How to Set Up a Ubuntu VPS from Scratch

Just got a fresh Ubuntu VPS? These five steps get you from first login to a secure, updated server ready to host your apps. Copy-paste the commands as you go.

1. Log in over SSH

Use the IP address and root password from your welcome email. On macOS/Linux open a terminal; on Windows use PowerShell or a client like PuTTY.

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Accept the fingerprint prompt the first time and enter your password.

2. Update the system

Always patch a new server before anything else:

apt update && apt upgrade -y

3. Create a sudo user

Working as root all the time is risky. Create a regular user with sudo rights:

adduser deploy
usermod -aG sudo deploy

Replace deploy with any username you like, and set a strong password when prompted.

4. Set up SSH keys

SSH keys are more secure than passwords. From your own computer, generate a key (if you don't have one) and copy it to the server:

# On your local machine
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
ssh-copy-id deploy@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Now you can log in as ssh deploy@YOUR_SERVER_IP without a password. For hardening (disabling root login and password auth), see our Linux VPS security checklist.

5. Enable a basic firewall

Ubuntu ships with UFW. Allow SSH and your web ports, then turn it on:

sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
sudo ufw enable

That's it — your Ubuntu VPS is updated, has a secure user and a firewall. From here you can install a web server, Docker, or a control panel.