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SinusBot Setup for TeamSpeak and Discord

HomepageArticlesVoice ServerSinusBot Setup: Music Bot for TeamS...
SinusBot Setup: Music Bot for TeamSpeak and Discord

SinusBot is a music bot that lets you listen to music together with friends on TeamSpeak 3 or Discord, managed through a web interface and extensible with community scripts. Installing it is more technical than it looks: because the bot runs a real TeamSpeak client in the background, your server needs graphics libraries and a virtual display — which is why it does not work on every virtual server. This guide covers the requirements, three installation routes, first-run configuration and the mistakes people make most often.

What SinusBot is and does

SinusBot joins your voice channel and plays music. In its own words, it lets you listen to music together with your friends on either TeamSpeak 3 or Discord. What stands out:

  • Web interface. The bot is managed from a browser — playlists, volume and bot settings all live there.
  • Chat commands. Users can request tracks from TeamSpeak or Discord chat.
  • Script support. Community-written scripts add server management and extra functionality.
  • Text-to-speech. An integrated TTS engine is included, disabled by default.
  • Two platforms, one install. The same bot can serve TeamSpeak and Discord; a Discord-only image is also available.

One detail worth knowing: SinusBot has been on the 1.0.0-beta release line for a long time. It is widely used and still developed, but the "beta" label remains — factor that into a production decision.

SinusBot system requirements: 64-bit OS, Linux kernel 3.17+, KVM virtualization and port 8087

System requirements: verify before installing

Most installation failures come from not checking requirements first. What the official documentation specifies:

  • A 64-bit operating system. 32-bit is not supported.
  • Debian 10+, Ubuntu 20.04+ or CentOS 8+.
  • Linux kernel 3.17 or higher. The TeamSpeak Client 3.3+ requires it. Verify with uname -a.
  • At least 512 MB – 1 GB of free RAM plus sufficient disk space.
  • KVM or LXC virtualization. The documentation explicitly advises avoiding OpenVZ-based VPS — one of the most common reasons installs fail.

That last point matters: some budget VPS plans still run on OpenVZ, and SinusBot does not work properly there. Asking about virtualization type before buying is far cheaper than troubleshooting afterwards. We covered the differences in our guide on the difference between VDS and VPS.

Three installation routes

1. Installer script (easiest)

If you are new to Linux or simply want everything installed for you, the official documentation recommends the installer script. It handles dependencies, the TeamSpeak client and the service definition in one pass.

2. Manual installation

For those who want to see what goes where. Steps below.

3. Docker

An official Docker image exists. If you would rather not deal with system dependencies this is the cleanest route — particularly useful for isolation when other services share the server.

Manual Linux installation, step by step

Install dependencies

SinusBot runs a real TeamSpeak client in the background, which means it needs a virtual display and graphics libraries. The required packages:

x11vnc xvfb libxcursor1 ca-certificates curl bzip2 libnss3 libegl1-mesa x11-xkb-utils libasound2 libpci3 libxslt1.1 libxcomposite1

On Ubuntu 18.04 you must enable the universe repository for x11vnc and xvfb.

Create a dedicated user

adduser --disabled-login sinusbot

Do not run the bot as root. This is an explicit rule in the documentation. The web interface is an internet-facing service, and running one as root is unnecessary risk.

Download and extract SinusBot

Download the latest release, extract it under /opt/sinusbot and give ownership to the user you created.

Install the TeamSpeak 3 client

The bot uses a real client to connect. The documentation recommends version 3.5.6. The client path is typically:

/opt/sinusbot/TeamSpeak3-Client-linux_amd64/ts3client_linux_amd64

Copy the plugin

Copy SinusBot's TeamSpeak plugin into the client's plugins directory. Skip this and the bot connects but audio does not work — one of the most frequent installation mistakes.

Edit config.ini

Set the TeamSpeak client path, the listen address and any other required settings here.

Start the service and capture the first password

On first run the bot generates a password for the admin user and prints it to the console. Save it immediately — like a TeamSpeak privilege key, missing it means extra work later.

Installing with Docker

What to know on the Docker side:

  • Port: 8087 (web interface).
  • Persistent volumes: /opt/sinusbot/scripts and /opt/sinusbot/data.
  • The documentation's principle is explicit: containers should not store application data; it belongs in volumes — which is what makes upgrades painless.
  • Tags are version-specific (in the form 1.0.0-beta.6-...), alongside latest and a Discord-only discord tag.

Install without defining volumes and your playlists, settings and scripts disappear on the first upgrade. That is the most expensive mistake in Docker installs.

Web interface and first login

Once installed, reach the interface at http://server-ip:8087. The username is admin and the password is the one generated on first run.

What to do at first login:

  • Change the password. Do not leave the generated one in place.
  • Do not leave the port open to the internet. 8087 is the bot's full management interface. Restrict it by IP in the firewall, or put it behind a reverse proxy (NGINX or Apache 2) with TLS — the documentation has a dedicated section for this.
  • Create your bot instance and enter the TeamSpeak server address and password if required.

