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GNS3 Linux Install

Ubuntu-based distributions (64-bit only)​

These instructions are for Ubuntu and all distributions based on it (like Linux Mint).

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gns3/ppa
sudo apt update                                
sudo apt install gns3-gui gns3-server

(when prompted whether non-root users should be allowed to use wireshark and ubridge, select ‘Yes’ both times)

If you want IOU support

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gns3-iou

To install Docker CE (Xenial_and_newer)

Remove any old versions:

sudo apt remove docker docker-engine docker.io
sudo snap remove docker

Install the following packages:

sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common

Import the official Docker GPG key:

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -

Add the appropriate repo:

sudo add-apt-repository \
"deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
   $(lsb_release -cs) stable"

Install Docker-CE:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce

Finally, add your user to the following groups:

ubridge libvirt kvm wireshark docker

sudo usermod -aG ubridge,libvirt,kvm,wireshark,docker $(whoami)

Restart your user session by logging out and back in, or restarting the system.

Debian-based distributions​

GNS3 is not available through apt; you will have to use pipx.

Refresh apt:

sudo apt update

Install python and the required emulation & gui packages:

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip pipx python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtwebsockets python3-pyqt5.qtsvg qemu-kvm qemu-utils libvirt-clients libvirt-daemon-system virtinst dynamips software-properties-common ca-certificates curl gnupg2

Use pipx to install gns3:

pipx install gns3-server
pipx install gns3-gui

To launch the GUI, we will need to prepare the virtual environment. Inject the GNS server and QT elements:

pipx inject gns3-gui gns3-server PyQt5

Finally, launch with gns3.

Arch-based distributions​

To install GNS3 on Archlinux you will need yay to install from Arch Users Repository ( AUR ), thats if it's not already installed.

yay can be acquired either by compiling it from source or by downloading the pre-built binary version provided by GitHub Actions.

For the source method:

pacman -S --needed git base-devel
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si

For the binary option:

pacman -S --needed git base-devel
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay-bin.git
cd yay-bin
makepkg -si

Then proceed with the setup process and confirm the installation.

For more detailed instructions, you can refer to the yay repository.

Install Prerequesits + docker:

Next we will install pre-requesit packages from the same AUR source. Please note that mixing installation source may lead to unfuncional application or unstability:

yay -S qemu docker vpcs dynamips libvirt ubridge inetutils

Install GNS3 Server and GUI 

yay -S gns3-server gns3-gui

Finalize installation

Finally you we need to add your user to the gns3 groups as demonstrated earlier and do reboot.

To launch the GNS3 Server​

gns3server