Windows

Download DispatchSetup-{version}-x64.exe from the latest release. It’s a single bundled installer that:

1. Installs SQL Server 2025 Express (a dedicated DISPATCHSQL instance) - skipped automatically if that instance already exists.
2. Installs the Dispatch MSI.
3. Installs and starts Dispatch as a Windows Service.
4. Opens the firewall ports it needs (25, 587, 8025, 8420). The service runs with enough privilege to bind the standard SMTP ports; it falls back to 2525 only if 25 is already in use.

The DispatchLog database and schema are created on first service start.

Silent install

DispatchSetup-1.0.0-x64.exe /quiet

Against an existing SQL Server

The bundle embeds the bare MSI. Extract it with -layout and install it directly, pointing at your server:

DispatchSetup-1.0.0-x64.exe -layout C:\dispatch-msi
msiexec /i C:\dispatch-msi\Dispatch.msi /qn SQLCONN="Server=YOURHOST;Database=DispatchLog;User Id=sa;Password=***;TrustServerCertificate=True;Encrypt=True"

SmartScreen

CI builds are unsigned, so SmartScreen may warn on first run. Choose More info → Run anyway to proceed.

After install

Everything lives under C:\ProgramData\Dispatch - the connection string (appsettings.json), the spool, logs, and the .dispatch-key encryption key. The installer locks that folder down (inheritance disabled; SYSTEM + Administrators only) so other local users can’t read it. Open the dashboard at https://localhost:8420 (accept the self-signed certificate warning).