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The shortest working setup is the official ghcr.io/esphome/esphome image, a persistent directory mounted at /config, and TCP port 6052 published from the container. Run:
mkdir -p ~/esphome-config
cd ~/esphome-config
docker run --rm -p 6052:6052 -v "${PWD}":/config -it ghcr.io/esphome/esphomeThen open http://VPS_ADDRESS:6052. This starts the dashboard and keeps your YAML files on the VPS. The important limitation is networking: port publishing gives you a dashboard, but device discovery and OTA updates require the VPS to be able to reach each ESP device. mDNS and .local discovery work with host networking on a Linux host when the VPS is on the same reachable network; a typical remote VPS is not, so use fixed device addresses and a route to the devices. Initial USB flashing must be done from a computer with the board attached.
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ESPHome turns YAML files into firmware for ESP8266 and ESP32-class devices and provides a web dashboard for creating configurations, compiling firmware, viewing logs, and performing updates. In Docker, the dashboard and command-line tools run inside the container while your device definitions live in a host directory mounted at /config.
The official image is ghcr.io/esphome/esphome. Omitting a tag uses the stable image; the documented alternatives are stable, beta, and dev. Use a non-stable tag only when you deliberately need pre-release changes.
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Prerequisites on the VPS
- A Linux VPS with Docker Engine and the Docker Compose plugin installed.
- Enough disk space for your configuration files, build caches, and compiled firmware. Keep the configuration directory on persistent VPS storage, not an ephemeral container layer.
- Administrative access to create a directory, run Docker, and change the VPS firewall.
- A DNS name or static IP address for the VPS, or another reliable way to reach it.
- Network reachability from the VPS to every ESP device that you intend to discover or update over the air.
A VPS in a hosting provider’s data center is normally on a different network from the Wi-Fi LAN where your ESP boards operate. Installing the dashboard does not create that route. You may need a site-to-site VPN, a routed private network, or another connection that allows the VPS to reach the device subnet.
Choose the Docker networking mode
| Mode | Run setting | Discovery behavior | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published port | -p 6052:6052 |
Dashboard is reachable on TCP 6052. Devices should have fixed addresses in their YAML because mDNS discovery is not available through ordinary port publishing. | Most remote VPS installations and Docker Desktop setups. |
| Host network | --net=host or Compose network_mode: host |
On Linux, the container shares the host network and can use mDNS, .local names, and online-status discovery when the devices are on a reachable local network. |
A Linux host on the same Layer-2 or routed network as the ESP devices. |
Host networking does not bridge an isolated VPS to your home LAN. If packets cannot travel between the VPS and the device subnet, mDNS will not work regardless of the Docker flag. Host networking is also Linux-specific in the documented setup. Docker Desktop has a separate host-networking feature whose minimum version is inconsistent across Docker’s documentation: one page states 4.34 or later after enabling Settings → Resources → Network, while an FAQ states 4.29 or later. Check the current Docker documentation for the version you have before relying on it.
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Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin using the instructions for your VPS distribution, then verify both commands:
docker --version
docker compose versionIf your account cannot access the Docker socket, either prefix commands with sudo or add the account to the Docker group according to your distribution’s security guidance. Confirm that the daemon is running before continuing:
sudo systemctl enable --now docker
docker infoRun ESPHome directly with Docker
Create a persistent configuration directory
mkdir -p ~/esphome-config
cd ~/esphome-configThe directory you mount to /config contains YAML files and dashboard data. Back it up like any other application data.
Start the dashboard with port publishing
docker run --rm
--name esphome
-p 6052:6052
-v "${PWD}":/config
-it ghcr.io/esphome/esphomeThe container starts the dashboard when no subcommand is supplied. The dashboard’s documented default port is 6052. Visit http://VPS_ADDRESS:6052 from an allowed client. The --rm option removes the stopped container, but not the mounted configuration directory. For a long-running server, use Compose or run the container detached with -d and a restart policy.
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Run detached for a server
docker run -d
--name esphome
--restart unless-stopped
-p 6052:6052
-v "${PWD}":/config
ghcr.io/esphome/esphomeCheck startup output with docker logs -f esphome. Stop it with docker stop esphome; remove the stopped container with docker rm esphome if you later recreate it with different options.
