diff --git a/host_autosetup/host_autosetup.sh b/host_autosetup/host_autosetup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0d68506
--- /dev/null
+++ b/host_autosetup/host_autosetup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# bootstrapping with sh until we have bash installed
+
+# check if we are running as root
+if [ "$(id -u)" -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo "Please run the script with sudo privileges or as root."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# install bash if not already installed.
+if ! command -v bash > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "bash is not installed"
+    apt update
+    apt install -y bash
+fi
+
+# switch to bash as our shell
+chsh -s /bin/bash
+
+if [ -n "$BASH_VERSION" ]; then
+    echo "Running in Bash $BASH_VERSION"
+else
+    echo "Not running in Bash"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# check if curl, wget, bash installed, and install if not
+PREREQUISITES=("curl" "wget")
+
+# check if all prerequisites are installed
+ALLINSTALLED=true
+for prerequisite in "${PREREQUISITES[@]}"; do
+    if ! command -v "${prerequisite}" &> /dev/null; then
+        echo "Prerequisite: ${prerequisite} is not installed."
+        ALLINSTALLED=false
+    fi
+done
+
+if [ "$ALLINSTALLED" = false ]; then
+    echo "Installing prerequisites..."
+    apt update
+    apt install -y "${PREREQUISITES[@]}"
+fi
+
+#--------------------------------
+
+# check docker installation
+if ! command -v docker &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "Docker is not installed."
+    echo "Installing docker..."
+    curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
+    sh get-docker.sh
+    rm get-docker.sh
+fi
+
+# check dropshell user exists
+if ! id "dropshell" &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "Dropshell user does not exist."
+    echo "Creating dropshell user..."
+    useradd -m dropshell
+fi
+
+# add dropshell user to docker group
+# check if already in docker group
+if ! id "dropshell" | grep -q "docker" &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "Adding dropshell user to docker group..."
+    usermod -aG docker dropshell
+fi
+
+# check .ssh/authorized_keys file exists
+if [ ! -f "/home/dropshell/.ssh/authorized_keys" ]; then
+    echo "Creating .ssh/authorized_keys file..."
+    mkdir -p /home/dropshell/.ssh
+    cp /root/.ssh/authorized_keys /home/dropshell/.ssh/authorized_keys
+    chown -R dropshell:dropshell /home/dropshell/.ssh
+    chmod 600 /home/dropshell/.ssh/authorized_keys
+fi
+
+# also check known_hosts file exists
+if [ ! -f "/home/dropshell/.ssh/known_hosts" ]; then
+    echo "Creating .ssh/known_hosts file..."
+    mkdir -p /home/dropshell/.ssh
+    touch /home/dropshell/.ssh/known_hosts
+fi
+
+#--------------------------------
+
+# download dropshell
+
+# determine if x86_64 or arm64
+ARCH=$(uname -m)
+
+# check is aarch64 or x86_64 and error if neither
+if [ "$ARCH" != "aarch64" ] && [ "$ARCH" != "x86_64" ]; then
+    echo "Unsupported architecture: $ARCH"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Installation complete."
+
+#--------------------------------
+