Ok diving in a bit more- seems like the raspberry pi is one of the cheapest ways to do this ~$100 but it does look pretty techie (to me anyway)

A more non techie way is the start9 embassy pro- seems pretty plug in and play?

I will probably go with the non techie way but it does still seem like it’s pretty hard for “most” people to run a node that will actually help. Does this sound about right?

Also I didn’t really know about this whole liquidity and routing fees- it defo does seem quite complex to run a node properly- do you see this getting easier ever? (I kind of pictured most businesses being able to do this eventually etc)

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Install StartOS on a Mini PC

Prerequisites

• Compatible Mini PC: Intel NUC10 (i5, 8GB RAM, 2TB SSD) or similar x86-64 with Legacy Boot.

• USB Drive: 16GB+ (USB 2.0 preferred).

• Internet: Stable connection.

• Monitor/Keyboard/Mouse: For initial setup.

• Another Computer: To flash the USB.

Steps

1. Download StartOS:

• Get the latest .iso from https://start9.com (e.g., startos-0.3.5.1).

• Verify SHA256 hash if provided. (Optional)

2. Create Bootable USB:

• Use Balena Etcher:

• Select .iso, choose USB, click “Flash!”.

• Or use dd (Linux/macOS):

• sudo dd if=/path/to/startos.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M; sync (Linux) or bs=1m (macOS).

3. Configure BIOS:

• Insert USB into mini PC.

• Enter BIOS (F2/F12/Del/Esc).

• Disable Secure Boot, enable Legacy Boot, set USB as primary boot device.

4. Install StartOS:

• Boot from USB.

• Follow on-screen prompts to install to the mini PC’s SSD.

• Remove USB after installation.

5. Setup:

• Connect to monitor, access https://start.local via browser on another device.

• Complete setup (password, network, services).

Notes

• Check Start9’s hardware compatibility list.

• If Etcher fails, re-download .iso or use another USB.

• Post-install, run headlessly with LAN access.

For details, see https://docs.start9.com.