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.
Search results
177 guides for “game-servers” · Clear search
Best Minecraft Plugins for 2026 (Paper/Spigot)
The essential Paper and Spigot plugins for 2026: permissions, anti-grief, cross-play, Discord integration, live maps, and performance tools.

Essential Linux Commands Every VPS Owner Should Know
New to the command line? This is the practical toolkit — navigation, files, permissions, processes, services, networking and disk — that runs a VPS day to day.

How to Set Up a Firewall for a Game Server
Game servers need specific ports open and everything else shut. Configure UFW to expose only your game's ports, protect RCON, and cut attack surface.

How to Tune Linux Performance for a Busy Server
When traffic climbs, defaults hold you back. Tune file limits, network buffers, sysctl parameters and services to squeeze more out of your VPS.

How to Create a Non-Root Sudo User on a VPS
Working as root all the time is dangerous. Create a dedicated sudo user, give it your SSH key, and adopt least-privilege as your default way of working.

How to Scan a Linux Server for Malware (rkhunter, ClamAV)
Even hardened servers get probed. Learn to scan for rootkits and malware with rkhunter and ClamAV, read the results, and respond to a real detection.

How to Manage Secrets and Environment Variables on a VPS
Hardcoded API keys and passwords in code are a breach waiting to happen. Learn to store secrets in env files, systemd, and vaults — the right way.

How to Monitor a Linux VPS (htop, netdata and more)
You can't fix what you can't see. Learn the essential Linux monitoring tools — from quick htop checks to a full netdata dashboard with alerts.

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.

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.

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.

How to Set Up Automatic Security Updates on Ubuntu
Unpatched software is the top cause of server compromise. Configure unattended-upgrades so security patches install themselves — safely and unattended.
Deploy your first server in under a minute.
Creating an account is free and takes no card details. Every guide here runs on a Nxeon VPS or game server.