How to Set Up a VPS on Ubuntu 22.04: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve outgrown shared hosting and need more control over your server, a VPS (Virtual Private Server) is the natural next step. But “getting a VPS” can feel intimidating if you’ve never logged into a command line before.

This guide walks you through the entire process: choosing a VPS provider, connecting to your server, securing it, and installing the software you need. No prior server experience required — just 30-90 minutes and a willingness to follow instructions exactly.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a live, secured VPS running Ubuntu 22.04 LTS — either with a full LAMP stack ready for WordPress, or with the foundation to run whatever web application you choose.

Here’s what we’ll cover step by step:

Purchase and configure a VPS plan
Point your domain to your server
Connect via SSH for the first time
Harden your server’s security (SSH keys, firewall, Fail2Ban)
Install Nginx, MySQL, and PHP (the LAMP stack)
Optionally: install WordPress
Set up ongoing maintenance

Let’s get started.

What You’ll Need Before Starting

Before we touch the command line, make sure you have all three of these ready:

1. A VPS account

This is the server you’ll be configuring. We’ll use Hostinger as our example throughout this guide — their VPS plans start at $6.49/mo and include KVM console access, which is essential for beginners.

2. An SSH client

This is the tool you’ll use to talk to your server remotely.

Mac/Linux: Open the built-in Terminal app. You’re good to go.
Windows: Use Command Prompt, PowerShell, or download Windows Terminal for a better experience.

3. A domain name (optional but recommended)

Pointing a domain to your VPS isn’t strictly required to follow this guide — you can test everything using your server’s IP address. But if you want a real website, you’ll need a domain. Most registrars sell domains for $10-15/year.

This guide uses Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. LTS stands for Long Term Support — Ubuntu 22.04 will receive security updates and patches until April 2027, making it one of the most stable server operating systems available.

Step 1: Choose and Purchase a VPS Plan

For your first VPS, you don’t need to spend much. Here’s what to look for and what to skip.

What to Look for in a VPS

KVM console access — Critical for when SSH isn’t working. Hostinger includes this on all VPS plans. Some cheaper providers don’t, which means if you lock yourself out via SSH, you have no way to recover the server.
Root access — Non-negotiable. You need full control of your server.
SSD storage — Much faster than HDD. All modern VPS plans use SSD by default.
Weekly backups — Optional but highly recommended. Server mistakes happen.

Recommended Starting Specs

For a single WordPress site or small web app:

Spec	Minimum	Recommended
CPU	1 vCPU	1 vCPU
RAM	4 GB	4 GB
Storage	50 GB SSD	50 GB SSD
Bandwidth	4 TB	4 TB
Console Access	Required	KVM included

Hostinger’s VPS Starter plan at $6.49/mo meets all recommended criteria. Their KVM console means you can recover your server even if you accidentally block your own SSH access.

Skip These Traps

Don’t skip the KVM console. It’s the safety net that lets you recover from SSH misconfigurations. All Hostinger VPS plans include it — use it if anything goes wrong.

Ready to get started? Browse Hostinger VPS plans →

Step 2: Point Your Domain to Your VPS IP

Before we configure anything on the server, set up your domain’s DNS so it points to your VPS. This gives DNS time to propagate while we work on the server setup.

In your domain registrar’s DNS settings, add an A record:

Record Type	Name	Value
A	@	your-vps-ip-address
A	www	your-vps-ip-address

Replace your-vps-ip-address with the IP address you received in your VPS welcome email.

What this does: When someone types your domain into a browser, DNS tells their computer where to find your server. The A record is the mapping between your domain name and your server’s IP address.

How long does DNS take? Propagation can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 48 hours, depending on your registrar and ISP. You can continue with the server setup while waiting — we’ll test DNS later.

What if I don’t have a domain yet? You can skip this step entirely and test everything using your server’s IP address. For example, instead of yourdomain.com, you’d visit http://your-vps-ip in your browser.

Step 3: Connect to Your VPS via SSH

Once your VPS is provisioned and running, you’ll receive an email with your server’s IP address, username (usually root), and password. Time to connect.

On Mac or Linux

Open Terminal and run:

ssh root@your-vps-ip-address

Replace your-vps-ip-address with your actual VPS IP.

You’ll be prompted for the root password. Paste it carefully — Terminal won’t show characters as you type (this is normal security behavior).

The first time you connect to a new server, you’ll see a host key verification message:

Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?

Type yes and press Enter.

On Windows

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run the same command:

ssh root@your-vps-ip-address

Paste your password when prompted.

What If SSH Connection Fails?

