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docs: restructure host setup by distro, configuration by compositor
Split the docs' single distro×desktop axis (ubuntu-gnome / ubuntu-kde / fedora-kde) into two,
which deduplicates the shared mechanics and scales to distros that run several desktops (Arch):

- Install the host — per distro/OS (ubuntu, fedora, arch, bazzite, steamos-host, windows-host):
  GPU driver + package + input group, then a canonical "Configure your desktop" funnel.
- Configure your desktop — per compositor (kde, gnome, gamescope, sway): host.env, compositor
  quirks, the headless session, and starting the host.

New shared web-console page (enable · login password · arm pairing) removes the console/password
block that was copy-pasted across all seven host pages. Merged ubuntu-gnome + ubuntu-kde into
ubuntu; renamed fedora-kde to fedora; kept bazzite and steamos-host as dedicated appliance guides
(trimmed of duplication). Moved the KWin headless session, the GNOME EGL/lock traps, and the
gamescope attach/managed model out of the distro pages onto their compositor pages.

Fixed while restructuring: distro-specific paths on kde (kde-desktop-setup.sh is Fedora/Bazzite-only;
the .deb ships host.env.kde under /usr/share/punktfunk-host), the interactive "start the host" step
that was lost in the merge, sway over-claiming Hyprland, and a pre-existing broken anchor in
how-it-works.

Removal of the three old pages was captured by the preceding commit 8ebb614 (a concurrent commit
swept up the staged git-rm); the net docs tree is correct. Fumadocs build + internal link/anchor
check green.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-07-05 21:04:31 +00:00

