Installing Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS

Alright, here we are—the moment of truth! You've got your hardware ready, your bootable USB drive in hand or in the PC, and your network info handy. Now it's time to actually install Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS and bring your homelab to life.

We said it before but it bears repeating: Don't worry if this is the first time you've installed an operating system. One of the reasons to build a homelab is to learn on equipment that is not essential to your everyday job or life. If you've followed the guide so far you should be working with old hardware that has no value to anyone so the impacts of any mistake are very low. We'll guide you through the install process and in the end you'll have a rock-solid Ubuntu Server up and running, ready to host all the cool stuff we'll set up in the next posts.

Boot That USB Drive

Time to fire up your homelab machine! Insert your bootable USB drive and power on the computer. Remember those BIOS settings we configured in the last post? Now's when they pay off.

As soon as you see the manufacturer's logo, you might need to hit the boot menu key (usually F12, but check your notes from last time) to select the USB drive. If your BIOS boot order is set correctly, though, it should automatically boot from the USB. Once you boot from the USB drive you should see a boot menu like this:

Press Enter to while the "Try or Install Ubuntu Server" item is selected to start the installer. You'll see some text scroll by—that's totally normal. Ubuntu is loading its installer from the USB drive.

Navigating the Ubuntu Installer

The Ubuntu Server installer is pretty straightforward, but let's walk through a few things you should know when navigating. Then we'll go through each step so you know what to expect.

To navigate the installer you need to use the keyboard. These are the keys you need to use

Language and Keyboard Setup

First up, pick your language. This affects both the installation process and your final system, so choose what you're most comfortable with.

Next, select your keyboard layout. If you're using a standard keyboard, the default is probably fine. You can test a few keys to make sure everything's working as expected before moving on.

Network Configuration

Here's where that network planning from the last post comes in handy! The installer will detect your network connection automatically. If you're using a wired connection, it should show you getting an IP address from your router.

Setting Up a Static IP

This is the important part for a homelab server. While the installer offers to use DHCP (where your router assigns an IP automatically), we want a static IP so we always know where to find our server.

When you get to the network screen:

1. Tab to elect your network interface. In our example it's "ens18" but yours may be named differently.
2. Press Enter and choose "Edit IPv4"
3. Press Down to change from "Automatic (DHCP)" to "Manual" and press Enter
4. Press Tab to go to each field and enter the network info you gathered:
   • Subnet: The subnet of your home network in CIDR notation (ex: 192.168.1.0/24)
   • Address: Your chosen static IP (like 192.168.1.100/24)
   • Gateway: Your router's IP (usually 192.168.1.1)
   • Name servers: Your router's IP or public DNS like 8.8.8.8

Double-check everything before continuing—getting this right now will save you headaches later. Once you're satisfied Tab to the Done button and press Enter.

Proxy

It's unlikely that you'll have a proxy server to configure at home. When you see this screen you can just press Enter to continue.

Storage Setup

Next up is configuring your storage. The installer will pick some defaults but doesn't allocate all the disk space right away. In our example setup we have 250G of space but only 100G was used. To ensure we have room for our media library, so we'll be expanding the main partition (a.k.a root partition, a.k.a '/') to use all the space we have available and make it super simple for later when we set up CasaOS.

1. Make sure the "Use an entire disk" option is selected and that it is using the correct disk. If you have only one, it will be selected by default.
   • Press Tab to navigate to the disk Enter, followed by the arrow keys to pick a different disk, if needed
   • Press Tab to get to the Done button and press Enter to go to the next screen
2. Press Tab to select the ubuntu-lv volume under the Used Devices section and press Enter
3. Move to Edit and press Enter
4. Move to Size and enter the maximum available, then Tab down to the Save button

   Tip

   If you enter a partition size that is larger than what's available, the installer will automatically enter 100% of the free space for you.

5. Press Tab to select the Done button and press Enter to erase the disk and create the ubuntu filesystems.

Creating Your User Account

Now for the user account that you'll use to manage your server. This is important—choose wisely!

User Details

You'll need to provide:

• Your name: Can be your real name or whatever you prefer. For our media server I'm creating a user called media
• Server name: This is your server's hostname on the network. Something like "homelab" or "server" works well
• Username: Keep it simple. For our media server I'm creating a user called media
• Password: Make it strong! You'll be using this to manage your entire homelab

The installer automatically gives this user administrative privileges (sudo access), so they can manage the whole system. Press Tab to get to the Done button and press Enter to continue.

Ubuntu Pro

Just accept the defaults here and press Enter. You don't need Ubuntu Pro for your homelab.

SSH Server Setup

When asked about installing OpenSSH server, definitely say yes! SSH lets you connect to your server remotely from other computers on your network, which is incredibly useful so you can manage your server from your laptop or other device at home.

Press Tab to highlight the Install OpenSSH Server option and press Enter to check it off. Then Tab to the Done button and press Enter to continue.

Software Selection

The installer offers to install additional software packages, but resist the temptation! For our homelab approach, we want to keep the base system minimal and clean. We'll add what we need later using our management tools.

Press Tab to highlight the Done button and press Enter to continue.

Installation Time

Now comes the waiting game. The installer will:

• Format your disk
• Install the base Ubuntu system
• Download and install updates
• Configure everything for first boot

This usually takes 15-30 minutes depending on your hardware and internet speed. Perfect time to grab a coffee or browse some homelab inspiration online!

First Boot and Login

When the installation finishes, you'll be prompted to remove the USB drive and reboot. Go ahead and pull out that USB drive—you won't need it anymore (but keep it somewhere safe, just in case).

Your server will restart and boot into Ubuntu Server for the first time. You'll see some startup messages scroll by, then a login prompt.

Logging In

Use the username and password you created during installation. If everything went smoothly, you should see a welcome message with some basic system information like:

• System load
• Memory usage
• Disk usage
• Available updates

Congratulations! You've successfully installed Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS. Your homelab foundation is now solid and ready for the next steps.

Quick System Check

Let's make sure everything is working correctly:

Check Your Network

Run this command to see your network configuration:

ip addr show

You should see your static IP address listed. If you see the IP you configured during installation, you're all set!

Test Internet Connection

Make sure your server can reach the internet:

ping -c 4 google.com

If you see replies, your network is working perfectly.

Update Your System

It's always a good idea to make sure your system is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This downloads the latest security updates and patches.

What's Next?

You've just built the foundation of your homelab! Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS is now running, configured with a static IP, and ready for action. This solid, secure base will serve you well for years to come.

In the next post, we're going to install CasaOS—a friendly web interface that turns server management from a chore into something actually enjoyable. No more wrestling with command lines for everything!

Ready to make your homelab management a breeze? Let's keep this momentum going!

Previous: Preparing Your Hardware | The Cheap and Simple HomeLab | Next: Installing CasaOS