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Install on Windows

Download, verify and run the collector on Windows, then keep it running in the background.

1. Get the build and verify it

Lantern is in a private preview: the Windows zip and its SHA-256 checksum come from the Lantern team (request a demo to get access). Before you open the zip, check that it matches the checksum. In PowerShell:

Get-FileHash .\lantern-collector-0.2.0-preview-windows-x64.zip -Algorithm SHA256

The hash must match the SHA-256 you were given (also in SHA256SUMS.txt).

Unzip it to a folder of its own, for example C:\Lantern. Do not run it from inside the zip viewer.

File Purpose
netmap.exe Lantern, with the web UI built in
Start Lantern (demo).cmd Run with the simulated network
Start Lantern.cmd Run against your network (SNMP)
install-service.ps1 Start Lantern with Windows, in the background
uninstall-service.ps1 Remove the background task
snmp.example.json Example collector configuration

2. Try the simulator (optional)

Double-click Start Lantern (demo).cmd. Your browser opens http://localhost:8000 with a simulated 13-device network. Create the administrator when asked (see First sign-in). The demo keeps its data in data-demo, apart from your real collector. Close the black window to stop it.

3. Run it against your network

  1. Double-click Start Lantern.cmd. The first start writes data\snmp.json and opens it in Notepad.
  2. Fill in your SNMP credentials, a few seed devices and the subnets Lantern may discover (see Configure the collector). Save the file.
  3. Double-click Start Lantern.cmd again. Your browser opens http://localhost:8000.
  4. Create the administrator, then watch Settings › General › Polled devices fill in.

Another port: run "Start Lantern.cmd" 8080 from a command prompt in the folder.

4. Keep it running in the background

install-service.ps1 copies Lantern to C:\Program Files\Lantern, keeps its data in C:\ProgramData\Lantern (readable only by SYSTEM and Administrators) and registers a scheduled task that starts Lantern when Windows starts and restarts it if it stops.

Open PowerShell as administrator in the unzipped folder. The script is not signed yet, so start it like this:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install-service.ps1

The first run copies the example configuration to C:\ProgramData\Lantern\snmp.json and opens it. Fill it in, save, and run the script again. Lantern then runs at http://localhost:8000, on this machine only.

Make it reachable from other computers

Serve it over HTTPS with a certificate your browsers trust, and name the address people will use:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install-service.ps1 `
  -Address 0.0.0.0:8443 `
  -TlsCert C:\certs\lantern.crt -TlsKey C:\certs\lantern.key `
  -Hosts lantern.yourdomain.local -OpenFirewall
Option Meaning
-Address Where the web UI listens. 127.0.0.1:8000 (default) is this machine only; 0.0.0.0:8443 is every network interface.
-TlsCert, -TlsKey PEM certificate and private key for HTTPS.
-Hosts DNS names people use to reach Lantern (IP addresses and localhost always work).
-SshAddress Where the SSH session broker listens (default 127.0.0.1:2222). Use 0.0.0.0:2222 so technicians' PCs can reach it.
-OpenFirewall Adds inbound Windows Firewall rules for the web UI port and syslog (UDP 514).
-InstallDir, -DataDir Change the program and data folders.

From another computer, the first visit needs the setup token from C:\ProgramData\Lantern\setup-token.txt to create the administrator. The log is C:\ProgramData\Lantern\lantern.log.

Update or remove

  • Update: unzip the new version and run install-service.ps1 again with the same options. Your data stays.
  • Remove: powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\uninstall-service.ps1 stops Lantern and removes the task, firewall rules and program files. Data stays in C:\ProgramData\Lantern unless you add -RemoveData.