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
52 guides for “checklist” · Clear search
How to Set Up a Modded Terraria (tModLoader) Server
Set up a modded Terraria server: tModLoader vs vanilla vs TShock, installing mods via the Mod Browser, 64-bit for Calamity, and matching branches.

Best tModLoader Mods for Terraria (2026)
The best tModLoader mods for Terraria in 2026: Calamity, Thorium, Magic Storage, Recipe Browser, Fargo's, Boss Checklist, and The Stars Above.

How to Install 7 Days to Die Mods (EAC Off)
Install 7 Days to Die mods correctly: use the Mods folder (no Workshop), turn EAC off for code overhauls, and make every client match the server.

How to Install Project Zomboid Mods (Steam Workshop)
A clear guide to installing Project Zomboid mods on a server: the two required lines, WorkshopItems and Mods, why you need both, and load order.

How to Set Up Health Checks and Auto-Restart for Services
Services crash. With systemd restart policies, watchdogs and simple health checks, yours come back automatically instead of staying down until you notice.

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 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 Secure Docker Containers
Containers aren't secure by default. Run as non-root, drop capabilities, limit resources, scan images and lock down the daemon on your VPS.

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 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.

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.

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.
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.