This is a quick guide to install and run DeepSeek R1 and other AI Models locally through a web interface, just like Ch4tGPT, completely free. (Beginner-friendly, no coding needed)

Getting Ollama and the AI Model

The first thing we need to do is getting the AI model/models we want to use following these steps:

1. Download Ollama

• Visit the Ollama website: https://ollama.com.
• Download the version for your operating system, in this guide I will be using Windows: https://ollama.com/download.
• Open the installer and complete the installation process. A PowerShell window will appear once the process is completed. Note: Do not enter “ollama run llama3.2” unless you really want to install llama3.2, which is a different AI model than DeepSeek R1.

2. Install an AI Model:

• After installing Ollama, you can use PowerShell to download and install AI models. For example, to install DeepSeek R1 (8B), use the following command in PowerShell:

ollama run deepseek-r1:8b

• Wait for the model to download and install. Once completed, you can start interacting with the AI model via PowerShell, but we do not have a web interface like Ch4tGPT yet, this guide explains how to achieve this using Docker and Open WebUI in the following steps.

DeepSeek R1 Models Table

Below is a table to help you choose the right model based on your hardware:

Note: Based on my personal tests, DeepSeek R1 (8B) and (14B) provide great performance with a RTX 3080 or similar GPU on Windows 10 x64.

Other AI Models: You can also install additional models using these commands:

• Llama 3.3 (70B): ollama run llama3.3
• Phi4 (14B): ollama run phi4

Installing Docker

To create a web interface for the AI model, we’ll use Docker and Open WebUI. Follow these steps:

1. Download and Install Docker

• Visit Docker’s official website: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop.
• Choose the Personal Plan (free).
• Sign up for a personal-use account.
• Download Docker Desktop for Windows: Docker Desktop Setup.
• Run the installer and proceed with the default options. Restart your computer after installation.

2. Start Docker Desktop

• Open Docker Desktop after restarting your computer.

• If Ollama does not start automatically, launch it manually:

  • Press Windows Keyboard Key + X → Select Run PowerShell.
  • Re-run the installation command for your desired model, e.g.:

    ollama run deepseek-r1:8b
    

3. Enable Docker Terminal

• In Docker Desktop, click on “>_ Terminal” (bottom right).

• Click on Enable to access the Docker console.

Getting Open WebUI with Docker

1. Run Open WebUI in Docker

• In the Docker console, enter the following command:

  docker run -d -p 3000:8080 --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway -v open-webui:/app/backend/data --name open-webui --restart always ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
  

  

• Wait for the process to complete. This may take some time.

2. Verify the Installation

• Check Docker Desktop to ensure the Open WebUI container is running. It should look like this:

Accessing the AI Model Web Interface Locally

1. Access the local Web Interface

• Open any web browser and go to: http://localhost:3000.

2. Sign Up and Log In

• Click on Get started.
• Create an Admin Account to get access. Note: This is for the WebUI only, your AI model will run locally without internet dependency.

3. Select and Use the AI Model

• In the WebUI (top left corner), select your installed model (For example: deepseek-r1:8b).

• Start interacting with the model.

Enjoy your local AI model!