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Open the VPS firewall safely
The Docker mapping only affects the host’s networking; your VPS provider’s firewall and the operating-system firewall can still block the connection. Allow TCP 6052 at both layers. With UFW, a typical rule is:
sudo ufw allow 6052/tcp
sudo ufw statusIf only one or two administrator addresses need access, restrict the source instead of opening the port globally:
sudo ufw allow from ADMIN_PUBLIC_IP to any port 6052 proto tcpUse your provider’s firewall panel to add the equivalent inbound rule. Exposing the dashboard to the entire internet increases its attack surface; restricting the source or using an SSH tunnel is preferable.
Use Docker Compose on the VPS
Compose makes the volume, restart behavior, and networking reproducible. Create compose.yaml in the directory that will hold your configuration:
services:
esphome:
container_name: esphome
image: ghcr.io/esphome/esphome
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
- ./config:/config
ports:
- "6052:6052"Create the referenced directory and start it:
mkdir -p config
docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -fOpen http://VPS_ADDRESS:6052. To update the image later, pull it and recreate the service:
docker compose pull
docker compose up -dDo not delete the config directory when replacing the container. That directory is the persistent state.
Compose with host networking
The documented host-network example uses a host network and privileged mode:
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services:
esphome:
container_name: esphome
image: ghcr.io/esphome/esphome
restart: unless-stopped
network_mode: host
privileged: true
volumes:
- ./config:/configWith host networking, do not also add a ports section; the container uses the host’s port directly. This arrangement is useful on a Linux machine that can actually see the device network. It is not a substitute for routing between a remote VPS and a private home LAN.
Configure devices for a remote VPS
When port publishing is used, ESPHome can serve the dashboard even if it cannot discover devices automatically. Give each device a stable address and reference that address in its YAML. ESPHome documents use_address and manual_ip for this purpose.
Use an address for an existing device
If the board already has firmware and a known address, set the address used for communication in the device’s YAML:
esphome:
name: living-room
use_address: 192.0.2.41Replace the example address with the board’s real, reserved address. A DHCP reservation on your router prevents the address from changing.
Assign a static address in the device network settings
For a board that must always use a particular address, configure manual_ip under its Wi-Fi settings with values appropriate for your LAN:
wifi:
ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
password: !secret wifi_password
manual_ip:
static_ip: 192.0.2.41
gateway: 192.0.2.1
subnet: 255.255.255.0The addresses above are examples from the documentation’s private-use range; use the gateway and subnet that actually exist on your network. A wrong gateway or subnet can make the device unreachable, so verify the LAN plan before flashing.
mDNS, .local names, and the --net=host choice
mDNS is the mechanism behind automatic discovery and names such as living-room.local. Ordinary Docker bridge networking with a published port does not expose the host’s mDNS traffic to the container. Linux host networking allows the dashboard to use mDNS when the host itself can receive those multicast packets.
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There are three separate conditions for mDNS to help:
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- The Docker host must support host networking. The documented mode is Linux-only.
- The host must be on the same reachable network as the ESP devices, or have multicast routing configured.
- The local network must permit mDNS traffic; many routed or filtered networks do not.
A VPS normally fails the second condition because it resides elsewhere. In that case, use fixed addresses, a VPN or routed link, and explicit firewall rules. Do not expect --net=host alone to make a home device appear in a distant data center.
Flash firmware when the VPS has no USB access
A remote VPS generally has no physical ESP board attached. USB serial flashing therefore happens on a local computer that can see the board. The VPS can still host YAML files, compile firmware, and perform OTA updates after the device has network connectivity.
First flash from a local machine
- Connect the ESP board to the local computer with a data-capable USB cable.
- Run ESPHome locally, or use the dashboard on the VPS to compile and download the firmware binary.
- Use a local flashing method that can access the board’s serial port.
- After the board joins Wi-Fi, verify that the VPS can reach its fixed address before attempting OTA updates.
On Linux, a container can be granted serial access with a device mapping such as:
docker run --rm -it
--privileged
--device=/dev/ttyUSB0
-v "${PWD}":/config
ghcr.io/esphome/esphome run living-room.yamlUse the actual device path, which may be /dev/ttyACM0 rather than /dev/ttyUSB0. The --privileged flag grants broad container permissions; use it only on a machine you control and only when required for the flashing workflow.
Docker on macOS cannot access host USB devices in the same way. Perform USB flashing with a native local tool or another computer that exposes the serial device, then use the VPS for network-based operations.
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OTA requires an end-to-end route from the VPS to the ESP board. Confirm connectivity before starting a build:
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- The device has a stable address or a resolvable name.
- Any VPN, router, and VPS firewall allows the required traffic between the two networks.
- The board is powered, connected to Wi-Fi, and running firmware that supports OTA.
