Welcome Wizard
Directly after installation, a welcome wizard appears. Note: When updating an existing V8 version of PRTG with a newer version of V8, this wizard is not shown.
Follow the welcome wizard by clicking on the Next button. To load a web page with extended help, click on the blue question mark ? symbol in the upper right corner any time.
In step 1 of 5 a dialog appears, asking for the edition you would like to install. Please select the proper option.
Welcome Wizard License Selection
When selecting Trial Edition, Starter Edition (see More section below), or Commercial Edition, enter your license information in step 2 of 5.
Welcome Wizard Trial License Key Input
In step 3 of 5 please define important essential settings.
Welcome Wizard Essential Settings
Essential Settings—1. Set Login Credentials for the Administrator Account
Enter the administrator's contact email address and define login credentials for PRTG.
Email Address
- Enter a valid administrator's email address.
- By default, PRTG will send notifications and important messages to this address.
Login Name
- Enter a name for the PRTG administrator login; this is your default login.
- It is used when logging in to the PRTG Web- or Windows interface.
- If you do not change this setting, the default login name prtgadmin is used.
Password
- Enter a password for the PRTG administrator login; this is your default login.
- It is used when logging in to the PRTG Web- or Windows interface.
- If you do not change this setting, the default password prtgadmin is used.
Confirm Password
- Re-enter the password for the PRTG administrator login.
- If you do not change this setting, the default password prtgadmin is used.
Essential Settings—2. Select TCP Port for PRTG's Web Server
PRTG is running a web server in order to provide the web and Windows interface. Please specify on which port this web server will run.
HTTPS (Port 443)
- This is the recommended setting.
- Use a secure HTTPS connection that is encrypted via SSL on port 443.
- SSL-secured connections can be established on port 443 only.
- Note: Although the connection is secure, you will see a certificate warning in your browser when logging in to the PRTG web interface, because the default certificate is unknown to your browser. You can install another SSL certificate for PRTG later. Please see the More section below.
- Note: If port 80 is free, PRTG will reserve it as well. When users try to connect on port 80 via HTTP, they will then be redirected to port 443 via HTTPS. You can change this behavior later. Please see the More section below.
HTTP (Port 80)
- This setting is not recommended for WAN connections.
- Use a standard web server without SSL encryption on port 80.
- Note: If used on the Internet, attackers could potentially spy on credentials you enter into PRTG. We strongly recommend using this option in a LAN only.
HTTP using TCP Port
- This setting is not recommended for WAN connections.
- Use a standard web server without SSL encryption on a custom port.
- This option is intended for systems with an existing web server.
- Enter the desired TCP port you want the PRTG web server to run on.
- Note: If used on the Internet, attackers could potentially spy on credentials you enter into PRTG. We strongly recommend using this option in a LAN only.
Essential Settings—3. Select IP Address for PRTG's Web Server
PRTG is running a web server in order to provide access via the web and Windows interface. Please specify which IP address this web server will run on. Note: Later, you can log into PRTG by simply pointing your browser to the specified IP address.
Localhost
- Use 127.0.0.1 only.
- PRTG's web and Windows interface will only be accessible from the computer PRTG is installed on.
- Note: Either the selected port or at least one port in the range from 8080 to 8089 has to be available on 127.0.0.1.
All IPs
- Use all IP addresses available on this computer and enable access to the web server for all of these addresses.
- Note: The TCP port selected above must be free on every available IP address.
Specify IPs
- Select specific IP addresses on which the PRTG Web server will run on.
- A list specific to your system is shown.
- Add a check mark in front of every IP address you want the PRTG web server to be available at.
- Note: Either the selected port or at least one port in the range from 8080 to 8089 has to be available on the specified IP address.
Note: Regardless of the selected setting above, one port in the range from 8080 to 8180 has to be available on the specified IP address so PRTG can create reports. The report engine will try to connect to the core server on one of these ports.
