Install Proxmox VE on a dedicated server

October 20, 2026 · admin

Proxmox VE turns a dedicated server into a virtualisation host for KVM virtual machines and LXC containers, managed from a web interface on port 8006.

Requirements

• An RMDHost dedicated server with a 64-bit CPU that supports virtualisation (Intel VT-x or AMD-V)
• Debian 12 (Bookworm) installed – reinstall it from the client area if needed
• At least 8 GB RAM; more for every VM you plan to run
• Extra IP addresses if your VMs need public IPs – see Adding an extra IP address

1. Set a proper hostname

/etc/hosts must resolve your hostname to the server’s public IP, not 127.0.1.1:

203.0.113.10  pve.example.com pve

Check with hostname --ip-address.

2. Add the Proxmox repository

echo "deb [arch=amd64] http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm pve-no-subscription" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-install-repo.list
sudo wget https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/proxmox-release-bookworm.gpg -O /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/proxmox-release-bookworm.gpg
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

3. Install the Proxmox kernel and packages

sudo apt install -y proxmox-default-kernel
sudo reboot
sudo apt install -y proxmox-ve postfix open-iscsi chrony
sudo apt remove -y linux-image-amd64 'linux-image-6.1*'
sudo update-grub

4. Configure the bridge

Edit /etc/network/interfaces so VMs can share the network through vmbr0. Use the IP, gateway and netmask from your server welcome email. A routed setup is often required when extra IPs are bound to the server’s MAC address – ask our support team which mode your server uses before changing networking.

Tip: open the out-of-band console (IPMI/KVM where available, or a rescue system) before editing network settings, so you can recover if the server loses connectivity.

5. Log in

Browse to https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8006 and sign in as root with the realm Linux PAM. Upload ISO images under local → ISO Images and create your first VM.

Hardening

• Enable two-factor authentication for root in Datacenter → Permissions → Two Factor.
• Restrict port 8006 to your own IP addresses with the Proxmox firewall.

Back to the blog