SSH failures are the most common stumbling block for beginners. Here’s how to diagnose:

Error Message	Most Likely Cause	Fix
`Connection refused`	Server not fully started yet	Wait 5-10 minutes and try again
`Connection timed out`	Firewall blocking port 22	Check provider dashboard, use KVM console
`No route to host`	Wrong IP address	Double-check the IP in your welcome email
`Host key verification failed`	Server OS reinstalled previously	Run `ssh-keygen -R your-vps-ip` to clear old key

Use the KVM console if SSH won’t work. Every reputable VPS provider offers a KVM or VNC console in their dashboard. This connects you directly to your server as if you had a monitor plugged in — completely bypassing the network. If SSH isn’t working, the KVM console is your recovery tool.

Once you’re logged in, you should see a prompt that looks something like:

root@vps:~#

You’re now connected to your server. Let’s start configuring.

Step 4: Change Your Root Password

On first login, change the root password immediately. The password you received via email may have been generated automatically and isn’t easy to remember.

passwd root

You’ll be prompted to enter a new password twice. Choose a strong password:

Minimum 12 characters
Mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
At least one number
At least one special character (!@#$%^&*)

Write this password down somewhere safe. If you lose it, you’ll need the KVM console to reset it.

Why this matters: Root is the administrator account with full access to everything on your server. A weak password here is an open invitation to hackers — automated bots scan the internet looking for servers with weak root passwords, 24 hours a day.

Step 5: Create a New User with Sudo Access

Running your daily work as root is dangerous — one wrong command can break your entire server. The standard practice is to create a regular user account for everyday tasks and only use root when absolutely necessary.

Create a New User

adduser wolly

Replace wolly with your preferred username. You’ll be prompted to enter a password and some optional information (full name, phone, etc. — press Enter to skip these).

Grant Sudo Privileges

Now give this user the ability to run commands as root:

usermod -aG sudo wolly

The -aG flags mean “append to group” — we’re adding the user to the sudo group, which grants them administrator privileges.

How to Use Sudo

When you need to run a command as root, prefix it with sudo:

sudo apt update
sudo systemctl restart nginx

You’ll be prompted for your regular user’s password, not the root password. This is an intentional friction point — sudo makes you consciously confirm that you mean to run a privileged command.

Test Your New User

First, set a password for the new user:

passwd wolly

Then, in a new terminal window, test that you can log in with the new user:

ssh wolly@your-vps-ip-address

You should log in successfully. From now on, use this account for all daily work.

Passwords are decent security, but SSH keys are significantly stronger. SSH keys are a pair of cryptographic files — a private key stays on your computer, a public key goes on the server. Logging in with keys means no password for hackers to guess or intercept.

Generate an SSH Key Pair

On your local computer (not the server), open Terminal or PowerShell and run:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

The -t ed25519 flag specifies the key type (modern and secure). The -C flag adds a comment — typically your email so you can identify the key later.

When prompted, press Enter to accept the default file location. You’ll be asked for a passphrase — enter something memorable. This adds a second layer of security.

Copy Your Public Key to the Server

ssh-copy-id wolly@your-vps-ip-address

Enter your regular user’s password when prompted. Your public key will be installed in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the server.

ssh wolly@your-vps-ip-address

If you set a passphrase, enter it. If you left it empty, you should log in directly without any password. Success means your key is working.

Disable Password Authentication

Now that key-based login works, disable password authentication so your server can only be accessed with your private key:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Find and modify these two lines:

PermitRootLogin no
PasswordAuthentication no

Save the file (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter).

Restart the SSH daemon to apply changes:

sudo systemctl restart sshd

⚠️ Test Before You Log Out: Before logging out of your current session, open a new terminal window and verify you can still log in with your SSH key. If it doesn’t work, don’t close this window — go back and check your configuration.

If you get locked out, use the provider’s KVM console to connect and fix /etc/ssh/sshd_config.

Step 7: Configure UFW Firewall

UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) comes pre-installed on Ubuntu. It blocks unexpected incoming connections while letting legitimate traffic through. Think of it as a bouncer at a club — it decides who gets in and who doesn’t.

Allow SSH Before Enabling the Firewall

Critical: If you enable the firewall before allowing SSH, you’ll lock yourself out of your server. The order matters here.

sudo ufw allow OpenSSH

This opens port 22 (SSH) to incoming connections.

Allow Web Traffic

Allow both HTTP (port 80) and HTTPS (port 443):

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'

If you’re using Apache instead of Nginx, use:

sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'

Enable the Firewall

sudo ufw enable

You’ll be asked to confirm. Type y and press Enter.

Check Firewall Status

sudo ufw status verbose

You should see that OpenSSH and Nginx Full are allowed, everything else is denied by default.

What just happened: Your server now silently drops any incoming connection that isn’t SSH, HTTP, or HTTPS. Port scanners and automated attacks will hit a wall.

Common UFW Commands

Command	What It Does
`sudo ufw status`	Check current firewall rules
`sudo ufw allow 8080`	Open a custom port
`sudo ufw deny 3306`	Block MySQL port (usually only accept from local)
`sudo ufw disable`	Turn off the firewall (rarely needed)
`sudo ufw reset`	Reset to defaults (start over)

Step 8: Install the LAMP Stack

LAMP stands for Linux, Apache/Nginx, MySQL, and PHP — the four software components that work together to serve web pages. Ubuntu is the Linux, Nginx is the web server, MySQL is the database, and PHP is the programming language that WordPress runs on.

