4 min read Easy 42.9k

Pterodactyl Installation Guide (Unofficial)

Published on September 21, 2025 at 06:02 PM

Pterodactyl makes it easy to host and manage game servers through a web panel and a daemon called Wings. This guide explains how to install the panel, configure Wings, and securely link a Node.

Unofficial Pterodactyl Installation Guide

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

A VPS with a compatible distribution:
- Ubuntu: 20.04, 22.04, 24.04
- Debian: 10, 11, 12
Root access or a user with sudo privileges.
Basic packages installed.

Update the system:
apt update && apt upgrade -y

Install dependencies:
apt install sudo curl

Panel Installation

⚠️ The installation script is not recommended for public production use.
👉 Use it only for private installations.

Run the script:
bash <(curl -s https://pterodactyl-installer.se)

Choose option 0 to install the panel:
* Input 0-8: 0

Installation steps:

Install MariaDB:
Would you like to install MariaDB (MySQL) server on the daemon as well? (y/N): y
Leave database fields empty (password will be auto-generated).
Set the timezone:
Select timezone [Europe/Stockholm]: Europe/Paris
Provide a valid email address:
Provide the email address: [email protected]
Create the administrator account:
Email: [email protected]
Username: admin
First name: admin
Last name: admin
Password: *****
Enter the domain or VPS IP:
Set the FQDN: panel.example.com
Do not configure UFW automatically:
Do you want to automatically configure UFW (firewall)? (y/N): n
Enable HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt:
Do you want to automatically configure HTTPS using Let's Encrypt? (y/N): y
I agree... (y/N): y
Confirm the installation:
Initial configuration completed. Continue with installation? (y/N): y
(A)gree/(C)ancel: a

✅ The panel is installed.

Wings Installation

Run the script again:
bash <(curl -s https://pterodactyl-installer.se)

Choose option 1 to install Wings:
* Input 0-8: 1

Installation steps:

Do not reinstall MariaDB:
Would you like to install MariaDB... (y/N): n
Do not configure UFW automatically:
Do you want to automatically configure UFW (firewall)? (y/N): n
Configure HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt:

Do you want to automatically configure HTTPS... (y/N): y
Set the FQDN: node.example.com
I agree... (y/N): y 
Enter email address: [email protected]
Proceed with installation? (y/N): y

✅ Wings is installed.

Node Configuration

Log in to the panel (e.g. panel.example.com).
Go to Locations → create a new location (choose any name).
In Nodes → Create New and fill out:
- Name: node name
- FQDN: IP or domain
- Connection: HTTP if no SSL, otherwise SSL
- Total Memory: e.g. 1024MB = 1 GB
- Total Disk Space: available storage
- Over-Allocation: percentage (0 if unused)
Create the Node → open the Configuration tab.
Generate a Token → copy the command.
Run the command on the VPS (via SSH).

Enable Wings:
systemctl enable --now wings
systemctl start wings

Common Issues and Solutions

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Panel inaccessible	Misconfigured DNS or incorrect FQDN	Check DNS propagation
Node not connected	Ports blocked	Open required ports (8080, 2022, etc.)
Wings won’t start	Invalid SSL or config error	Check logs: `journalctl -u wings`
Database not working	MariaDB missing or misconfigured	Check `systemctl status mariadb`
SSL error	Let’s Encrypt certificate not generated	Make sure the domain points to the VPS

Best Practices

Use a valid domain name (panel + nodes).
Always enable HTTPS (Let’s Encrypt or a valid certificate).
Keep the system updated:
apt update && apt upgrade -y
Create dedicated user accounts instead of always using the admin.
Regularly back up the database and configuration.

Conclusion

Installing Pterodactyl with its panel and Wings daemon is straightforward thanks to the script, but it requires proper network and SSL configuration.

By following this guide and best practices, you will have a reliable and secure platform to host your game servers. 🎮🚀