Question 1

What is netboot.xyz?

Accepted Answer

netboot.xyz is a PXE network boot server. It lets machines on your network boot over the LAN — instead of from a disk or USB stick — into a menu from which they can launch operating-system installers, live environments, and utility tools, all pulled over the network. It removes the need to keep bootable USB media around. This install runs a web UI on port 3064, a TFTP server on 69/udp, and an assets server on 8322.

Question 2

Which ports does it use?

Accepted Answer

Three: the web UI on host port 3064 (from the container's 3000), a TFTP server on 69/udp that clients contact first for the bootloader, and an HTTP assets server on host port 8322 (from the container's 80). All three are for a trusted local network. Keep them on your LAN and do not expose PXE or TFTP to the internet, since network booting has no authentication.

Question 3

Why do I need to configure DHCP?

Accepted Answer

PXE booting works by the client asking your DHCP server where to boot from, so DHCP must point clients at netboot.xyz. You set option 66 (next-server) to this server's IP and option 67 to the boot filename. This configuration lives on your DHCP server, not on netboot.xyz, and it is the single most common thing to get wrong — without it, clients never discover the boot server no matter how correctly it is running.

Question 4

Do I still need USB install sticks?

Accepted Answer

For machines on the network, no — that is the point. Once netboot.xyz is running and DHCP points clients at it, any PXE-capable machine can boot straight into the menu and install an OS or run tools over the network, so you stop maintaining a drawer of USB sticks. USB media is still handy for one-off installs on a machine that is not on your network or for hardware that cannot PXE-boot.

Question 5

Does it work across different subnets?

Accepted Answer

Not by itself. PXE relies on DHCP broadcasts, which do not cross subnet boundaries, so if the machines you want to boot are on a different subnet from the DHCP server, you need a DHCP/PXE relay (IP helper) configured on your network to forward the requests. Within a single subnet it works directly; across subnets it needs that relay, which is a router or switch configuration rather than a netboot.xyz setting.

Port	Purpose
3064	netboot.xyz web UI to manage the boot menu (mapped from container port 3000)
69	TFTP (UDP) — clients fetch the bootloader here
8322	HTTP assets server for larger boot files (mapped from container port 80)

🖧 Setup netboot.xyz — Network Boot Server for OS Installs

📦 Resources & Setup Scripts

Quick Install:

Tutorial Steps

1 Download the Script

2 Make it Executable

3 Run the Installer

4 Point Your DHCP Server at It

Ports Used

Overview

Why Use It

When You Need It

Who Should Use It

Real Use Cases

Main Features

How to Use After Installation

Security Best Practices

Ports and Firewall Notes

Backup and Maintenance

Common Mistakes

Troubleshooting

Alternatives

When Not to Use It

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Frequently Asked Questions