the domain registrar and cPanel. Consult your registrar's documentation or support for detailed steps.

  3. Obtain the Local IP Address of Your Machine:

    • Open the command prompt:
      • Press Windows Key + R.
      • Type cmd and press Enter.
    • Run the following command: 
      ipconfig
    • Look for the network adapter that is currently connected to your network (e.g., Ethernet or Wi-Fi).
    • Note down the IPv4 Address associated with the network adapter. It should be in the format of 192.168.X.X or 10.X.X.X.
    • This IP address will be used for port forwarding.

  4. Set Up Router Port Forwarding:

    • Access your home router settings:
      • Open a web browser.
      • Enter your router's IP address in the address bar (e.g., 192.168.0.1).
      • If you're unsure of your router's IP address, consult your router's documentation or contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
    • Navigate to the port forwarding settings in your router configuration.
      • The exact steps may vary depending on your router model. Consult your router's documentation or support for detailed steps.
    • Set up port forwarding rules to forward incoming traffic on ports 80 and 443 to the local IP address of your machine where the node is installed.
      • Configure the ports to point to the local IP address noted in the previous step.
      • Save the settings.

Install and Configure NGINX Docker

  1. Clone the NGINX Docker repository:

    • Open the command prompt:
      • Press Windows Key + R.
      • Type cmd and press Enter.
    • Navigate to the directory where you want to clone the repository (This should not be done inside the directory for the node):
      • Use the cd command to change directories. For example, to navigate to the Documents directory: 
        cd Documents
    • Run the following command: 
      git clone -b main https://github.com/bobinstein/dockerized-nginx

    Note: This NGINX container was designed to easily automate many of the more technical aspects of setting up NGNIX and obtaining an ssl certificate so your node can be accessed with https. However, wildcard domain certifications cannot be universally automated due to significant security concerns. Be sure to follow the instructions in this project for obtaining wildcard domain certificates in order for your node to function properly.

  2. Follow the instructions provided in the repository for setting up NGINX Docker.

Congratulations! Your AR.IO node is now running and connected to the internet. Test it by entering https://<your-domain>/3lyxgbgEvqNSvJrTX2J7CfRychUD5KClFhhVLyTPNCQ in your browser.

Note: If you encounter any issues during the installation process, please seek assistance from the AR.IO community.