To PXE-boot mining rigs, set up a wired network where DHCP (or proxy-DHCP) directs each rig to a small bootloader, TFTP serves that first-stage file, and iPXE can fetch larger boot scripts and operating-system files over HTTP. Use one authoritative DHCP service, prefer UEFI for current rigs, and pilot the setup before moving the farm onto it.
How PXE boot works
PXE is a boot pipeline, not one server package. When a rig starts, its network adapter requests boot information; a loader starts; then that loader retrieves the files needed to launch the operating system.
- DHCP or proxy-DHCP: provides the rig with network and boot-file information.
- TFTP: serves the small first-stage EFI or PXE loader.
- iPXE: can retrieve a boot script and continue the boot process.
- HTTP: can deliver larger kernels, initrds, ISO files, or mining-image content.
The resulting path is: rig NIC → DHCP/proxy-DHCP → TFTP loader → iPXE script or image over HTTP → Linux or Hive OS. Ubuntu’s PXE guidance describes dnsmasq as an option for combined DHCP/BOOTP and TFTP service; iPXE supports chainloading and HTTP boot workflows.
Choose the boot and deployment model
Decide whether rigs should run the operating system from the network continuously or use PXE only to provision local storage. These are different jobs, even though both can start with a network boot.
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| Approach | What happens after PXE starts | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| Hive OS Diskless PXE | The operating system boots from the network rather than relying on a local OS disk. | You want centrally managed diskless runtime boot and shared or worker-specific image configuration. |
| Hiveon Deploy PXE | The PXE workflow writes an image to local storage, after which the rig can return to local boot. | You want network-based one-time provisioning rather than ongoing diskless operation. |
Hive OS PXE Diskless guidance describes building a chosen Ubuntu base image, with optional NVIDIA or AMD driver images, and supports per-MAC UEFI configuration. Hiveon Deploy documentation describes grouping rigs and assigning image tasks using MAC-based inventory. Follow the relevant project’s own instructions for its image-building and deployment details; the general PXE host setup does not replace those steps.
Choose UEFI or legacy PXE
For current rigs, prefer UEFI PXE. Ubuntu distinguishes UEFI EFI boot executables from legacy BIOS PXELINUX files, and Hive OS PXE Diskless guidance recommends UEFI for recent versions while deprecating legacy PXE. Keep legacy support only if the farm contains hardware that needs it.
A mixed-firmware network needs the correct boot file for each client architecture. Do not assume one filename, such as ipxe.efi, works for every NIC and firmware combination. Use architecture-aware DHCP or proxy-DHCP selection, and test each firmware family represented in the farm.
Prepare the network and PXE host
Isolate and address the boot network
Put the PXE host and rigs on a wired LAN or dedicated VLAN, and assign the host a static IP address. A dedicated VLAN can help separate boot traffic and make DHCP ownership easier to reason about. Record which interface on the host faces the rig network.
Before configuring services, identify which device currently leases addresses. If the router already provides DHCP, keep it authoritative: configure proxy-DHCP on the PXE host or configure the router’s next-server and boot-file options. Do not start a second, uncoordinated authoritative DHCP server on the same broadcast domain; competing offers can send rigs to the wrong network settings or boot server.
Install services and create file locations
On an Ubuntu host, dnsmasq can provide DHCP or proxy-DHCP and TFTP. Create a TFTP root—for example, /srv/tftp—for the small bootstrap files. Use an HTTP-serving directory for larger boot scripts, kernels, initrds, ISO files, or image content. The exact directory layout depends on the selected bootloader and mining-image project.
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Configure DHCP, TFTP, and iPXE
Start with a minimal dnsmasq shape
This illustrative configuration shows the main settings when dnsmasq is intended to serve the rig interface and hand out addresses. Replace the interface, address range, and boot filename to match your network and client firmware. It is not a complete mixed-architecture or production configuration.
interface=eno1,lo
bind-interfaces
dhcp-range=192.168.50.100,192.168.50.220,12h
enable-tftp
tftp-root=/srv/tftp
dhcp-boot=ipxe.efi
# Or use pxe-service entries for architecture-specific UEFI/legacy files.Use the address-pool line only if dnsmasq is the authoritative DHCP service for that segment. If another server owns leases, configure proxy-DHCP or the router’s boot options instead of copying this example unchanged. Ensure the advertised boot filename exists under the TFTP root and is appropriate for the client firmware.
