Guides
How to set things up properly
Step-by-step guides for running a VPS: base setup, hardening, payments and privacy — written for people who administer their own servers.
RDP port 3389: how to change the Remote Desktop port on Windows Server
RDP listens on TCP and UDP 3389. Move it to another port on Windows Server with PowerShell, open the firewall first and connect without locking yourself out.
~6 min19 Sept 2026ReadInstall phpMyAdmin on Ubuntu and Debian — and lock it down
Install phpMyAdmin with MySQL or MariaDB on Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 and Debian 12/13, under Apache or nginx, then keep it off the public internet.
~7 min19 Sept 2026Run your own Monero node on a VPS (monerod, step by step)
Download and verify monerod, run it as a hardened systemd service, open P2P, keep RPC private and connect your wallet over an SSH tunnel or Tor.
~7 min19 Sept 2026Use a VPN on a Windows RDP server without locking yourself out
A full-tunnel VPN on a Windows VPS reroutes your RDP replies and cuts you off. Keep RDP reachable with a bypass route, split tunnelling and a failsafe.
~8 min19 Sept 2026Running a Tor relay on a VPS: middle, guard, bridge or exit
How to run a Tor relay on a VPS: what each relay type means for you and your host, torrc settings, bandwidth caps and why exits need permission.
~8 min19 Sept 2026Anonymous VPS hosting: what is actually possible, and what is not
What a host can and cannot know about you, what your own setup leaks, and how to run a VPS that is not trivially tied to your identity — honestly.
~8 min08 Aug 2026How to pay for a VPS with crypto — and how private it actually is
What a host can see when you pay in Bitcoin or Monero, which data is legally required in the EU, and how to order a server without handing over ID.
~8 min08 Aug 2026Initial server setup: the first ten minutes on a new VPS
A repeatable checklist for a fresh Ubuntu or Debian server: non-root user, key-only SSH, firewall, automatic security updates, hostname, timezone and swap.
~7 min08 Aug 2026How to secure SSH access on a public server
Port 22 gets brute-forced within minutes. Key-only auth plus fail2ban and a firewall removes almost all the risk. The practical, in-order setup.
~6 min08 Aug 2026UFW firewall setup: deny by default, open what you serve
Configure UFW the safe way: allow SSH first, open only the ports you serve, restrict sensitive ports by source, and rate-limit the noise.
~5 min08 Aug 2026How to point a domain at your VPS (and add HTTPS)
Two DNS records and a short wait. Which record types to use, how to verify propagation, why it is not instant, and how to add a free HTTPS certificate.
~5 min08 Aug 2026