Headless Setup for Roon Server and Endpoint Configuration (ref#XSFDUN)

Tinkering
1

What’s happening?

· Something else

How can we help?

· None of the above

Other options

· Other

Describe the issue

with roon how do i make my server and endpoint headless/unattended i.e. no mouse/monitor or keyboard, just switch on and let it boot every time with no intervention from me?

Describe your network setup

linksys WRT1900ACS router, TV, set top box, laptop, server, endpoint, mobile phone, printer.

2

forgot to say that I would like to control this setup from my laptop i.e. as a remote controller for the server etc.
My endpoint is a Intel NUC11 PAHi5 i5 11th. Gen., & my server is homemade based on a ASUS Intel ROG STRIX B760-I GAMING WIFI LGA 1700 DDR5 Micro ITX + 1700 - 12700 - i7 CPU. 32GB RAM + 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD.
MS windows 11 O/S.
No other software, dedicated machines.

3

I found this but it is far too brief to gain a proper understanding of how it works and what to do?
“Headless mode is enabled by installing the Client from the command line using the service_secret switch with the path to a valid Service Key”.* Like chinese to me!

4

Hey @the_beginner,

Thanks for reaching out!

Perhaps this KB may provide some additional information that will help:

Let me know!

5

this may help with the log in aspect! But won’t the PC’s boot up simply freeze when no monitor, mouse & keyboard are detected?

6

embellish scenario:
OK, I obviously have the remote control from laptop with monitor, keyboard & mouse; “BUT!” ~ then to also have another monitor, keyboard & mouse attached to the windows 11 PC running the roon server “AND” another monitor, keyboard & mouse attached to the windows endpoint PC running the roon bridge, seems a bit daft and a bit ‘OTT’! to me? i.e. 3 computers (laptop/server/bridge) each with their own monitor, keyboard & mouse and nowhere to put the extra keyboards and mice on my hifi rack, there is only space for the server and endpoint PC’s on the hifi rack! When I had the SGC sonic transporter server and sonore microrendu endpoint I didn’t need to attach a keyboard, monitor & mouse to either of those devices. So, maybe windows is not the way to go for the server and endpoint? Maybe there is something else instead of windows that acts as the O/S (for server/endpoint)? I presume that Roon won’t work on its own without an O/S of some kind?
If yes (?), then what do i need on the server and endpoint instead of windows?

7

headless from twingate
but i don’t have the knowledge/capability to accurately install this.

8

requirements
If Roon O/S is indeed an operating system, the why does it need: Mac, Windows, Linux, to function? you don’t put an operating system on top of another operating system, this is bizarre! …and confusing?

9

Look into the BIOS of your PCs, they often have/had an option to boot anyway if keyboard and monitor are missing. Preferably check the manuals and internet search to figure out how to enter your PC’s BIOS, if it has the option, where to look for and how the name is. If that fails, completely or partially, then search for other workarounds.

For monitors, emulator dongles exist. Example:

You can potentially also make use of KVM (Keyboard Video Mouse) switches:
https://www.amazon.com/KVM-Switches/b?ie=UTF8&node=13983771

Please see KVM switches above.

Wireless keyboard and mice do exist, most even come with a USB wireless dongle that you can plug in a KVM switch for example.

Who would place PCs into the HiFi rack anyway. Most would place a PC away from the listening room and use the network to transport the audio signal to where it is needed. Read also:

If it is the only OS you know or the one you know best, then stay with it. Only realistic alternative would IMHO be a Roon Server appliance like a Roon Nucleus or a DIY NUC + ROCK.

It doesn’t. It is a tailor-made Linux OS variant for selected intel NUC devices to run Roon Server on them (headless for normal operation). Please read:

2 Likes
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RoonOS is the OS needed for a Roon Nucleus appliance, or alternately is installed on an ASUS (ex-Intel) NUC that is on the Roon-supported hardware list found here:

RoonOS is standalone to the Nucleus or NUC and no other OS is needed, it is dedicated to the computer on which it is installed.

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loving it! thanx! …but there are ‘issues’!

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@Robert_F @benjamin @BlackJack
spotted a problem straight away!
I don’t think the rock will install on my DIY server because it’s not a NUC?
the rock may install on the endpoint NUC but it says: “It can not run additional software”, so I can’t put the roon bridge on the NUC?

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OK, so lets make it very simple:
I have Intel NUC11 PAHi5 i5 11th. Gen.
What software do i install to make this into a ROON endpoint (headless)?

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OK, so lets make it very simple:
I have DIY, ASUS Intel ROG STRIX B760-I GAMING WIFI LGA 1700 DDR5 Micro ITX + 1700 - 12700 - i7 CPU. 32GB RAM + 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD.
What software do i install to make this into a ROON server (headless)?

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obviously I use my windows laptop as the controller, (by installing the main roon package).

