How To Deploy OpenClaw On A VPS

Prepare Your Server And Model Access

You need a verified HostVon account, the ability to administer a Linux server, and access to a supported model provider. Decide which channels or tools your agent will use and what access they should receive.

A gateway that calls a remote model has different requirements from local model inference. Choose resources for the gateway, connected tools, and background tasks you intend to run. A plan compatible with the OpenClaw image does not establish that it can run an arbitrary local model.

• Check your model provider’s authentication method, limits, and usage charges.
• Choose a private dashboard access method, such as an SSH tunnel or private network.
• Prepare off-server storage for encrypted recovery backups.

Choose And Order An OpenClaw VPS

Compare current compatible plans on the OpenClaw hosting page. Review CPU, RAM, storage, region availability, and the billing term. Model-provider charges and paid external integrations are separate from the server price.

Select a plan and confirm that OpenClaw remains selected in the server configurator before completing checkout. Follow provisioning in the console. Once the server is ready, open its details and use the supplied server access information to connect.

Complete The Installed Version’s Onboarding

Follow the application image’s first-login instructions to identify the installed version, service account, and configuration location. Use its existing installation rather than running another installer over it. If you chose a plain VPS, start with the official OpenClaw installation guide linked below.

Complete onboarding with your selected model access. Store credentials through the supported configuration method, keep them out of shared logs, and configure only the tools needed for your first task. Installation layouts and service commands vary by image and version, so use the instructions for the installation you actually have.

Keep Gateway And Dashboard Access Private

Keep the control interface on a private or loopback address unless you have deliberately configured authenticated remote access. For an SSH tunnel, forward a local port on your computer to the gateway’s listening address and port on the server. Use the address reported by your installation rather than assuming a public dashboard URL.

Run the example below on your own computer, replacing the SSH user, server IP, and gateway port with your actual values. It assumes the gateway listens on the server’s loopback port 18789. Keep the SSH session open, then visit http://127.0.0.1:18789 on your computer and authenticate using the installed version’s dashboard instructions. This tunnel does not require opening the gateway port to the internet.

Retain gateway authentication, restrict network access, and follow OpenClaw’s security guidance for the installed version. If you choose a public reverse proxy, configure HTTPS, trusted proxies, and the required access controls before making it reachable. Server availability does not imply that public access is safely configured.

ssh -N -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 your-user@your-server-ip

Verify The Gateway, Model, And First Channel

Check the gateway using the installed version’s status command or service manager, then open the dashboard through your private access method. Send a small request and confirm that the expected model responds. Verify model usage in the provider account so you understand the separate charges.

Connect one channel at a time and restrict who can interact with it. Test an allowed user and check that an unapproved user cannot control the agent. Grant tool permissions gradually, especially for tools that can change files, run commands, or contact other services.

Verify that the gateway runs as a background service and that your session can disconnect without stopping it. If it becomes unreachable, distinguish a stopped service from a tunnel, network, authentication, or model-provider problem before changing configuration.

Plan Recovery And Routine Updates

Use the backup procedure supported by your installed OpenClaw version. Preserve its configuration, workspace, and required state, protect any included credentials, and keep an encrypted copy outside the VPS. Test recovery in isolation before relying on it.

Record the installed version and review release notes before updates. After an update, recheck gateway status, private access, a model request, and channel permissions. You maintain the operating system, OpenClaw, integrations, and backups; HostVon supplies infrastructure controls and billing.