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Run the official ghcr.io/esphome/esphome image with a persistent directory mounted at /config, publish TCP port 6052, and open that port in your VPS firewall. Use fixed IP addresses in device YAML files when the VPS cannot reach your LAN’s mDNS broadcasts. Flashing a board for the first time still requires a computer with the board connected by USB; a typical remote VPS has no USB device to pass through.
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What the VPS installation actually provides
ESPHome is a firmware builder and device dashboard. The Docker container stores your YAML configurations, compiles firmware, and serves the web dashboard. The dashboard listens on port 6052 by default. A VPS gives you an always-on place to run that dashboard, but it does not automatically put the server on the same local network as your ESP devices.
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- Published-port mode: Docker maps port
6052to the VPS. This is the practical default for a remote server, but ESPHome cannot rely on local mDNS discovery. Each device should have a reachable fixed address in its YAML. - Host-network mode: Docker shares the Linux host’s network stack. ESPHome can use mDNS, resolve names ending in
.local, and report online status more naturally. This works only when the VPS can actually reach the devices’ network; host mode does not bridge unrelated networks over the internet.
The official image has three release channels: the untagged image (the stable channel), beta, and dev. Use the stable channel unless you have a specific reason to test another one.
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Prerequisites and a sensible directory layout
Before creating the container, make sure the VPS has:
- A supported Docker Engine installation and permission to run Docker commands.
- Enough disk space for configuration files, build caches, and generated firmware.
- A firewall policy that permits TCP
6052from the addresses that should reach the dashboard. - A directory that will survive container recreation, such as
/srv/esphome, owned or writable by the account running Docker.
Check the installed components before proceeding:
docker --version
docker compose versionCreate the configuration directory and enter it. Keeping the shell in this directory makes the official volume example, which uses ${PWD}, work as written:
sudo mkdir -p /srv/esphome
sudo chown "$USER":"$USER" /srv/esphome
cd /srv/esphomeIf your Docker setup already uses a dedicated service account, grant that account access instead of changing ownership to your personal user.
Option 1: run the dashboard with a published port
For a VPS that is not on the same LAN as the devices, start with ordinary port publishing. The official getting-started form is:
docker run --rm -p 6052:6052 -v "${PWD}":/config -it ghcr.io/esphome/esphomeWithout a subcommand, the image starts the ESPHome dashboard. The command keeps the process attached to your terminal and removes the container when it exits. For an always-on VPS, use a named detached container and an absolute host path instead:
docker run -d
--name esphome
--restart unless-stopped
-p 6052:6052
-v /srv/esphome:/config
ghcr.io/esphome/esphomeThe left side of -v /srv/esphome:/config is persistent VPS storage; the right side is the path expected by ESPHome inside the container. Recreating or updating the container will not remove your YAML files as long as the host directory remains.
Open http://SERVER_ADDRESS:6052 after the container starts, replacing SERVER_ADDRESS with the VPS address. If the page does not load, check the container first:
docker ps
docker logs --tail 100 esphomeThen check both firewall layers: the VPS provider’s network firewall and the operating system firewall. Allow inbound TCP 6052 only where needed; exposing the dashboard to every internet address is a larger attack surface than restricting it to your administration network or a private tunnel.
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What published-port mode can and cannot discover
Port publishing exposes the web interface, not the VPS’s entire local network. ESPHome’s automatic mDNS discovery depends on multicast traffic that a remote VPS normally cannot see. Add a fixed address to each device configuration so the dashboard knows where to send API and OTA traffic.
For a device whose address may change, reserve an address in your router and use use_address in the device YAML:
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ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
password: !secret wifi_password
use_address: 192.168.1.50If you configure a static address directly on the device, use ESPHome’s manual_ip block instead:
wifi:
ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
password: !secret wifi_password
manual_ip:
static_ip: 192.168.1.50
gateway: 192.168.1.1
subnet: 255.255.255.0Choose the approach that matches your network design. The address must be reachable from the machine that performs the API or OTA operation; placing an address in YAML does not create a route between the VPS and a private home LAN.
