# Problem installing NR v5 on Siemens IOt2050

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [18 June 2026 13:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306 "2026-06-18T13:15:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KrisM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@KrisM](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/KrisM)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2026 13:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/1 "2026-06-18T13:15:17Z")

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I've got a brand new siemens IOT2050 device with debian linux (v13.1) and I'm trying to get NR working.  
(I'm not that familiar with linux, I'm an automation engineer working with Siemens PLC).

The installation of node red succeeded (following the script on the NR page), so V5 is now installed.  
When I want to start node red, I get the error that node.js is an unsupported version (v20.19.2)  
I installed the latest version of node.js (v24.17.0), rebooted the device and tried to start node red again \>\> same error.  
When checking node.js version it gives me v24.17.0

Anea ideas how to solve this?

Thx

Kris

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**Author:** ![mudwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@mudwalker](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mudwalker)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2026 13:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/2 "2026-06-18T13:40:52Z")

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Welcome to the Forum!

I could be wrong, but, you might want try and run the Default install again, but with the option --node24 on the end

`bash <(curl -sL ``https://github.com/node-red/linux-installers/releases/latest/download/install-update-nodered-deb``) --node24`

This will ensure that Node-RED and Node.js are installed in the correct places to be able to 'see' each other. Node-RED V5 needs a minimum of Version 22 for Node.js

**Node-RED 5.0 requires a _minimum of Node.js 22.9.0_ to run - it will not run anything earlier.**

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2026 13:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/3 "2026-06-18T13:59:20Z")

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As Colin says, if node-red says v20 is installed but `node -v` shows v24 then you must have both versions installed in different places.

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**Author:** ![KrisM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@KrisM](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/KrisM)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2026 14:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/4 "2026-06-18T14:09:24Z")

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I tried to install with the node24 option, that went well, I no longer get the error about the node js version, thx for that.

But now I get this one when I start node red: nodered.  
service: Referenced but unset environment variable evaluates to an empty string: NODE\_RED\_OPTIONS  
env: ‘node-red-pi’: No such file or directory  
nodered.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=127/n/a  
nodered.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

I don't get why this installation is causing so much trouble, I installed node red previously on Pi without problems, probably siemens did something with the debian image for this device...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2026 14:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/5 "2026-06-18T14:41:46Z")

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> [@KrisM](#):
>
> service: Referenced but unset environment variable evaluates to an empty string: NODE\_RED\_OPTIONS

That is just a warning, again I think there is a fix coming. I believe that it is caused by an update in Debian that has made this a printable warning. To make it go away edit the file /usr/lib/systemd/system/nodered.service and add a line  
`Environment="NODE_RED_OPTIONS="`  
before  
`# uncomment the next line for a more verbose log output`  
or just uncomment the line  
`#Environment="NODE_RED_OPTIONS=-v"`

The missing file is a problem though. In a command window what does this command show?  
`which node-red-pi`

[Edit]  
Also this command  
`which env`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KrisM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@KrisM](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/KrisM)\
**Post date:** [25 June 2026 10:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/6 "2026-06-25T10:53:26Z")

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Hi,

Which node-red-pi \>\> /run/user/0/fnm\_multishells/566\_1782384720821/bin/node-red-pi

which env \>\> /usr/bin/env

I am not running this on a pi, but on a Siemens IOT2050 (probably some industrial version of a Pi)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KrisM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@KrisM](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/KrisM)\
**Post date:** [25 June 2026 13:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/7 "2026-06-25T13:05:08Z")

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I tried again from scratch with the standard image from siemens and ran all the scripts form the node red site (pi version and with --node24) and it works just fine 🙂

1 thing I didn't do this time is changing the default name of the device...

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [23 September 2026 13:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-installing-nr-v5-on-siemens-iot2050/101306/8 "2026-09-23T13:05:16Z")

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