Help centre: VPS and game server guides
Step-by-step guides to set up your VPS and your game server: connecting, ports, reinstalling, backups and troubleshooting.
What to do first when your server arrives: connect, log in and get it ready.
9 articles
Reinstalling, powering off, changing passwords and backups from the panel.
9 articles
Upgrading your plan, changing the billing cycle, passwords and account security.
8 articles
Opening your game server ports on Windows and Linux, with commands ready to copy.
6 articles
Settings, security and tips for your Windows Server 2022 VPS.
9 articles
Ubuntu, Debian and Rocky: the essentials for running your VPS from the terminal.
9 articles
Set up your FiveM, Minecraft, Rust, ARK, CS2 and more on your VPS, step by step.
19 articles
AntiDDoS protection, its filters and how to keep your VPS and account safe.
4 articles
What to check when something breaks and how to ask us for help so it gets fixed fast.
4 articles
- How to order your VPS, step by stepFrom picking a plan to the email with your IP and password in a couple of minutes: what the order asks for, how to pay and what to do if the email does not arrive.Getting started
- Opening a support ticket (and getting it solved first time)Where to open one, which department to pick and what to include so there is no back-and-forth. And what you must never send us.Support and troubleshooting
- Your VPS's AntiDDoS protection: what it does and what you see in the panelWhat a DDoS attack is, how the filter stops it before it reaches your server, what each figure in the AntiDDoS tab means and what to do if you notice drops.Security and AntiDDoS
- SteamCMD: installing and updating Steam game serversValve's official tool for downloading dedicated servers (Rust, ARK, CS2, Valheim, Palworld...) on Windows and Linux, with the ID table.Game servers
- First steps on your Ubuntu or Debian VPSUpdate, set your time zone, install the basic tools, enable the firewall without locking yourself out and put security updates on autopilot.Linux
- Keyboard layout, local time and date format on Windows ServerIf typing @ gives you something else or the server clock is off, three commands fix it. And why you do not need to change the menu language.Windows Server
- How to open ports on Windows Server with PowerShellOpening inbound and outbound TCP and UDP in the Windows firewall in two lines, checking the rules landed, and why it sometimes still does not work.Ports and firewall
- How to upgrade (or downgrade) your VPS planMoving to a plan with more CPU, RAM or disk without losing anything. What you pay, when it applies and what happens if you go down a plan.Billing and account
- How to reinstall your VPS operating systemPutting the server back to factory state, with a different OS if you want. What gets wiped, how long it takes and what to save first.Managing your VPS
- How to connect to your Windows VPS with Remote DesktopWhere to find the IP and password in the panel, and how to connect over RDP from Windows, macOS, Linux or your phone.Getting started
- My VPS is not responding: what to check, in orderRemote desktop will not connect, SSH fails or the game server is down: the checklist from the panel to the console, to find where the problem is in two minutes.Support and troubleshooting
- Per-port AntiDDoS filters: the Security tabApply the FiveM, Minecraft, RDP or web filter with one click, or create a custom one for any port. What each option does, each game's ports and what to do if something stops working.Security and AntiDDoS
- Setting up a FiveM server on Windows with txAdminFrom an empty Windows VPS to a running FiveM server with QBCore, ESX or Qbox: artifact, txAdmin, licence key, database and ports.Game serversFiveM
- Logging in over SSH with a key instead of a passwordCreate your key on Windows, Mac or Linux, upload it to the server and disable SSH passwords without locking yourself out.Linux
- Windows Server updates without restarts in the middle of a gameHow to let Windows download updates but install them when you decide, and a five-minute monthly routine.Windows Server
- How to open ports on Linux (ufw and firewalld)The commands for Ubuntu/Debian and AlmaLinux/Rocky, how to check the server is listening, and the classic mistake of locking yourself out of SSH.Ports and firewall
- How to change the root or Administrator password of your VPSGenerating a new password from the panel when you have lost it, and changing it from inside the server when you are already connected.Managing your VPS
- How to change your billing cycle (monthly, quarterly, yearly)Going from paying monthly to every three, six or twelve months. You keep the days you paid for and the server never notices.Billing and account
- How to connect to your Linux VPS over SSHLogging in over SSH from any system, and how to switch to key authentication so your server does not get brute-forced.Getting started
- Running an MTR to diagnose lag and dropsThe test that helps us most with lag, packet loss or drops: how to run it on Windows, Mac and Linux, how long to leave it and how to read the result.Support and troubleshooting
- Securing your VPS and your account: the essentialsThe short list of what really prevents trouble: two-factor on your panel account, passwords and keys, updates, closed ports, trustworthy scripts and backups. And what to do if you think you have been broken into.Security and AntiDDoS
- Setting up a FiveM server on Linux with txAdminFiveM on Ubuntu or Debian: more free RAM for the server than on Windows. Download, start-up, safe txAdmin access through an SSH tunnel and a permanent service.Game serversFiveM
- Protecting SSH with Fail2banAutomatically block IPs that fail the password again and again. A configuration that works on Ubuntu, Debian 12 and Rocky.Linux