Option 2: use Docker host networking on Linux
Host networking removes Docker’s port translation and lets the container use the Linux host’s network interfaces directly. Start the dashboard with:
docker run -d
--name esphome
--restart unless-stopped
--net=host
-v /srv/esphome:/config
ghcr.io/esphome/esphomeIn this mode, do not add -p 6052:6052; the container binds the dashboard directly on the host’s port 6052. The dashboard can use mDNS discovery and resolve device names such as living-room.local when the VPS is on the same layer-2 network, or when your routing and multicast forwarding explicitly provide that visibility.
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Docker Compose configurations
Compose is useful when you want the volume, restart policy, and network choice recorded in one file. Save this as compose.yaml for a Linux host-network deployment:
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services:
esphome:
image: ghcr.io/esphome/esphome
container_name: esphome
network_mode: host
volumes:
- /srv/esphome:/config
privileged: true
restart: unless-stoppedThe official Compose example includes network_mode: host, the /config volume, and privileged: true. Privileged mode grants broad device and kernel access, so use it only when your deployment needs the capabilities documented for your environment. A dashboard-only container that never touches a USB serial device may not need those permissions, but removing settings from an official example should be a deliberate security decision.
If the VPS is using ordinary port publishing instead, use a Compose service like this:
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esphome:
image: ghcr.io/esphome/esphome
container_name: esphome
ports:
- "6052:6052"
volumes:
- /srv/esphome:/config
restart: unless-stoppedStart, stop, and inspect it with:
docker compose up -d
docker compose ps
docker compose logs --tail 100 esphome
docker compose downDo not define a ports mapping together with host networking. The two networking models expose the service differently, and the firewall rules you need depend on which model is active.
Open and protect the dashboard port
Port 6052 is the dashboard’s default, and the command-line interface exposes a --port option if you need another listening port. A nonstandard external port can reduce casual scanning, but it is not authentication or encryption.
Allow TCP 6052 in both places that can filter traffic:
- Add an inbound rule in the VPS provider’s firewall or security-group panel.
- Add a matching rule in the VPS operating system firewall.
- Limit the source range to your office, home, VPN, or bastion addresses where possible.
- Confirm that Docker is listening on the intended interface and that no other service already owns the port.
If you put the dashboard behind an HTTPS reverse proxy, keep the proxy’s public port and certificate settings separate from ESPHome’s internal port. The ESPHome process still needs to be reachable on its configured local port, while the proxy handles external TLS and access control.
Dashboard authentication: verify the image’s current variable names
ESPHome documentation has used two different environment-variable pairs for dashboard authentication. One installation page names ESPHOME_USERNAME and ESPHOME_PASSWORD; a command-line getting-started page names USERNAME and PASSWORD. Because these names differ by documentation page and may change with the image version, do not assume that one pair works universally.
Before enabling authentication, check the current documentation for the exact image tag you plan to run and then add the verified variables to your Compose service or docker run command. Treat a login prompt as a control that still needs HTTPS and network restriction; credentials sent over an unencrypted public HTTP connection can be intercepted.
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First-time flashing is a local-USB task
A remote VPS normally cannot perform the initial USB flash because the ESP board is physically attached to your computer, not to the server. Docker can pass a Linux serial device into a container when that device exists on the host. The documented pattern is:
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docker run --rm -it
--privileged
--device=/dev/ttyUSB0
-v /srv/esphome:/config
ghcr.io/esphome/esphome/dev/ttyUSB0 is only an example device path. Your Linux host may expose the board as /dev/ttyACM0 or another serial device. A VPS without a physically attached board has nothing to map, so adding --device=/dev/ttyUSB0 there will not create a usable connection.
Use this workflow for a new device:
- Create and edit the device YAML in the VPS dashboard or in the persistent
/srv/esphomedirectory. - Compile the firmware on the VPS if the build completes successfully.
- Download the generated firmware and flash it from a local computer with the board connected by USB, or perform the first flash with a local ESPHome installation.