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Use iPXE for the larger transfers
A maintainable pattern is to use TFTP only for the bootstrap, then have iPXE retrieve a boot script or larger assets over HTTP. iPXE documents a two-stage chainload pattern: legacy clients can receive undionly.kpxe, while UEFI clients need an EFI iPXE binary suitable for their firmware. The script and subsequent file locations must match the actual HTTP server layout; the names and URLs depend on the image you are booting.
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Keep the TFTP stage small. Moving larger kernels and images to HTTP avoids using TFTP as the transfer mechanism for every substantial asset and makes the boot script a natural place to select a default or worker-specific boot target.
Build and assign mining images
Set a default, then specialize by MAC address
For Hive OS Diskless PXE, prepare the chosen Ubuntu base image and any optional NVIDIA or AMD driver image according to the project’s instructions, then configure a default UEFI boot definition. The project documents per-MAC UEFI files, which let workers select different image names, RAM settings, or driver versions. Use a shared default where rigs are alike and add exceptions only where a worker needs a different build.
Maintain a MAC-address inventory for the rigs. Check the address recorded from the rig NIC against the spelling and format used by the boot configuration. Confirm which configuration takes precedence: a MAC-specific entry should select the intended worker settings instead of falling through to the default.
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Provision local disks when that is the goal
If your objective is one-time image deployment rather than diskless operation, use the Hiveon Deploy PXE workflow to group rigs and assign image tasks. Track which rigs have completed imaging and confirm that each is set to return to local boot afterward; otherwise a rig may keep entering the network boot workflow instead of starting the installed image.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Enable PXE on each rig
- Record the rig’s wired NIC MAC address and connect it to the intended PXE LAN or VLAN.
- In the motherboard firmware, enable network or PXE boot for that NIC. The exact menu label varies by board.
- For a pilot, select the NIC’s network-boot entry manually if available. For unattended deployment, move that NIC ahead of local storage in boot order.
- Use the firmware mode that matches the server’s boot files. For current rigs, test UEFI PXE first; retain legacy BIOS files only for systems that require them.
- Once network boot is confirmed, set or restore the intended long-term boot order. For a diskless worker, network boot remains the normal path; for a locally imaged worker, local storage should resume booting after deployment.
Pilot before scaling out
Boot one representative AMD rig and one NVIDIA rig before enabling the rest of the farm. At each stage, verify what the rig actually does rather than treating a successful DHCP lease as proof that the whole pipeline works.
- The NIC links to the expected wired network.
- The rig receives an address and the intended boot-server and boot-file information.
- The first-stage file downloads from TFTP.
- iPXE, if used, retrieves the intended script and larger content over HTTP.
- The correct image starts and the GPU driver loads.
- For local-disk deployment, the machine returns to local boot after imaging.
Hiveon describes its PXE workflow as targeting “hundreds or thousands of GPU rigs”; that is a capability description, not a measured capacity guarantee. There is no universal rig-count threshold established for this design. Network, host, image size, and boot timing all matter, so expand in stages and monitor the actual transfer and boot behavior.
Troubleshoot by the last successful stage
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| No address | Confirm the rig NIC link, VLAN and DHCP reachability, and which device is authoritative for DHCP. If the router owns leases, verify proxy-DHCP or router boot options rather than adding another lease server. |
| Address received, but no boot file | Check the advertised next-server and filename, confirm the file is present beneath the TFTP root, verify directory permissions, and check firewall rules for the relevant traffic. |
| Legacy PXE works but UEFI fails | Verify that the server offers an EFI executable appropriate to the UEFI client, that the motherboard supports UEFI network boot, and that incompatible CSM settings are not interfering. |
| Bootstrap works but large transfers are slow | Keep TFTP for the first-stage loader and use iPXE with HTTP for larger kernels and image content. |
| The wrong worker image starts | Recheck the worker’s MAC address and the MAC-specific configuration, including whether it overrides the default as intended. |
For command-line diagnosis inside iPXE, its documented commands include dhcp and route. They can help distinguish address assignment or routing problems from a later file-transfer or image-selection failure.
Quick Recap
Design choices to settle before farm-wide use
- Runtime or provisioning: choose diskless network boot for ongoing centralized operation, or PXE image deployment when the desired outcome is a locally booting rig.
- UEFI-only or mixed firmware: standardize on UEFI where hardware permits, or maintain separate boot-file handling for legacy clients.
- Shared or per-MAC builds: a common image is simpler to maintain; per-worker definitions allow different images and driver bundles when needed.
- TFTP-only or iPXE plus HTTP: the latter separates the small bootstrap from larger file delivery and supports script-based selection.
- One-time or ongoing updates: decide whether PXE is primarily an imaging tool or the regular runtime boot path, since this changes the expected boot order and image-management routine.
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