- The YAML’s
use_addressor equivalent address matches the board’s current address.
If the VPS cannot reach the device subnet, compilation may succeed while the upload fails. In that situation, download the generated firmware and perform the update from a local machine on the same LAN.
Dashboard authentication and version-sensitive settings
Authentication environment-variable names have changed between ESPHome documentation pages. One installation page shows ESPHOME_USERNAME and ESPHOME_PASSWORD; a command-line getting-started page shows USERNAME and PASSWORD. Do not copy one name blindly into a production deployment. Check the current documentation for the exact image tag you are running, then set the variables in Compose or with Docker’s -e options.
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Use an SSH tunnel instead of exposing port 6052
For administration from one workstation, you can bind the dashboard only on the VPS loopback interface and forward it over SSH:
docker run -d
--name esphome
--restart unless-stopped
-p 127.0.0.1:6052:6052
-v "${PWD}":/config
ghcr.io/esphome/esphomessh -L 6052:127.0.0.1:6052 VPS_USER@VPS_ADDRESSThen browse to http://127.0.0.1:6052 on the workstation running SSH. This protects the web interface from unsolicited internet scans, while the container still needs network reachability to the ESP devices for OTA work.
macOS and Docker Desktop considerations
Host networking does not work as expected for ESPHome on macOS in the documented setup. Use normal port publishing and set ESPHOME_DASHBOARD_USE_PING=true when the current ESPHome guidance calls for it:
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--name esphome
--restart unless-stopped
-e ESPHOME_DASHBOARD_USE_PING=true
-p 6052:6052
-v "${PWD}":/config
ghcr.io/esphome/esphomeDocker Desktop’s host-networking support and minimum version have conflicting statements in its published documentation. Treat the feature as version-dependent and verify the current requirement in Docker’s settings and documentation before designing around it.
Back up, update, and recover the installation
Back up the configuration
Back up the entire host directory mounted at /config, including YAML files, secrets, and dashboard metadata. Test that a backup can be restored to a fresh directory before making major changes.
Update deliberately
The untagged image follows the stable channel. Pulling a new image can change compiler behavior or dashboard features, so record the image digest or date when you update and keep a copy of the previous configuration. If a new container misbehaves, stop it, restore the known-good image reference, and reuse the same configuration directory.
Inspect logs and container state
docker ps
docker logs --tail=200 esphome
docker inspect esphomeFor Compose deployments, use docker compose ps and docker compose logs --tail=200 esphome. These commands distinguish a stopped container, a port conflict, and an ESPHome-level connection failure.
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Quick Recap
Troubleshooting by symptom
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Browser cannot open the dashboard | Container is stopped, port 6052 is blocked, or the wrong address is used. | Run docker ps, inspect logs, verify -p 6052:6052, and allow TCP 6052 in both VPS firewalls. |
| Port 6052 is already in use | Another service owns the host port. | Find the process or container using 6052, stop it, or publish ESPHome on another host port and browse to that port. |
| Dashboard opens but devices are absent | Bridge networking cannot receive mDNS, or the VPS cannot reach the device LAN. | Use fixed addresses, confirm routing, or use Linux host networking only when the host is actually on the device network. |
.local names fail |
mDNS is unavailable across the VPS boundary or blocked by the network. | Use the device IP, a routed VPN, or an mDNS-aware network design. Do not assume host mode solves a remote-network problem. |
| OTA upload times out | No route, firewall block, changed DHCP address, or incorrect YAML address. | Ping or otherwise test the device from the VPS, reserve its address, and verify use_address or manual_ip. |
| USB board is not detected | The board is connected to another computer, the wrong serial path is used, or the container lacks device permissions. | Flash from the computer physically connected to the board; on Linux check /dev/ttyUSB0//dev/ttyACM0, --device, and required privileges. |
| Authentication variables do nothing | The variable names differ between the image documentation and the example being followed. | Check the current documentation for the exact ESPHome version and use the documented names, rather than assuming both forms are interchangeable. |
Production checklist
- Configuration is stored in a persistent, backed-up directory mounted at
/config. - The image channel is intentional: stable, beta, or dev.
- TCP 6052 is allowed only from the administrators who need it, or access is provided through an SSH tunnel.
- Every remotely managed device has a reserved or static address and the VPS has a route to it.
- Initial USB flashing is performed on a local machine with the board attached.
- OTA is tested with one non-critical device before updating the rest.
- Authentication variable names are verified against the current documentation for the running image.
- Logs, configuration backups, and a rollback image reference are available before upgrades.
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