- Creating another remote desktop user (without sharing Administrator)Give your partner or technician their own user: they can log in at the same time as you, and when they no longer need it you delete it without changing your password.Windows Server
- Starting, shutting down and restarting your VPS from the panelShutting down is not the same as forcing power off. What each button does, which one to use when, and why you must restart from the panel after an upgrade.Managing your VPS
- What to do in the first 15 minutes with your VPSA short checklist to leave the server safe and ready before installing anything: your own password, updates, only the ports you need and a backup plan.Getting started
- Which ports to open for a FiveM server (30120)Port 30120 on TCP and UDP, the txAdmin one, ready-made commands for Windows and Linux, and why your server is missing from the list.Ports and firewallFiveM
- How to change your account password and turn on two-factor authenticationYour panel password, two-factor authentication and how to kick out any session you do not recognise.Billing and account
- Measuring your VPS's ping and speedWhat ping you get to each data centre, how to measure speed from the VPS itself, why a Windows VPS does not answer ping and how to read the results.Support and troubleshooting
- Viewing your account activityWhere to see every login, payment and action on your servers, with date, time and IP, and what to do if something you do not recognise shows up.Security and AntiDDoS
- Installing MariaDB and connecting FiveM's database (oxmysql)The database QBCore, ESX and Qbox need: installation on Windows and Linux, a dedicated user, the oxmysql connection string and the two most common errors.Game serversFiveM
- Creating swap memory on Linux (and when it does not help)A cushion so the system does not kill processes outright when RAM fills up. How to create it in two minutes and why it is no substitute for more RAM.Linux
- Changing the remote desktop port (3389) without locking yourself outMoving remote desktop to another port gets rid of most password-guessing bots. Do it in this order and you will not lock yourself out.Windows Server
- Renewals: when the invoice arrives and what happens if you pay lateInvoice 7 days before, suspension the day after the due date and deletion after 3 days. How to avoid it and why paying early never costs you days.Billing and account
- Changing your VPS's name (hostname)The name you see in the panel and the computer name inside Windows or Linux are two different things: how to change each one.Managing your VPS
- Your VPS in the panel: what each tab doesOverview, Network, VNC, Settings and, in Spain, AntiDDoS and Security: what each tab is for and where the buttons you will use most are.Getting started
- Which ports to open for a Minecraft server (25565 and Bedrock)Java runs on TCP 25565 and Bedrock on UDP 19132. Commands for Windows and Linux, the query port, and how to let players connect without typing a port.Ports and firewallMinecraft
- Getting your FiveM licence key (portal.cfx.re)Keymaster is gone: keys are created in the Cfx.re Portal, they are free and no longer tied to an IP. Where to put it and what to do if it errors.Game serversFiveM
- Keeping your server running after closing SSH: screen and tmuxIf your game server stops when you close the terminal, it was tied to the session. With screen or tmux it keeps running and you can return to its console whenever you like.Linux
- Protecting remote desktop from brute-force attacksHow to see who is trying to get into your server, lock the account after repeated failures and let only your IP in.Windows Server
- How to pay an invoice and turn on automatic paymentCard or PayPal from the panel, bank transfer by letting us know first, and how to make renewals charge themselves with a saved payment method.Billing and account
- Checking your VPS's CPU, RAM, disk and network usageThe panel graphs and the in-system tools to find out what is eating your resources, and how to read what you see.Managing your VPS
- Windows or Linux: which system to choose for your VPSWhich system suits each game or project, how much RAM Windows keeps for itself, which Linux distribution to pick and which to avoid.Getting started
- Which ports to open for a Rust server (28015, 28016 and 28017)Game, query and RCON ports, each with its own protocol. Ready-made commands and the reason your server is missing from the community browser.Ports and firewallRust
- Updating FXServer (FiveM artifacts) without losing anythingWhen to update, which folder gets replaced and which one you never touch, and how to roll back if the new version causes trouble.Game serversFiveM
- Starting your server automatically with systemdTurn your game server or bot into a service: it starts when the VPS boots, comes back if it crashes and its logs are kept.Linux
- Installing software on Windows Server: the basics for a game serverA browser, 7-Zip, Notepad++ and the Visual C++ runtimes nearly every game server needs, with commands to install them quickly.Windows Server
- Downloading your invoices and adding your tax detailsWhere your PDF invoices are, how to have them issued to your company and why the details are fixed at the moment of payment.Billing and account
- After an upgrade: how to use the new disk spaceThe disk grows when you upgrade, but the partition does not. How to extend it on Windows (Disk Management) and Linux (growpart and resize2fs).Managing your VPS
- How to use the panel's VNC console (your emergency exit)See your VPS's screen without going through the network: for when a firewall locks you out, the network is misconfigured or the system will not boot.Getting started