- Give the device a stable address through DHCP reservation,
use_address, ormanual_ip. - After the device joins the network and the VPS has a route to it, use OTA updates from the dashboard.
Docker on macOS cannot access host USB devices in the same way as a native Linux host. Use a local flashing workflow that has direct USB access, then let the VPS handle subsequent builds and network-based updates.
Networking checklist for a remote VPS
Before expecting a device to appear online, verify the entire path rather than only the container:
- The device has joined Wi-Fi and has the address you entered in its YAML.
- The device’s subnet has a route back to the VPS network.
- Any VPN, router ACL, or cloud firewall permits the ESPHome API and OTA traffic you intend to use.
- DNS or mDNS names resolve from the VPS only if you have deliberately extended that naming service across the networks.
- The dashboard container is running and its persistent configuration directory is mounted read-write.
A VPS can serve the dashboard perfectly while still being unable to reach every device. That is a routing problem, not evidence that the Docker image failed.
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Troubleshooting common failures
The browser cannot open port 6052
Run docker ps and inspect the logs. In published-port mode, confirm that the container shows a 6052:6052 mapping. In host mode, confirm that no other process occupies port 6052. Then review the provider firewall and the operating system firewall. Testing from a network outside the VPS can reveal whether an upstream rule is blocking the connection.
The dashboard loads but devices are missing
On a remote VPS, missing mDNS entries are expected when multicast does not cross the network boundary. Set use_address or manual_ip, confirm routing, and use the device’s numeric address. Host networking helps only when the Linux host can see the same device network.
Devices compile but OTA fails
Compilation is local to the container; OTA is a network operation. Verify that the address in the YAML is current, that the device can route back to the VPS, and that intervening firewalls allow the required traffic. A successful build does not prove that the VPS can reach the board.
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A USB board is not detected
Check the local machine first: the serial device must exist there before Docker can pass it through. On Linux, use the correct --device path and the permissions required by your account. A remote VPS with no attached board cannot perform this step.
The container loses configurations after an update
Inspect the volume declaration. Every run or Compose service should mount the same host directory to /config. If you accidentally mounted an empty directory or used a different path, the new container will show no projects even though the old files still exist elsewhere.
Updating the image without losing projects
Your YAML files live on the VPS host, not in the disposable container, when the /config volume is correct. Back up /srv/esphome before changing image tags. For a Compose deployment, pull the selected image and recreate the service:
docker compose pull
docker compose up -dFor a named docker run container, stop and remove the old container, then run the same command again with the unchanged volume path. Pin a tested tag when you need predictable upgrades; use the stable channel for routine operation and reserve beta or dev for cases where you accept pre-release behavior.
Platform and version notes
Linux VPS
Linux is the straightforward target for host networking and serial-device pass-through. Host mode still requires actual network reachability to the ESP devices; it is not a substitute for routing or a VPN.
Docker Desktop
Docker Desktop’s host-network support has had differing minimum-version statements in Docker documentation: one page lists 4.34 and later after enabling host networking under Settings → Resources → Network, while an FAQ lists 4.29 and later. Check the current Docker documentation and the setting in your installed release instead of relying on either historical minimum. This discrepancy does not affect a conventional Linux VPS.
macOS
Host networking does not behave as expected for this ESPHome use case on macOS. Use port mapping and, where the current ESPHome guidance requires it, set ESPHOME_DASHBOARD_USE_PING=true. macOS Docker also cannot pass host USB devices directly into the container, so perform initial flashing with a USB-capable local workflow.
ESPHome release changes
ESPHome 2026.6.0 is titled “Meet the new Device Builder.” Because dashboard features and authentication behavior can change between image tags, read the release notes and the current installation documentation when upgrading, especially if you depend on a specific dashboard workflow or environment-variable name.
A practical deployment decision
Choose published-port mode when the VPS is mainly a remote build server and your devices have stable addresses reachable through a route or VPN. Choose host networking on a Linux host when the server genuinely shares the devices’ network and you need mDNS, .local names, or automatic online discovery. In either case, persist /config, protect the dashboard port, and plan the first USB flash on a machine that physically has the board.
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