Skip to content

Quick Start

Get MoaV running in two steps — install, then explore. It deploys 16+ anti-censorship protocols and turns each user into a share-ready client bundle (configs + QR codes + plain-language instructions) that anyone can open and connect with — no deep networking knowledge required. Curious why MoaV exists? Read the mission.

Requirements

  • A VPS or a home server — Debian 12 / Ubuntu 22.04/24.04, or a Raspberry Pi 4+ (2 GB+ RAM, ARM64). 1 vCPU / 1 GB RAM minimum.
  • A domain name — optional; domainless mode works without one.

Need a VPS?

See VPS Deployment for provider-by-provider steps starting at ~$5/month.

Raspberry Pi or home server?

MoaV runs great at home in domainless mode — no domain required. A home server sits behind a router, so forward the protocol ports to it first: see Home Servers & Raspberry Pi → Port Forwarding. (Check for CGNAT before you start — some ISPs block inbound connections entirely.)

Step 1 — Install

SSH into your server and run:

curl -fsSL moav.sh/install.sh | bash

This installs Docker, clones MoaV, and walks you through first-time setup, asking for:

  • Domain — pointed at this server (or leave blank for domainless mode)
  • Email — for your Let's Encrypt TLS certificates
  • Admin password — for the web dashboard

When it finishes, it prints the exact DNS records to add at your registrar — an A record for your domain, plus the NS records that delegate the DNS-tunnel subdomains to your server.

Point your DNS first (recommended)

Certificate issuance needs your domain already resolving to this server, so it's smoothest to add the DNS records before you install. Find the exact records for your setup in DNS Configuration, set them up, then run the installer.

Finally, open your firewall for the protocols you enabled — the full port list is here. Most cloud VPS providers leave all ports open by default, so you may not need to.

Step 2 — Explore your MoaV server

Everything after install lives in one friendly place. Just run:

moav

to open the interactive menu:

  Services
  1) Start services
  2) Stop services
  3) Restart services
  4) View status
  5) View logs

  Users & donations
  6) User management
  7) Donate configs (MahsaNet, Psiphon, Snowflake)

  System
  8)  Doctor — diagnose problems
  9)  Admin password reset
  10) Update MoaV
  11) Build/rebuild services
  12) Export/Import (migration)

  0)  Exit

From here you start services, add users, run diagnostics, and more — nothing to memorize. The header shows what's running plus your admin dashboard (https://your-server:9443) and Grafana (https://your-server:9444, if monitoring is on). Every item maps to a moav command — the CLI Reference walks through the full menu and each one.

Two commands worth knowing right away:

moav status   # what's running, ports, and health at a glance
moav help     # every command MoaV offers

Share with your users

Add a user — menu → User management, or moav user add alice (--batch 10 for many) — and MoaV generates a client bundle in outputs/bundles/:

  • README.html — step-by-step instructions (English + Farsi) with QR codes. Users open it in a browser, pick their platform, scan a code, and they're connected — no configuration.
  • Config files and share links for every enabled protocol, plus a one-paste V2Ray subscription for MahsaNG / v2rayNG / Hiddify.

Send them the bundle (or just README.html) over a secure channel — Signal, encrypted email, or in person. Grab it from the admin dashboard (login → Download), by scp, or moav user package alice. See Client Apps for platform-specific details.

Next Steps