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contradictory internet info: just confuses even more!
“Yes, Roon Bridge is required for Roon Rock to function as an endpoint”, but in another it says: "rock may install on the endpoint NUC but it says: “It can not run additional software”, so I can’t put the roon bridge on the NUC? And on another it says: “As an endpoint only Rock will work fine. You can install Rock on it but don’t login to set up the server instal and leave it. Run core on something more suitable. Then rock will show up as a device to play in audio devices to which you control via any other Roon remote” - no mention of ‘bridge’ in this last one! There are plenty more confusing contradictions out there, regarding what is and what is NOT required, AND what is and what is NOT possible!

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“As an endpoint only Rock will work fine. You can install Rock on it but don’t login to set up the server instal and leave it. Run core on something more suitable. Then rock will show up as a device to play in audio devices to which you control via any other Roon remote.”
COMPARE:
" Hmmm, ROCK stands for Roon Optimized Core Kit. It’s a combination of supported Intel NUC hardware and Roon OS, a minimal Linux-based OS that was built from the ground up to run Roon Server, which is Roon’s best implementation of Core. It’s not an endpoint solution .
IS IT?
ISN’T IT?
WILL IT?
WON’T IT?

18

That is up to you. It is your hardware and your use case.
Normally such questions are raised and answered before making decisions and not after. Now you may have to make ugly compromises to be able to continue on the path you set yourself upon. Furthermore are your explanations lacking so others do not understand your decision-making process and why you ended up where you currently are.

  • Why do you want to use a powerful PC that could easily act as a Roon Server in its own right as a Roon Bridge only, closely integrating that “noisy” device into your HiFi rack? You might be better off keep using your Sonore microRendu or some other Roon Ready network bridge/streamer instead. Case closed.
  • Should you have a good reason for using the NUC, that reason may dictate what OS to use (NUC + Windows because you want to install special Windows drivers to use your DAC’s full input capabilities; you want to use the PC where you put him for other software besides Roon [read the other software’s documentation to learn about its OS support]).
  • If you don’t need special drivers and can live with what USB Audio Class 2.0 (assuming you connect your DAC via USB to the NUC) is capable of, then you can use ROCK (the “Roon Bridge” component is part of Roon Server that ROCK is running).
  • If you want to install your own Linux or Windows then install Roon Bridge after. Take the measures required too make it as headless as possible (should work well enough under normal circumstances but may require local console access if things get wacky [hint: troubleshooting]). This is written from the Roon perspective (Roon Bridge doesn’t require a user to access the machine/software after initial setup).

That is up to you. It is your hardware and your use case.
Normally such questions are raised and answered before making decisions and not after. Now you may have to make ugly compromises to be able to continue on the path you set yourself upon. Furthermore are your explanations lacking so others do not understand your decision-making process and why you ended up where you currently are.

  • Roon Labs offers and supports Roon on Windows 10 and newer and Roon Server on Linux. Both OSs should work well enough headless (again from a Roon perspective only) after initial setup and outside of troubleshooting. For a true headless solution you should have bought a mainboard with a BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) built-in (I don’t think you can retrofit this functionality if missing but IDK for sure). I think most users are happily running their Roon Server machines in this “semi-headless” mode though.
  • You can enter the world of tinkering by trying and installing ROCK onto your server machine. If its hardware is close enough to a NUC it might work. This is called a MOCK and is unsupported by Roon Labs. Should you decide to go that way, please ask any question about it in the Tinkering section on the forum.

Note: Use Microsoft Remote Desktop to access your other headless Windows machines from your Windows laptop if necessary. Look into Micrsoft’s help and support section if you need assistance to set it up. For Linux you can install web based remote administration software like Cockpit or Webmin.

PS: Headless doesn’t mean you don’t have to touch/access the machine anymore, it just means you don’t need a monitor, keyboard and mouse (directly) connected for the machine to do its (primary/intended) job.

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I’ve moved this thread to the Tinkering category of the forum where it belongs. Thank you for your understanding.

20

I asked a simple question and you reply with patronising remarks. I only wanted to know how to proceed and this doesn’t answer that question.
I have learning difficulties and it is good for me to stretch my mind and brain and give it a decent work out as much as possible and flex my intellectual capabilities as much as I can cope with to expand my mind as much as possible. I don’t understand your answers? I am also diabetic and find it difficult balancing energy and weight gain, so i never have the full strength of my brains capabilities unless i eat enough but put on weight all the time to sustain it, it is a difficult balancing act between sanity and low brain function. I am sorry that you feel the need to attack my approach, but apologise for my lack of understanding in this matter.
Where do i feel the need for powerful PC? Well I did approach Piero of audiolinux and he said that it is best to have high power PC’s as both server and endpoint. But once again I started to find it to difficult to master all the command line stuff that was involved. I don’t think your suggestions will work with headless devices. Very sorry!