Was considering converting the laptop I use to run Roon from Windows to Ubunto/Linux. I tried installing Ubuntu on a NUC first, but found the Roon install process more daunting than I’m willing to attempt. Is there any possibility that an executable install version of Roon for Linux will be created?
Did you successfully install Ubuntu on the NUC? If so, what issue did you run into when trying to install the Roon server using the Easy Installer script?
Happy to guide you from the Ubuntu desktop.
Thanks for the quick response. Yes, Ubuntu’s running fine. When I click on the Roon Bridge (x64) under Downloads/Easy Installer, I get a screen full of code, the first line of which reads:
#1/bin/bash
First, what do you want to run?
- Roon Bridge - making the laptop a streamer for a connected DAC
- Roon Server
- The Roon app (GUI)
Roon app (GUI) on a laptop to wirelessly feed music from a Roon ROCK server to a dCS streamer, all via Ethernet except for the app on the laptop.
Okay, so there are two steps:
- Install the native Roon Bridge app using the Easy Installers script, and
- install Roon on Wine.
Roon Bridge
Open the Terminal app, and paste each line separately.
Install the dependencies
sudo snap remove curl && sudo apt install curl --yes
sudo apt install bzip2 --yes
Download the installer
cd ~/Downloads
curl -L -O https://download.roonlabs.com/builds/roonbridge-installer-linuxx64.sh
chmod +x roonbridge-installer-linuxx64.sh
sudo ./roonbridge-installer-linuxx64.sh
If an error is displayed, please stop, and report back.
Final steps
This makes sure that the network is running before starting Roon Bridge.
sudo systemctl stop roonbridge.service
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/roonbridge.service
# Add to [Unit] section
Wants=network-online target
# Press Ctrl + X to save (Y), and exit nano editor
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start roonbridge.service
Roon On Wine
I’ll go through this tomorrow, once you are comfortable with installing Roon Bridge.
Please confirm that you are running Ubuntu 26.04.
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Thanks for this; will give it a try. I am running Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.
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Got to this point…
Copying Files…Done
Installing /etc/systemd/system/roonbridge.service
Enabling service roonbridge…
Service EnabledStarting service roonbridge…
Service Started
All Done! RoonBridge should be running on your machine now.
…but the commands after that did strange stuff. Beginning to think this is over my head. Think I’m going to stick w/Windows for now.
That looks like installing Roon Bridge was successful.
PS. Note that installing apps on Linux is usually much more straightforward than for Roon.
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Is a dCS streamer a standalone device? If so. Then you could also just install the Windows version of Roon on Linux. I’m running Roon this way on my Linux Mint NUC by using Lutris. I am not running Roon bridge as I am not using my NUC as an endpoint. I have a WiiM Ultra in the same office playing my music. It works great as a remote control app. Just as like using my iPad.
My mistake; I don’t need Roon Bridge, I guess I need Roon Server, since the PC I’m going to run it on will not play music itself, but rather direct music from the Roon ROCK server to the dCS Bartok streamer, which is a stand-alone music playing device.
Just tried the Roon Server install and got this response:
Unpacking RoonServer_linuxx64.tar.bz2…Done
Checking to see if RoonServer can run on this machine
Checking for Binary Compatibility [ OK ]
Checking for ALSA Libraries [ OK ]
Checking for ffmpeg or avconv [ FAILED ]
Checking for the mount.cifs command [ FAILED ]
Checking for libicu [ OK ]
Testing ulimit -n 8192 [ OK ]
STATUS: FAILED
These issues must be addressed before RoonServer will run on this machine.
For more information on how to address this, see:
If it is a stand alone music device, then you won’t need the server part of Roon. As that is already installed on the ROCK server. Your Roon server should just be able to see the Bartok. Do you have the Roon app installed on your smartphone? If so then you can check if your Roon server sees the Bartok (and if it is enabled) by settings → audio.
If it does, then you can just install Lutris from your distributions software center. Start it up. It should update itself with extra components. And then install the Windows version of Roon from there.
Roon on your Linux computer will then just act like how it does on a tablet or smartphone. As a remote control.
My apologies, I didn’t include all of the dependencies.
sudo apt install --yes cifs-utils ffmpeg
Then re-run the installer.
cd ~/Downloads
sudo ./roonbridge-installer-linuxx64.sh
Finally realized I need Roon Server rather than Roon Bridge, since I actually want to control the Roon ROCK server elsewhere on the network, and send music to the streamer. So I got to this point, but can’t find where the Roon app is.
Checking to see if RoonServer can run on this machine
Checking for Binary Compatibility [ OK ]
Checking for ALSA Libraries [ OK ]
Checking for ffmpeg or avconv [ OK ]
Checking for the mount.cifs command [ OK ]
Checking for libicu [ OK ]
Testing ulimit -n 8192 [ OK ]
STATUS: SUCCESS
Copying Files…Done
Failed to stop roonserver.service: Unit roonserver.service not loaded.
Installing /etc/systemd/system/roonserver.service
Enabling service roonserver…
Created symlink ‘/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/roonserver.service’ → ‘/etc/systemd/system/roonserver.service’.
Service Enabled
Starting service roonserver…
Service Started
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Done! RoonServer should be running on your machine now.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Shouldn’t there be an icon or something in the “Show Apps” listing to allow me to go to the app?
No as the Roon server is running in the background. Roon sadly never made a full client for Linux like they have been doing for both Windows and MacOS.
If you wish to also have the user interface on your Linux system. Then you should install the Windows version of Roon. Either through Lutris or Bottles.
I can help setting it up through Lutris if you require help.
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Thanks so much for your patience, and offer of help. I think I’ll just stick with Windows for now. I don’t have the enthusiasm for learning a new operating system that I used to, back in the days of config.sys and autoexec.bat.
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No, as Roon Server is run as a Systemd service, which will start automatically when the PC starts. If you follow the last part of my instructions, you can amend this, so it starts after networking, which helps with discovery.
For Roon Server:
sudo systemctl stop roonserver.service
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/roonserver.service
# Add to [Unit] section
Wants=network-online target
# Press Ctrl + X to save (Y), and exit nano editor
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start roonserver.service
If you’d like a web interface to access the PC from another device on your network, to perform updates, restart Roon etc., I recommend Cockpit.
sudo apt install --yes cockpit pcp cockpit-pcp
sudo reboot