16: Uptime Kuma - Uptime Monitoring & Status Pages

Uptime Kuma is a beautiful, self-hosted monitoring tool that watches your websites, servers, and services 24/7. It tells you immediately when something goes down, shows you uptime statistics, and can even create public status pages (like status.github.com) to show your users that everything is working.

For advanced features, API documentation, and customization options, see the official Uptime Kuma documentation.

Why Uptime Kuma?

Prerequisites

Note: Uptime Kuma works great with Traefik and a domain name. Having a friendly URL like status.yourdomain.com makes it easy to access your monitoring dashboard and share status pages.

Step 1: Start Infinity Tools

sudo infinity-tools

Step 2: Install Uptime Kuma

  1. Go to 📱 APPLICATIONS
  2. Select Uptime Kuma
  3. Choose Install Uptime Kuma

Using the Infinity Tools GUI

Step 2.1: Choose SSL Mode

You'll see two options. Here's what each means:

Simple rule of thumb: Use Traefik if you have a domain and want secure access. Use Standalone HTTP only for testing or private use.

Step 2.2: If You Choose Traefik

  1. Enter your subdomain, e.g., status.yourdomain.com
  2. Ensure the subdomain's DNS A record points to your server (see Chapter 4.5)
  3. Infinity Tools will configure HTTPS automatically via Let's Encrypt

After install: Your Uptime Kuma will be available at https://status.yourdomain.com

Step 2.3: If You Choose Standalone

  1. Pick a port (default: 3001)
  2. You'll access Uptime Kuma via http://SERVER_IP:3001

Step 2.4: Docker Container Monitoring (Optional)

You'll be asked if you want to enable Docker container monitoring:

Step 2.5: Timezone (Optional)

You can set your timezone for monitoring logs and graphs. Examples:

Leave empty for UTC (default).

What Happens During Installation

Step 3: Access Uptime Kuma

If Using Traefik

  1. Wait 30-60 seconds for SSL certificate generation
  2. Open https://status.yourdomain.com in your browser
  3. You'll see the Uptime Kuma setup wizard

If Using Standalone

  1. Open http://SERVER_IP:3001 in your browser
  2. You'll see the Uptime Kuma setup wizard

Step 4: Create Your Admin Account

⚠️ CRITICAL: Uptime Kuma requires you to create admin credentials on your FIRST login. There is NO default password!

Setup Steps

  1. You'll see: "Create your admin account"
  2. Enter a username (choose any username you like)
  3. Enter a password:
    • Minimum: 8 characters
    • Recommended: 12+ characters
    • Best: 20+ characters (use a password manager!)
  4. ⚠️ WRITE DOWN YOUR CREDENTIALS IMMEDIATELY!
    • This is your ONLY chance to set the initial password
    • There is NO "forgot password" on first setup!
    • Use a password manager (like Vaultwarden from Chapter 7) to store it securely
  5. Click "Create"
  6. ✅ Done! You'll see the monitoring dashboard

If You Forget Your Password

Don't worry! You can reset it using the command line:

  1. Run: docker exec -it uptime-kuma npm run reset-password
  2. Enter your username
  3. Enter a new password
  4. Log in with your new password

Step 5: Add Your First Monitor

Now that you're logged in, let's start monitoring something!

Adding a Monitor

  1. Click "Add New Monitor" (big button on the dashboard)
  2. Choose monitor type:
    • HTTP(s) - Monitor websites and APIs
    • TCP Port - Monitor if a port is open (SSH, databases, etc.)
    • Ping - Check if a server responds
    • Docker Container - Monitor Docker containers (if enabled)
    • DNS - Check DNS records
    • And more!
  3. Enter the URL or IP address to monitor
  4. Set check interval (default: 60 seconds - how often to check)
  5. Click "Save"

Example: Monitor Your Website

  1. Type: HTTP(s)
  2. URL: https://yourdomain.com
  3. Check interval: 60 seconds
  4. Click "Save"

Uptime Kuma will now check your website every 60 seconds and show you if it's up or down!

Step 6: Set Up Notifications

To get alerts when something goes down, you need to configure notifications.

Setting Up Notifications

  1. Go to: Settings → Notifications
  2. Click "Setup Notification"
  3. Choose a provider:
    • Discord - Get alerts in Discord
    • Slack - Get alerts in Slack
    • Telegram - Get alerts via Telegram
    • Email - Get alerts via email
    • Apprise - Use Apprise for 80+ services (if you have Apprise installed)
    • And 80+ more!
  4. Follow the setup instructions for your chosen provider
  5. Test the notification
  6. Click "Save"

Using Apprise (If Installed)

If you have Apprise installed (Chapter 5), you can use it for notifications:

  1. Type: Apprise (Self-hosted)
  2. URL: http://apprise:8000/notify/{YOUR-KEY}
  3. This lets you use all 80+ Apprise notification services!

Step 7: Create a Status Page (Optional)

Status pages let you show your users that your services are working. They're public (no login required) and look professional.

Creating a Status Page

  1. Go to: Status Pages
  2. Click "New Status Page"
  3. Enter a name, e.g., "My Services Status"
  4. Choose which monitors to display publicly
  5. Customize the appearance (colors, logo, etc.)
  6. Click "Save"
  7. Share the public URL with your users!

What You Can Monitor

Monitor Types

What You'll See

Security Recommendations

Troubleshooting

Can't Access Uptime Kuma

Can't Create Admin Account

Monitors Not Working

Notifications Not Sending

Where to Find Uptime Kuma After Install

Backing Up Your Monitoring Data

Your Uptime Kuma data is stored in:

To backup:

cd /opt/speedbits
tar czf uptime-kuma-backup.tar.gz uptime-kuma/

To restore: Extract the backup and restart the Uptime Kuma container.

Or use Uptime Kuma's built-in backup: Go to Settings → Backup → Download Backup

You're Ready!

Uptime Kuma is now installed and ready to monitor your services! Remember:

Next steps: Add monitors for your websites and services, configure notifications, and create a status page. Uptime Kuma will help you keep everything running smoothly!

Revision #1
Created 17 November 2025 16:47:25 by bjoern
Updated 17 November 2025 16:47:46 by bjoern