# Deploy Bootnode and Server

### Set up backbone peers

These **bootstrap/bootnode peers** can be used as `--initial_peers`, to connect new servers to the existing ones. They can also [serve as libp2p relays](https://docs.libp2p.io/concepts/circuit-relay/) for servers that lack open ports (e.g., because they are behind NAT and/or firewalls).

**To start a bootstrap peer, run this line in a tmux/screen shell:**

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** This runs without a connection to the blockchain with `--no_blockchain_rpc`.
{% endhint %}

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
subnet-dht-api \
--host_maddrs /ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/31330 /ip4/0.0.0.0/udp/31330/quic \
--announce_maddrs /ip4/{your_ip}/tcp/31330 /ip4/{your_ip}/udp/31330/quic \
--identity_path bootnode.id \
--no_blockchain_rpc
```

{% endcode %}

**Once you run it, look at the outputs and find the following line:**

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
Mon 00 01:23:45.678 [INFO] Running a DHT instance. To connect other peers to this one, use --initial_peers /ip4/YOUR_ADDRESS_HERE/tcp/31337/p2p/QmTPAIfThisIsMyAddressGoFindYoursnCfj
```

{% endcode %}

The suggested method is to update the `.env` variable `PUBLIC_INITIAL_PEERS` list with the address from the bootnode. You can also provide this address as `--initial_peers` to servers or other backbone peers. If there is a risk that this peer goes down, you can launch additional hivemind-dht instances and provide multiple addresses. New peers will be able to join the swarm as long as at least one of their initial peers is alive.

#### Here are a few tips to help you set up:

* The `--host_maddrs` contains **libp2p multi-addresses** specifying a network protocol, IP address, and port. Learn more about them [here](https://docs.libp2p.io/concepts/addressing/).
  * If you want your swarm to be accessible outside of your local network, ensure that you have a **public IP address** or set up **port forwarding** correctly, so that your peer is reachable from the outside.
  * If you run your swarm in a local network only, it's fine not to have a public IP and ports as long as you use the local network's IP addresses everywhere.
  * You can specify `0.0.0.0` as the IP address, so that the script will listen to the IP addresses of your existing network interfaces.
* The `--identity_path` contains a peer's private key and defines the "/p2p/..." part of your peer's address (essentially, its public key).
  * Set `--identity_path` option to a file to ensure that your peer has the same identity each time you restart it. If the file doesn't exist, the script will generate a new private key and save it to the specified file.
  * Make sure each peer's identity is **unique**.
  * If you omit this option, the subnet template will generate a new identity each time a process is started.
    * In production, this is **not recommended** as other peers will not be able to verify your identity, and you will not pass the proof-of-stake mechanism.

### Start Server

Once the bootnode is running and the bootnode address is in the `.env` file, you can start your first server with:

{% hint style="warning" %}
When running a P2P network locally, where each peer uses the same IP address, **each peer MUST use separate ports**. i.e., the bootnode uses 31330, and the server uses 31331.

**In addition**, when starting a server, use different `--subnet_node_id`'s. There is a local mock SQLite database that mimics the blockchain when using `--no_blockchain_rpc` and will expect different node IDs.     
{% endhint %}

```bash
subnet-server-mock \
--host_maddrs /ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/31331 /ip4/0.0.0.0/udp/31331/quic \
--announce_maddrs /ip4/{your_ip}/tcp/31331 /ip4/{your_ip}/udp/31331/quic \
--identity_path alith.id \
--subnet_id 1 --subnet_node_id 1 \
--no_blockchain_rpc
```

You can also use the argument `--initial_peers` instead of using the `.env` file.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.hypertensor.org/subnet-template/quick-starts/deploy-bootnode-and-server.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.