- Which ports to open for an ARK server (7777, 7778 and 27015)The ports for ARK: Survival Evolved and Survival Ascended, all UDP except RCON, with commands for Windows and Linux.Ports and firewallARK
- FiveM: my server is not in the list or will not let players inThe checklist in order of likelihood: TCP and UDP ports, key, endpoint privacy, database and AntiDDoS filters.Game serversFiveM
- Installing Docker and Docker Compose on your VPSThe official install in one command, your first container and the security detail almost nobody knows: Docker bypasses the ufw firewall.Linux
- Remote desktop freezes or disconnects: how to fix itA frozen picture for a few seconds, frequent drops or being kicked out with no warning. The most common cause is on your PC and one setting fixes it.Windows Server
- How to cancel a service (and what happens to your data)Cancel at the end of the period or immediately: the difference, when the server is deleted and what to do before you click the button.Billing and account
- How to back up your VPSWhat to copy, how to automate it on Windows and Linux and where to keep it so a backup actually saves you. With ready-made scripts.Managing your VPS
- How to upload and download files to and from your VPSOn Windows, with remote desktop itself; on Linux, over SFTP with WinSCP or FileZilla. And what to do with very large files.Getting started
- Setting up a Minecraft Java server (Paper) on your VPSThe Java version each Minecraft needs, Paper instead of the official server, how much memory to give it, the EULA, port 25565 and making yourself admin. On Windows and Linux.Game serversMinecraft
- Hosting a website with Nginx and a free SSL certificate (Let's Encrypt)From zero to an HTTPS website in ten minutes: Nginx, your domain and a Let's Encrypt certificate that renews itself.Linux
- Starting your game server automatically when Windows bootsHave the server come back by itself after a restart or an update, without logging in over remote desktop: with a .bat file and Task Scheduler.Windows Server
- Referral programme: earn money by recommending usHow to request your code, share your link, how much you earn for each customer you bring and how to get paid.Billing and account
- Giving someone access to your VPS without sharing your passwordShare the service from the panel with a partner or a technician: what they can do, what they cannot, and how to remove access whenever you want.Managing your VPS
- Connecting to your VPS from a Mac, Linux or your phoneThe remote desktop and SSH apps that work on macOS, Linux, Android and iPhone, and what to enter in each.Getting started
- Setting up a Minecraft Bedrock server (mobile, console and Windows)The official Bedrock server on Windows or Linux: download, settings, port 19132 UDP, permissions and updating without losing the world. Plus how to mix Java and Bedrock players.Game serversMinecraft
- Keeping your Discord bot online 24/7 with Node.js and PM2Install Node.js, upload your bot and let PM2 keep it alive: it starts with the VPS, restarts if it crashes and keeps the logs. Python bots too.Linux
- Excluding your game server folder from Windows DefenderSlow starts, stutters while loading resources or server files that disappear: when an exclusion makes sense and how to do it properly.Windows Server
- Pointing a domain at your VPS (for your website or game server)An A record so your players connect with a name instead of the IP, the Cloudflare grey-cloud trick and the Minecraft SRV record.Managing your VPS
- Optimising a Minecraft server: less lag, more TPSWhat TPS means, how to find what causes lag with spark, the start command Paper recommends, view distances and pre-generating the world.Game serversMinecraft
- Setting up a Rust server (and adding plugins with Oxide)Installing with SteamCMD on Windows or Linux, the start script with every parameter, making yourself admin, plugins with Oxide/uMod and what to do on the monthly forced wipe.Game serversRust
- Setting up an ARK: Survival Ascended server on WindowsWhat it really needs (Windows only and plenty of RAM), installing with SteamCMD, the correct start line (not the old ARK one), the certificate Windows Server needs to appear in the list, and the ports.Game serversARK
- Setting up a Counter-Strike 2 serverInstalling with SteamCMD (about 60 GB), the GSLT token you need, the start line with mode and map, the steamclient.so fix on Linux, and the ports.Game serversCounter-Strike 2
- Setting up a Valheim serverInstalling with SteamCMD, a proper start script (so updates do not overwrite it), password, crossplay with Xbox, admins and uploading your own world.Game serversValheim
- Setting up a Palworld serverWhat it needs (16 GB recommended), installation, appearing in the community server list, the settings file (which is not the one it looks like) and becoming admin.Game serversPalworld
- Setting up a Project Zomboid server (Build 42)Build 42 is now the stable version: installation, the admin password on first start, how much memory to give it, the settings and Workshop mods.Game serversProject Zomboid
- Setting up a 7 Days to Die serverInstalling with SteamCMD, your own config file (so updates do not wipe it), fixed or random map, admins and the TCP and UDP ports.Game servers7 Days to Die
- Setting up a Garry's Mod serverInstalling with SteamCMD, the Steam token (with an App ID that is not the game's), the start line with gamemode and map, Workshop collections and ports.Game serversGarry's Mod
- Setting up a Terraria serverThe official server on Windows or Linux with a config file (so you do not answer questions on every start), port 7777 TCP, and the alternatives with mods and plugins.Game serversTerraria
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