ROI SYSTEMS · AETHER PRIVATE

Start here: set up your private AI

Aether Private runs an AI assistant on your own computer. Your conversations and documents are processed here and are not sent to us or any AI company. Setup takes about 10 minutes — most of it is downloading the AI model.

You need: a Windows 10/11, Mac (Apple Silicon recommended) or Linux computer · Chrome or Edge · 8 GB memory minimum (16 GB recommended) · 5–20 GB free disk space · internet for the one-time downloads.

1. Unzip and run the one-click setup

  1. Unzip the download to a permanent place, e.g. Documents\Aether Private. Don't run it from inside the zip.
  2. Windows: double-click Windows - Aether-Private-Setup.cmd. If Windows shows “Windows protected your PC”, click More info → Run anyway (the file is a plain script you can open in Notepad to read).
  3. Mac: right-click Mac - Aether-Private-Setup.command → Open → Open. If macOS still blocks it: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.
  4. Linux: in a terminal run bash "Linux - aether-private-setup.sh" (asks for your password once to install Ollama).

The setup installs Ollama (free software that runs AI models), lets Aether Private talk to it, downloads the recommended model and the small document-search model, and puts an Aether Private icon on your desktop.

The Windows and Mac setup set OLLAMA_ORIGINS=* so this app (opened from a file) may talk to Ollama on this computer. Modern Chrome and Edge also ask before any website can reach programs on your computer.

2. Open Aether Private and accept the license

Double-click the desktop icon. The first time, read the license agreement, type your name and business, sign (finger, stylus or mouse) and click I agree.

The license agreement appears once. A copy of your acceptance is kept in Settings → About.
The license agreement appears once. A copy of your acceptance is kept in Settings → About.
The main screen. The green “Private” badge means the Privacy Shield is on; the chip next to the clock shows which AI model is running.
The main screen. The green “Private” badge means the Privacy Shield is on; the chip next to the clock shows which AI model is running.

3. If the AI isn't connected yet

Open AI Models (chip icon, bottom left) or the setup guide. It checks Ollama every few seconds and lets you download a model with one click — choose your computer's memory size and press Download.

The built-in setup guide: memory size, one-click setup file for your system, and one-click model download.
The built-in setup guide: memory size, one-click setup file for your system, and one-click model download.
AI Models: see what is installed, switch models, download more, remove ones you don’t need.
AI Models: see what is installed, switch models, download more, remove ones you don’t need.
Your computerRecommended modelDownload
8 GB memoryQwen 3.5 · 4B (or Granite 4.2 · 3B)2–3 GB
16 GB memoryQwen 3.5 · 9B (recommended)6.6 GB
24–32 GB or a 16 GB+ graphics cardgpt-oss 20B or Qwen 3.8 · 27B14–18 GB

4. Ask questions about your files — Private Docs

Drop PDFs, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, emails or text files into Private Docs. They are read and indexed on this computer. Ask a question and Aether answers with citations like [contract.pdf p.3]. Scanned PDFs need OCR (“searchable PDF”) first.

Private Docs: your files, searchable by meaning — never uploaded.
Private Docs: your files, searchable by meaning — never uploaded.

5. Add the desks you need

Add-ons & License shows your license, a free 7-day trial of every add-on, and Request a purchase. After payment, press Check for updates — your add-ons install automatically. Keys cover 30 days or 1 year and never renew automatically.

Add-ons & License: Core plus optional desks. Locked add-ons show a padlock in the left bar.
Add-ons & License: Core plus optional desks. Locked add-ons show a padlock in the left bar.
Legal Desk: contract review, redaction, transcript summaries, chronologies, citation check, drafting, privilege logs, conflicts and time notes.
Legal Desk: contract review, redaction, transcript summaries, chronologies, citation check, drafting, privilege logs, conflicts and time notes.
Business Desk: emails, meeting notes, proposals, SOPs, HR documents, customer replies, spreadsheet insights.
Business Desk: emails, meeting notes, proposals, SOPs, HR documents, customer replies, spreadsheet insights.

6. Privacy Shield, backups and settings

Settings → Privacy Shield: Private (default), Air-gapped, or Online features on.
Settings → Privacy Shield: Private (default), Air-gapped, or Online features on.

Troubleshooting

You seeDo this
“Ollama is not running”Open Ollama from the Start menu / Applications, or re-run the setup file. Ollama starts with your computer after setup.
“Ollama is running but not allowing this app”Re-run the setup file, or quit Ollama, run setx OLLAMA_ORIGINS "*" (Windows) / launchctl setenv OLLAMA_ORIGINS "*" (Mac), and open Ollama again.
Answers are slowPick a smaller model in AI Models, or close other heavy programs. The first answer after starting loads the model and is slower.
A PDF shows “no readable text”It is a scanned image. Use your scanner software’s OCR / “searchable PDF” option, then add it again.
An add-on shows a padlock after payingAdd-ons & License → Check for updates (needs internet once).

Aether Private 1.0 · © 2026 Web Masters LLC (ROI Systems), 700 S German Ln, Conway, AR 72034 · harrison@arroweyesystems.com · Created by Nicholas Evans · Powered by Ollama (installed separately; not affiliated). AI can make mistakes — have a qualified professional review important work.