Asteraid Netinstall ISO Documentation
The Asteraid netinstall ISO is a minimal installation image that allows you to install Asteraid over a network connection. Below are the requirements and considerations you need to keep in mind when using the Asteraid netinstall ISO:
- Stable Broadband Connection: A reliable, reasonably fast internet connection is required. While dial-up could work, it's very slow and may cause the installation to fail due to timeouts.
- Network Access: Ensure that your network allows access to external download sources. Some corporate or educational networks may have firewalls or proxies that block access.
- Ethernet: A wired connection is generally preferred for stability. Ensure that your network card is supported by the Asteraid installer. Most modern cards are supported out of the box.
- Wi-Fi: Wireless connections can be used but are trickier to configure during installation. Ensure you have the correct drivers and firmware, as some Wi-Fi cards may require additional firmware.
DHCP: The Asteraid installer will try to automatically configure your network using DHCP. Make sure your network has a properly configured DHCP server to provide IP addresses, subnet masks, gateways, and DNS addresses.
- Asteraid Mirrors: The installer will download packages from Asteraid repositories. By default, it selects a mirror close to you, but you can manually pick one if necessary.
- Firewall Settings: Make sure your firewall allows HTTP/HTTPS traffic to reach Asteraid mirrors.
- NAT Settings: If your network uses private IP addresses, ensure the gateway is configured for Network Address Translation (NAT) to allow access to the public internet.
If your network uses a proxy server to access the internet, you’ll need to configure it to allow unrestricted access to external resources during installation.
Some network cards, especially Wi-Fi adapters, may require non-free firmware to function properly. The installer may prompt you to load the firmware. You can prepare a USB stick with the necessary firmware, which is available on the Asteraid website.
- Network Stability: Ensure that your connection is stable throughout the installation process to avoid interruptions.
- Speed: The faster your internet connection, the quicker the installation, as it requires downloading several hundred megabytes of data.
To install Asteraid with the netinstall ISO, you’ll need a stable internet connection, supported network hardware (preferably Ethernet), a correctly configured network (DHCP or static IP), access to Asteraid mirrors, and possibly additional firmware for certain network cards. Meeting these requirements will ensure a smooth installation process.
- Download and install virtualization software: Options include Proxmox, VirtualBox, VMware, or Hyper-V.
- Create a new virtual machine:
- Open your virtualization software and create a new VM.
- Recommended VM settings:
- Minimum 1 vCPU
- 2048 MB of memory (reduce to 512 MB after installation if needed)
- 4 GB hard disk space (use a separate disk for call recordings to avoid system partition issues)
- Ethernet adapter connected to a network with properly configured DHCP, DNS, and NAT
- Attach the ISO file: In the VM settings, mount the Asteraid ISO as a virtual CD/DVD drive.
- Start the VM: Boot the VM and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- Legacy (non-UEFI) BIOS
- x86_64 CPU (Intel Atom, Celeron, Pentium, Core i, Xeon, or AMD)
- 2048 MB of memory
- 4 GB hard disk (use a separate disk for call recordings)
- Ethernet adapter with properly configured DHCP, DNS, and NAT
- USB Drive: Download the Asteraid netinstall ISO and use a USB drive (4 GB or larger). Burn the ISO using tools like Rufus (Windows), Etcher (Mac/Linux), or the
dd command (Linux).
- DVD: Download the ISO and burn it to a blank DVD using tools like Windows Disc Image Burner, Disk Utility (Mac), or Brasero (Linux).
- Insert the USB drive or DVD into the target machine.
- Enter the BIOS/UEFI settings during boot (typically by pressing F2, F12, Del, or Esc).
- Change the boot order to prioritize the USB drive or DVD.
- Save and exit the BIOS/UEFI to boot from the installation media.
Download BIOS pxe image
Download UEFI pxe image
Save images to tftp root
For network-based installations using PXE, configure your system with the following DNSMASQ settings:
dhcp-range=192.168.68.129,192.168.68.229,255.255.255.0,72h
dhcp-boot=ipxe.bios,,
dhcp-host=DE:AD:BE:AF:00:00,set:efi-x64
dhcp-match=set:efi-x64,option:client-arch,7
dhcp-boot=tag:efi-x64,ipxe.efi,,
enable-tftp
tftp-root=/opt/tftproot
Follow the on-screen instructions to install Asteraid. The installer will automatically select the first network interface for DHCP and use the first available hard drive for partitioning.
- Obtain an IP address: The system's IP address will be shown on the console after installation.
- Set the root password: By default, the root password is empty, and SSH is disabled. Make sure to set a root password.
- Configure Asteraid: Visit
https://[IP.ADDRESS.OF.SYSTEM] in your browser to complete the configuration.