# How to Set Up the ODS Chat Interface: Installation and Access Guide > Learn how to set up the ODS chat interface easily. Install and access ODS chat on port 3000 or your local network with our quick guide. - Repository: [Osmantic/ODS](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS) - Tags: getting-started - Published: 2026-09-01 --- **The ODS chat interface deploys automatically on port 3000 during installation and is accessible via `http://localhost:3000` or LAN-wide at `http://chat..local` when the ods-proxy extension is enabled.** The **ODS chat interface** provides the primary user-facing web UI for the Open-Source AI Stack (ODS), allowing browser-based interaction with local large language models. This guide details the complete setup process and network configuration using the official Osmantic/ODS repository source code. ## Architecture Overview The chat stack consists of four coordinated services defined in the repository. According to [`extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml), the **Open WebUI** container serves the HTML/JS frontend on port 3000. The **ods-proxy** extension—enabled by default—runs Caddy on port 80 to route hostnames like `chat..local` to the UI, as configured in `extensions/services/ods-proxy/Caddyfile`. For inference, **LiteLLM** exposes an OpenAI-compatible `/v1/chat/completions` endpoint implemented in [`extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py), which forwards requests to the underlying **llama-server** or configured model backend described in [`docs/MODEL-MANAGEMENT.md`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/docs/MODEL-MANAGEMENT.md). ## Installation and Initial Setup ### Running the Installer The installation process deploys all necessary services including the chat UI. Execute the official installer from the Osmantic/ODS repository: ```bash curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Osmantic/ODS/main/install.sh | bash ``` This downloads the `ods/ods-cli` entry point and supporting extensions. ### Starting the Services After installation, run the interactive setup command to select your GPU tier, download models, and start the Docker services: ```bash ods install ``` Upon completion, the installer outputs the local access URL: ``` Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000 # chat UI ``` ## Accessing the ODS Chat Interface Once services are running, you can reach the interface through two primary methods depending on your network configuration. ### Localhost Access For direct browser access on the host machine, navigate to: ``` http://localhost:3000 ``` ### LAN-Wide Access via ODS-Proxy When the **ods-proxy** extension is active (default configuration), the Caddyfile maps `chat..local` to the Open WebUI container. As documented in [`docs/ODS-PROXY.md`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/docs/ODS-PROXY.md) and [`docs/MDNS.md`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/docs/MDNS.md), the proxy also redirects the bare hostname `.local` to the chat subdomain for streamlined first-time access: ``` http://chat..local # LAN-wide, no port required ``` ## Verifying Functionality Confirm the deployment using the verification steps outlined in [`docs/POST-INSTALL-CHECKLIST.md`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/docs/POST-INSTALL-CHECKLIST.md). Test the backend connectivity via CLI: ```bash ods chat "Hello, are you working?" ``` Then verify browser accessibility by navigating to either the localhost or LAN URLs. If the proxy is enabled, both endpoints serve the same Open WebUI instance running on port 3000. ## Backend Request Flow Understanding the data path helps troubleshoot connectivity issues. When you submit a message in the chat UI, the request flows through the stack as described in [`docs/HOW-ODS-SERVER-WORKS.md`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/docs/HOW-ODS-SERVER-WORKS.md): 1. The Open WebUI frontend (port 3000) sends a request to the LiteLLM endpoint. 2. LiteLLM—implemented in [`extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py)—translates the request to the internal model API format. 3. The query reaches **llama-server** or your configured backend, as detailed in [`docs/MODEL-MANAGEMENT.md`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/docs/MODEL-MANAGEMENT.md). 4. The response streams back through LiteLLM to the browser interface via the standard chat completion payload. ## Summary - The **ODS chat interface** is automatically configured during `ods install` and runs on port 3000 via Open WebUI. - **ods-proxy** (enabled by default) provides LAN-wide access through `chat..local` without requiring port numbers. - The CLI command `ods chat` offers a quick backend verification method without opening a browser. - LiteLLM handles API translation in [`extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py), routing requests to local model servers. - Key configuration files include [`extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml) for the UI service and `extensions/services/ods-proxy/Caddyfile` for hostname routing. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the default port for the ODS chat interface? The Open WebUI service listens on **port 3000** by default, as defined in [`extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml). The ods-proxy extension routes traffic from port 80 to this internal port when using the LAN hostname. ### How do I access the chat UI from another device on my network? Ensure the **ods-proxy** extension is enabled (default), then navigate to `http://chat..local` where `` is your hostname. This relies on mDNS broadcasting configured in [`docs/MDNS.md`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/docs/MDNS.md) and the Caddyfile routing rules in `extensions/services/ods-proxy/Caddyfile`. ### Which component provides the OpenAI-compatible API endpoint? **LiteLLM** provides the `/v1/chat/completions` endpoint, implemented in [`extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/dashboard-api/routers/chat.py). This allows the Open WebUI frontend to communicate with various model backends using standard OpenAI client libraries. ### Where is the Docker service for the chat UI defined? The service definition resides in [`extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml`](https://github.com/Osmantic/ODS/blob/main/extensions/services/open-webui/compose.yaml). This file configures the container image, port mapping (3000), and networking integration with the rest of the ODS stack.