The Nxeon Blog

Guides for people who run their own servers.

Straight-talking tutorials and comparisons on VPS hosting, game servers, Linux and security. No fluff, just what actually works. 346 guides from the team that runs the servers.

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242 guides for “root” · Clear search
Tutorials · 5 min read ·

How to Set Up Automated Backups on a VPS

A backup you never tested isn't a backup. Build an automated, offsite, restorable backup routine for files and databases with rsync, cron and the 3-2-1 rule.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Secure a Self-Hosted WordPress Site

WordPress powers a huge share of the web, which makes it a huge target. Harden your self-hosted install at the server, app, and login layers.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Secure a MySQL Database

An exposed or default-configured database is a breach waiting to happen. Lock down MySQL/MariaDB: bind to localhost, strong users, least privilege and TLS.

Tutorials · 5 min read ·

How to Create a Swap File on a Linux VPS

Small VPS plans run out of RAM fast. A swap file gives the kernel breathing room and prevents the OOM killer from killing your app. Here's how to add one.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Protect a VPS from Brute-Force Attacks

Bots relentlessly guess logins against every public server. Here's a layered playbook — keys, firewall, rate limits and bans — to make brute-forcing pointless.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Add Two-Factor Authentication to SSH

Add a time-based one-time code on top of your SSH key for defence in depth. Set up Google Authenticator PAM without locking yourself out.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Disable Root Login on a VPS

The root account is every attacker's first guess. Learn to create a sudo user and disable direct root login over SSH — safely, without locking yourself out.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Set Up a UFW Firewall on Ubuntu

UFW makes Linux firewalling approachable. Learn to allow only the ports you need, set default-deny, rate-limit SSH, and verify your rules.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Install and Configure fail2ban

fail2ban watches your logs and automatically bans IPs that fail to log in too many times. Here's how to install it and write custom jails.

Security · 5 min read ·

How to Set Up SSH Key Authentication and Disable Passwords

Stop relying on passwords. Generate an SSH key pair, install your public key on the VPS, and turn password logins off for good.

Security · 6 min read ·

How to Harden SSH on a Linux VPS

A practical, copy-paste guide to locking down the SSH daemon on your VPS — the single most important service to secure on a public server.

Game servers · 4 min read ·

How to Run Any SteamCMD Game Server on a Linux VPS

Learn the one workflow behind every Steam dedicated server: install SteamCMD, log in anonymously, install by App ID, open ports, and run it as a systemd service.

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