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📦 NPM Installation for Advanced Users

Prerequisites and Verification

Before beginning the installation, ensure Node.js and NPM (Node Package Manager) are installed on your host operating system.

If your server is behind an HTTP/HTTPS proxy, you may need to configure NPM's proxy settings.

1. Verify Node.js and NPM

Open your command-line terminal (CMD/PowerShell on Windows, or Shell on Linux) and run the following commands to check the installed versions:

  • Node.js: 
    node -v
  • NPM: 
    npm -v

2. Configure Proxy Settings (If Applicable)

If your server requires a proxy to access the internet, you must set the proxy configurations for NPM. Skip this step if not needed.

# Set HTTP proxy
npm config set proxy http://proxy.com:88
# Set HTTPS proxy
npm config set https-proxy http://proxy.com:88

MeshCentral Installation

3. Install MeshCentral

Create a dedicated directory for the installation, change into it, and use NPM to install the MeshCentral package.

Recommendation: On Linux, use the /opt directory.

⚠️ Important: Do not use sudo when executing the npm install meshcentral command.

# Create the directory
mkdir -p /opt/meshcentral
# Move into the directory
cd /opt/meshcentral
# Install MeshCentral
npm install meshcentral

4. Start the Server

Once the download is complete, start the MeshCentral server.

⚠️ Crucial: Do not cd into the node_modules/meshcentral directory to run the server. Running it from the directory above node_modules is required for features like auto-install and self-update to function correctly.

node node_modules/meshcentral [arguments]

LAN-Only Mode: If you run the command without arguments, MeshCentral will default to LAN-only mode, meaning you can only manage computers on the local network.

5. Configure for WAN/Internet Access (Optional)

To manage computers over the internet (WAN or Hybrid Mode), your server needs a static IP or a DNS record that resolves to its public address. This is how remote mesh agents "call home."

While command-line parameters exist, it's highly recommended to use a configuration file for persistent settings.

Here are examples of starting the server and generating initial certificates for a public address:

# Using a domain name
node node_modules/meshcentral --cert servername.domain.com
# Using an IP address
node node_modules/meshcentral --cert 1.2.3.4

Note: The first time you run in WAN or Hybrid Mode, MeshCentral will generate necessary certificates, which may take a few minutes.

Once running, immediately create your admin account by navigating to https://127.0.0.1 (or your public hostname) in a web browser.