Don't be Lazy, configure your own VPS today !

Configure Your Own VPS: Keep It Simple, Keep It Old School

Whatever your reason—whether you want to host your own website, deploy a web app, or manage your personal cloud storage—setting up your own VPS is one of the most empowering things you can do in tech. Sure, there are plenty of tutorials online explaining how to configure a VPS, but I want to share my own flavour. I'm originally a mechanical/manufacturing engineer and have been transitioning into tech. Creating my own apps and tools is something I genuinely enjoy, and truly gives you independence.

 Recomended Channel to learn NetworkChuck 

 How to secure your linux (video - NetworkChuck ): 5 easy steps to Secure Linux   

 Configure own VPS (Krystal): Beginner's guide to VPS   

Here's what nobody tells you about getting started with your own VPS:

0. Buy a Small Package
Start with the basic plan. If you're just learning, you don't need more than 1 CPU and 2 GB of RAM. Keep it lean-resources can always be scaled later once you learned.

1. Choose Your ISP Carefully
Avoid providers like DigitalOcean, IONOS, and Fasthosts—while popular, their IPS and subnets are often flagged as malicious due to overuse (and abuse). Instead, opt for lesser-known providers with clean reputations. Alternative VPS list (compiled by AnTheMaker )

2. Start Simple—Don't Overcomplicate Keep it simple, stupid! You don't need Docker for just a few services. Learn the basics first. Don't be afraid to make mistakes—reinstalling your server image is easy. Go with beginner-friendly OS options like Ubuntu 22/24, Debian, or Linux Mint. Clean, stable, and easy to work with.

3. Maintain a Cheat Sheet
Keep a text file of your go-to commands and configurations. This helps you internalize what you've learned and creates a reference point you'll appreciate later. Eventually, you'll be able to turn that cheat sheet into a polished Bash script.

I could not find a good one (clean & simple) on the net, I might share mine soon.

4. Understand Firewalls
What most tutorials tell you: Install UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall). It works, and I recommend it.
What they don't tell you: You may need more. Create custom firewall rules to block bots that scrape your website. Some VPS providers even include their own firewall tools—take advantage.
Also, set up fail2ban to protect SSH and other sensitive endpoints. And yes, AI tools like Copilot can help guide your configuration decisions.

5. Use Your Own VPN WireGuard is a wonderful !! Self-hosting your VPN gives you privacy, reliability, and freedom from third-party services. I used NordVPN and TunnelBear for years, but after switching to WireGuard, the improvement in connection stability and security is night and day. A full tutorial is coming soon, including performance comparisons between different VPS setups (1 CPU vs 2 or 3).

6. Closing Thoughts Keep it simple. Experiment. If something doesn't work, reinstall your image and start fresh. Take notes, iterate, improve. Eventually, your cheat sheet becomes your automation script—and that's when the fun really begins.