Welcome Wizard—Cluster Mode Selection
PRTG offers single failover clustering in all licenses—even using the Freeware edition. For detailed instructions, please see Install a PRTG Cluster section.
In step 4 of 5, please select if you want to configure PRTG for a cluster.
Welcome Wizard Cluster Mode Selection
Run PRTG in "Standalone Mode"
- Run one instance of PRTG as a standalone solution.
- If you are not sure what to choose, take this option. You can integrate a PRTG installation in standalone mode into a cluster later on.
- Monitoring and alerting is performed by one single PRTG installation only.
Run PRTG in "Cluster Mode"
- Run several PRTG installations combined in a cluster.
- Select this option for a high-available monitoring solution.
- Two or more PRTG installations work together in one cluster and act as one monitoring system.
- Automatic failover: One PRTG installation takes over monitoring and alerting seamlessly in case the other installation fails or the server is restarted.
- Multi-location monitoring: You also have the option to monitor your network from different locations by setting up geographically distributed installations.
- For detailed instructions please see Install a PRTG Cluster section.
Welcome Wizard—Cluster Settings
This screen only appears if you have chosen to set up a PRTG cluster. Please select whether you want this PRTG installation to be the master node or a failover node. For detailed instructions please see Install a PRTG Cluster section.
Welcome Wizard Cluster Settings
Install a Master Node
- Make this PRTG installation the master node of your cluster.
- Choose this option if you are about to make the first installation in your cluster.
- The master node usually controls your whole cluster.
- There may only be one master node in a PRTG cluster. Please do not install several master nodes, as they won't be able to connect to each other. Instead, use failover nodes for all other installations in your cluster.
Cluster Access Control (Master)
- Cluster Access Key: For safety reasons, a node can only connect to the cluster with a cluster access key. With the setup of the master node you will define a new key for the cluster here. The access key is already pre-defined; you can leave the default value.
- Cluster Port: All communication in the cluster is directed through the cluster port. It is already pre-defined; you can leave the default value.
- Please make sure the security settings in your network allow communication between all nodes on the defined port.
- Save both cluster access key and cluster port in a text file for later use; you will need them in the cluster settings for each failover node later.
Install a Failover Node
- Make this PRTG installation a failover node in the cluster.
- Choose this option if you have already set up a master node and want to add a failover node to your cluster.
- There may be several failover nodes in one cluster—provided that you have the appropriate license.
Cluster Access Control (Failover)
- Cluster Access Key: For safety reasons, a node can only connect to the cluster with a cluster access key. For a failover node, please enter the existing key you have defined while setting up the master node.
- Cluster Port: All communication in the cluster is directed through the cluster port. It must be the same port defined for the master node.
- Please make sure the security settings in your network allow communication between all nodes on the defined port.
- If unknown, you can look up cluster access key and cluster port in the PRTG Server Administrator program (Cluster tab) on the server your master node is running on.
Join an Existing Cluster Automatically
- This will add the failover node to the master node's settings automatically.
- Master: Enter the IP address or DNS name of the master node in order to join the cluster automatically.
- If you enter nothing here, you'll have to add the master node's IP address or DNS name later in the PRTG Server Administrator program on the server the failover node is running on. For more information, please see Step 3 and following of 10 Steps to Set Up a PRTG Cluster—Scenario 3 (see More section below).
- Important: After joining, you must confirm the new node in the master node's settings in order for the failover node to connect to the master node! For more information, please see Step 7 and following of 10 Steps to Set Up a PRTG Cluster—Scenario 3 (see More section below).
Finished
Welcome Wizard Completed
Click on Finish to load the web interface.
Knowledge Base: What is the PRTG Starter Edition license?
Knowledge Base: How can I establish a secure web interface connection to PRTG?
Knowledge Base: PRTG blocks port 80 although I'm using SSL on port 443. How to free port 80?
Knowledge Base: How do I set up a cluster in PRTG 8?
Knowledge Base: 10 Steps to Set Up a Cluster—Scenario 3
Keywords: Configure,Configure PRTG Server
