Run Your Own Private Voice Chat Server with Mumble

// Before you start

What you need

A Linux server or VPS (Ubuntu 22.04 recommended) with a public IP address
A second computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) to run the Mumble client
SSH access to your server
Port 64738 open on your server firewall (both TCP and UDP)

Step 1 of 7

Install the Mumble server on your Linux machine

3 min

Ubuntu's package repository includes mumble-server (formerly called murmur). One command installs everything. You do not need to compile anything from source.

Terminal · mac

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y mumble-server

What you should see

Lines of package download progress ending with 'Processing triggers for systemd' or similar. No red error text.

This might happen

Installer asks 'Should mumble-server be started on boot?' — answer Yes so it survives reboots.

If you missed it, run: sudo dpkg-reconfigure mumble-server and answer Yes when prompted.

Step 2 of 7

Set the SuperUser admin password

1 min

SuperUser is the built-in admin account. It has no password by default, which means admin features are locked. Set a strong password now. The server will save it and exit — that is normal.

Terminal · mac

$ sudo mumble-server --set-su-pw YourStrongPasswordHere

What you should see

The command runs silently and returns you to the prompt. No output means it worked.

This might happen

The command prints 'Could not open database' or similar error.

Make sure the server has been installed fully. Run 'sudo systemctl start mumble-server' first, then retry the password command.

Step 3 of 7

Start the server and confirm it is running

1 min

This starts the Mumble server as a background service and checks that it is actually listening for connections.

Terminal · mac

$ sudo systemctl start mumble-server && sudo systemctl status mumble-server

What you should see

A status block showing 'active (running)' in green. You should also see a line mentioning port 64738.

This might happen

Status shows 'failed' or 'inactive'.

Run 'sudo journalctl -u mumble-server -n 50' to read the error log. The most common cause is port 64738 already being used by another process.

Step 4 of 7

Open the firewall port so clients can connect

2 min

Mumble uses port 64738 for both voice (UDP) and control traffic (TCP). If your server has UFW enabled, you must allow this port or nobody can connect from outside.

Terminal · mac

$ sudo ufw allow 64738/tcp && sudo ufw allow 64738/udp && sudo ufw reload

What you should see

Three lines each saying 'Rule added' (and 'Rule added (v6)' for IPv6). Then 'Firewall reloaded'.

This might happen

You are on a cloud provider (AWS, DigitalOcean, etc.) and still cannot connect after this step.

Cloud providers have a separate security group or firewall panel in their web dashboard. Add an inbound rule for port 64738 TCP+UDP there as well.

Step 5 of 7

Download and install the Mumble client on your desktop

5 min

The client is the app you and your friends use to actually talk. Download it from the official site for your operating system. Windows and Mac users get a standard installer. Linux users can use their package manager.

Terminal · mac

$ # Linux only — Windows/Mac: download installer from https://www.mumble.info/downloads/

$ sudo apt install -y mumble

What you should see

On Linux: package installs with no errors. On Windows/Mac: installer wizard completes and Mumble appears in your applications.

Step 6 of 7

Connect the client to your server

3 min

Open Mumble on your desktop. The first-run wizard will ask you to set up your microphone — follow it through. Then go to Server > Connect > Add New. Enter your server's public IP address, port 64738, your chosen username, and leave the password blank for now. Click OK then Connect. You should land in a default channel.

Terminal · mac

$ # No terminal command needed — use the Mumble app GUI:

$ # Server > Connect > Add New

$ # Address: YOUR_SERVER_IP

$ # Port: 64738

$ # Username: anything you like

$ # Password: (leave blank)

$ # Click OK, then double-click the server to connect.

What you should see

Mumble shows a channel tree with a 'Root' channel and your username listed inside it. The padlock icon in the corner indicates an encrypted connection.

This might happen

Mumble shows a certificate warning about an untrusted server certificate.

This is normal for a self-hosted server on first connection. Click 'Yes' or 'Accept' to trust your own server's auto-generated certificate.

Step 7 of 7

Log in as SuperUser to manage the server

2 min

To create channels, set permissions, or register users, connect a second time using the SuperUser account. In Mumble's server connect dialog, set the username to 'SuperUser' and enter the password you set in Step 2. Once connected as SuperUser you can right-click channels to edit them.

Terminal · mac

$ # In Mumble GUI:

$ # Server > Connect > Add New

$ # Address: YOUR_SERVER_IP

$ # Port: 64738

$ # Username: SuperUser

$ # Password: YourStrongPasswordHere

$ # Connect, then right-click Root channel to add channels or set ACLs.

What you should see

You connect and your name appears as 'SuperUser' in the channel list. Right-clicking a channel shows admin options like 'Add', 'Edit', and 'ACL'.

This might happen

Re-run Step 2 on the server with the exact password you want to use, then try again.

// Status

cooked. baked. worked.

A private Mumble voice server running on your own machine, reachable by anyone you share the IP and port with. You and your friends can talk with very low latency at no ongoing cost.

// the honest bit

The honest part

This guide gets a basic server running quickly. For production use you should also configure TLS with a real certificate, set per-channel permissions (ACLs), and consider setting a server password so strangers cannot join. The default config file at /etc/mumble-server.ini has many options — the official docs at wiki.mumble.info explain them. Voice quality is excellent but Mumble has no built-in recording, screen share, or video features.