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---
title: "SteamOS (Host)"
description: "Run a punktfunk host on SteamOS — stream its Game Mode (or desktop) to your other devices. One script, built on-device and ABI-matched to SteamOS."
---
This is for using a **SteamOS device as the host** — streaming *from* it to a laptop, TV, phone, or
another device. (For the usual case — streaming *to* a Steam Deck — see [Install a Client](/docs/install-client),
which uses the Flatpak + Decky plugin.)
We support SteamOS as a host mainly with an eye to the **upcoming Steam Machine** — a living-room,
desktop-class SteamOS box is a natural always-on streaming host. The **Steam Deck** is the SteamOS
device we can test on today, so it's what these instructions are validated against; the same
on-device build works on any SteamOS 3 system.
> New here? Read [Security & Safe Use](/docs/security) first — a streaming host is remote control of
> the machine, so keep it on a trusted LAN or VPN and require pairing.
SteamOS is an immutable, read-only Arch base, so the host isn't a system package. Instead a single
script builds the host **natively inside a Debian-trixie distrobox** (ABI-matched to SteamOS's
FFmpeg/glibc — the binary then runs natively on SteamOS) and wires it up as systemd user services.
Building on-device means a rebuild always matches the running OS, so a SteamOS update can't leave you
with a binary linked against the wrong libraries. Encode is **VAAPI** on the AMD GPU (auto-detected;
NVENC on NVIDIA).
> **Heads up:** in our testing the Steam Deck's WiFi *tx* topped out around ~250 Mbps of goodput
> regardless of band — enough for 1080p/1440p60, not 4K. This looked like a hardware/driver
> packet-rate limit rather than a bandwidth ceiling, but it's one device measured on one network:
> other SteamOS hardware, newer drivers, or a less congested band may do better. A wired dock
> sidesteps it entirely. See [Configuration](/docs/configuration) for bitrate guidance.
## Prerequisites
- A SteamOS device on **SteamOS 3** (e.g. a Steam Deck, LCD or OLED). Steady WiFi or, better, a wired dock.
- **distrobox** installed (no root needed). If `distrobox` isn't found:
```sh
curl -sfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/89luca89/distrobox/main/install | sh -s -- --prefix ~/.local
```
Make sure `~/.local/bin` is on your `PATH` (re-open the terminal).
- The first build downloads a container image + toolchain (~1 GB) and takes ~1015 minutes. Later
rebuilds are incremental.
## 1. Get the source
In Desktop Mode open **Konsole** (or ssh in), then:
```sh
git clone https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk ~/punktfunk
```
## 2. Run the installer
```sh
bash ~/punktfunk/scripts/steamdeck/install.sh
```
It is idempotent — safe to re-run. In one pass it:
1. creates the `pf2` Debian-trixie distrobox and installs the build toolchain,
2. builds `punktfunk-host` (and the web console),
3. writes config to `~/.config/punktfunk/` (a generated web-console login password),
4. raises the UDP socket buffers to 32 MB and adds you to the `input` group (needs `sudo`; skipped
with a warning if unavailable),
5. installs + starts the `punktfunk-host` and `punktfunk-web` **systemd user services** (with linger,
so they run without a login session).
Useful flags:
| Flag | Effect |
|------|--------|
| `--open` | Accept **unpaired** clients (trust-on-first-use) — convenient on a fully trusted LAN. Default is PIN pairing required. |
| `--no-gamestream` | Run a **secure native-only** host — skip the GameStream/Moonlight-compat planes (see below). Default keeps them on so stock Moonlight works. |
| `--no-web` | Skip the management web console. |
| `--src=DIR` | Build from source at `DIR` instead of `~/punktfunk`. |
When it finishes it prints the web-console URL and how to pair.
> **GameStream/Moonlight compat is on by default.** The native `punktfunk/1` plane (used by
> punktfunk's own clients — SPAKE2 PIN pairing, per-direction AEAD) is **always on** and is the secure
> path. The installer also enables the **GameStream/Moonlight-compat planes** so stock
> [Moonlight](/docs/moonlight) works — but those carry inherent on-path weaknesses (pairing over plain
> HTTP; legacy control encryption that can reuse GCM nonces), so enable them only on a **trusted LAN**.
> If you only ever use native clients, install with `--no-gamestream` for a host with no GameStream
> surface at all.
## 3. Pair a device
By default the host **requires PIN pairing** (secure). Two ways to pair:
- **Web console** (printed at the end of step 2): open `http://<device-ip>:47992`,
[arm pairing](/docs/web-console#arm-pairing), and enter the PIN on your client.
- **From the client directly**: pick this host (it advertises over mDNS as `_punktfunk._udp`) and
enter the PIN the host shows.
On a trusted home LAN you can instead install with `--open` and skip pairing entirely.
### Console login password
The installer generates a random console login password (printed at the end of step 2) and writes it
to `~/.config/punktfunk/web.env`. To read it back or set your own, see
[The Web Console](/docs/web-console#login-password).
## 4. Verify
```sh
systemctl --user status punktfunk-host # active (running)
journalctl --user -u punktfunk-host -f # watch a client connect
```
Connect from a [native client](/docs/clients), or from [Moonlight](/docs/moonlight) (unless you
installed with `--no-gamestream`). In Game Mode the host attaches to the running gamescope session and
streams it at your client's resolution; in Desktop Mode it streams the KDE desktop. The host
auto-detects which session is live per connection. See [Steam / gamescope](/docs/gamescope) for the
attach-vs-managed detail and known limits.
## Updating
After pulling new source, rebuild and restart in one step (config + pairings persist):
```sh
git -C ~/punktfunk pull # or rsync new source in
bash ~/punktfunk/scripts/steamdeck/update.sh
```
## Notes & limits
- **Single session at a time** at custom resolutions — two clients requesting different modes will
thrash the managed session. Pick one mode per session.
- **Keep the device awake.** On handhelds, Game Mode auto-suspends on idle, which drops the host off
the network mid stream — disable auto-suspend (Settings → Power) for a headless host.
- **It survives OS updates**, but a major SteamOS bump can move library versions; if the host fails to
start after an update, just re-run `update.sh` to rebuild against the new base.
- Deeper reference (services, container, manual steps): [`scripts/steamdeck/README.md`](https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk/src/branch/main/scripts/steamdeck/README.md).
Trouble? See [Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting) and [Pairing](/docs/pairing).