Configuring the TeamSpeak side

After the bot connects, a few server-side settings are needed:

  • Create a dedicated server group for the bot. Give it only what it needs: joining channels, transmitting audio, and switching channels if required. Do not give it Server Admin.
  • Decide which channel the bot sits in. Keeping music in its own channel protects audio quality in conversation channels.
  • Set the music channel's quality separately. Bandwidth on a voice server scales with the number of simultaneous sources; raise quality on the music channel rather than across the whole server.
  • Use a privilege key. Generating a single-use key that adds the bot to its group is cleaner than assigning it by hand.

We covered server groups, channel types and the permission layers in full in how to configure a TeamSpeak 3 server.

The Discord side

The same bot can run on Discord. You create a bot application, obtain a token and enter it in the SinusBot interface. If you only need Discord, the official Docker image's discord tag gives you a lighter install — no TeamSpeak client or graphics dependencies required.

Music sources and copyright

Most guides skip this, but as a community owner you need to know it.

SinusBot can play local audio files and stream from external sources. But broadcasting copyrighted music to a community sits on different legal ground than personal listening. Playing music with a closed group of friends is not the same as streaming to an open community that recruits members and generates revenue.

Automated downloading or streaming from third-party platforms may also conflict with those platforms' terms of service. A practical approach:

  • Use royalty-free or appropriately licensed music libraries.
  • Prefer files you uploaded and hold the rights to.
  • If you run a commercial community, ask an advisor about your legal position.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Performance and resource use

SinusBot is not heavy, but it is not free either: running a TeamSpeak client and virtual display in the background consumes memory even when idle. Practical notes:

  • 512 MB – 1 GB of free RAM suffices for a single instance; scale proportionally for more.
  • Audio encoding uses CPU; many concurrent instances load single-thread performance.
  • If you host music files on the server, account for disk space and read speed.
  • Running the bot on the same machine as your voice server is an advantage for latency.

Seven common mistakes

  • Trying to install on an OpenVZ-based VPS. The documentation explicitly advises against it; use KVM or LXC.
  • Not checking the kernel version. The TeamSpeak client needs 3.17+.
  • Skipping the TeamSpeak plugin copy. The bot connects but audio does not work.
  • Running the bot as root.
  • Not saving the admin password generated on first run.
  • Leaving port 8087 open to the internet. Use a reverse proxy with TLS, or restrict by IP.
  • Not defining volumes in Docker. All data disappears on the first upgrade.

Nubitro voice and bot servers

Nubitro voice and bot servers: KVM virtualization, NVMe M.2 SSD, Istanbul location and 200 Tbps+ DDoS protection

The most common place a SinusBot install fails is virtualization type. On Nubitro servers, resources are assigned through hardware partitioning on KVM-based infrastructure — so the OpenVZ problem the documentation warns about does not arise.

Servers run in Istanbul, Turkey with NVMe M.2 SSD storage and 1 Gbps unmetered traffic, and the infrastructure carries 200 Tbps+ DDoS protection as standard. Since voice traffic runs over UDP, that protection covering UDP matters.

Review voice plans on our TeamSpeak 3 server hosting page, or see Ryzen VDS if you want to run the bot on your own server. For everything else, visit the Nubitro homepage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does SinusBot work on shared hosting?

No. The bot runs its own processes and a virtual display, so it needs a server with root access. Shared hosting is unsuitable; you need a KVM-based VDS or a pre-installed bot package.

The bot connects but there is no audio.

The most common cause is the SinusBot plugin not being copied into the TeamSpeak client's plugins directory. Second, an incorrect TeamSpeak client path in config.ini. Third, the bot's server group lacking permission to transmit audio.

I lost the admin password.

It can be reset through the bot's data. On a pre-installed package, your provider's panel usually offers a reset option.

Can I serve the web interface on my domain?

Yes. The documentation covers reverse proxy setup with NGINX or Apache 2 in a dedicated section, which lets you use TLS and avoid exposing port 8087 directly. For the DNS side, see our DNS records guide.

Can one bot serve both TeamSpeak and Discord?

Yes, SinusBot supports both. If you only need Discord, the Docker discord tag offers a lighter image.

How many bot instances can I run?

Your server's memory and CPU decide. Each instance runs its own TeamSpeak client, so memory use grows per instance. Plan RAM accordingly if you need more than a few.

Summary

  • SinusBot is a web-managed music bot for TeamSpeak 3 and Discord.
  • It has been on the 1.0.0-beta line for a long time; factor that into production decisions.
  • A 64-bit OS and Linux kernel 3.17+ are required.
  • Debian 10+, Ubuntu 20.04+ or CentOS 8+ are supported.
  • Use KVM or LXC; the documentation advises avoiding OpenVZ.
  • At least 512 MB – 1 GB of free RAM is needed.
  • The bot runs a real TeamSpeak client, so graphics dependencies are mandatory.
  • TeamSpeak client 3.5.6 is recommended and the plugin must be copied into plugins.
  • Do not run the bot as root.
  • The web interface is on port 8087; serve it behind a reverse proxy with TLS.
  • In Docker, define scripts and data as volumes.
  • Give the bot a dedicated group with minimal permissions, not Server Admin.
  • Do not overlook the legal side of broadcasting copyrighted music to a community.
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