We already handled Linux (that’s the OS we’re on). Now we install the other three.

Install Nginx

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx -y

Start and enable Nginx:

sudo systemctl enable nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx

Verify Nginx is running:

nginx -v

Now visit http://your-vps-ip in your browser. You should see the Nginx welcome page. If you see this, Nginx is working.

Install MySQL

sudo apt install mysql-server -y

Run the secure installation script:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Answer the prompts as follows:

VALIDATE PASSWORD PLUGIN: Press y to enable, then choose strength level 0 (lowest, for development) or 1 (medium)
New password: Enter a strong MySQL root password and confirm
Remove anonymous users?: y
Disallow root login remotely?: y
Remove test database and access to it?: y
Reload privilege tables?: y

Verify MySQL is running:

mysql --version

Install PHP

sudo apt install php-fpm php-mysql php-curl php-gd php-mbstring php-xml php-xmlrpc -y

Verify PHP is installed:

php -v

You should see PHP 8.1 or newer.

Verify Everything Works Together

Create a quick PHP test file:

echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/info.php

Visit http://your-vps-ip/info.php in your browser. You should see a PHP information page. Delete this test file after confirming it works:

sudo rm /var/www/html/info.php

Your LAMP stack is now fully installed and running.

Step 9: Install WordPress (Optional)

If you’re setting up a WordPress site on your VPS, here’s how to do it. If you’re installing something else, skip this section.

Download WordPress

cd /var/www/html
sudo wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
sudo tar -xzf latest.tar.gz
sudo mv wordpress/* .
sudo rm -rf wordpress latest.tar.gz

Set Permissions

WordPress needs to be able to write files:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html

This makes the Nginx user (www-data) the owner of all files in the web directory.

Complete Setup via Browser

Visit http://your-vps-ip in your browser. WordPress will show its famous 5-minute installation wizard.

You’ll need your MySQL database credentials from Step 8:

Database name: wordpress
Username: root
Password: the MySQL root password you set
Database host: localhost
Table prefix: wp_ (default)

Follow the on-screen prompts. Once done, log in to http://your-vps-ip/wp-admin — your WordPress site is live.

Step 10: Install Fail2Ban

Even with SSH keys and a strong firewall, your server will be scanned constantly. Fail2Ban automatically blocks IP addresses that fail to authenticate too many times.

Install Fail2Ban

sudo apt install fail2ban -y

Enable and Start

sudo systemctl enable fail2ban
sudo systemctl start fail2ban

Verify It’s Running

sudo systemctl status fail2ban

You should see “active (running)” in green.

What Fail2Ban Does

By default, Fail2Ban monitors SSH login attempts. If an IP address fails to authenticate 5 times within 10 minutes, Fail2Ban bans it for 10 minutes. This doesn’t require any configuration — the defaults are sensible. Fail2Ban runs silently in the background and will block automated attack attempts without any ongoing attention.

Step 11: Set Up a Swap File

If your VPS has 2GB of RAM or less, a swap file is essential. Swap is disk space your server uses as virtual memory when physical RAM runs out.

Check If You Already Have Swap

sudo swapon --show

If the output is empty, you don’t have swap configured yet.

Create the Swap File

sudo fallocate -l 2G /swapfile

This creates a 2GB swap file.

Configure Swap Permissions

sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile

Make Swap Permanent

Add the swap file to /etc/fstab so it activates after every reboot:

echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

Verify Swap Is Active

sudo swapon --show
free -h

When to use more swap: If you’re running into out-of-memory errors frequently, you either need a VPS with more RAM or to add more swap space. 2GB is usually sufficient for a light WordPress site.

Keep Your Server Updated

Keeping your server updated is ongoing maintenance. Security vulnerabilities are discovered regularly — updating patches them.

Manual Updates

Run this regularly (weekly is a good rhythm):

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Automatic Security Updates

For servers you don’t want to log into weekly, set up unattended security updates:

sudo apt install unattended-upgrades -y
sudo dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades

Select “Yes” to enable automatic updates. Ubuntu will now automatically install security patches in the background without interrupting your server.

FAQ: Common Questions

How long does the full setup take?

Plan for 45-90 minutes for a first-time setup. Steps 1-8 (buying VPS, SSH, security) take about 30 minutes. The LAMP stack installation takes another 15-30 minutes. Subsequent VPS setups take about 20 minutes.

Can I use a different Linux distribution instead of Ubuntu?

Yes, the concepts are the same across distributions, but the specific commands differ. Debian is most similar to Ubuntu. Fedora uses dnf instead of apt. CentOS/AlmaLinux uses yum/dnf and has different firewall defaults.

What if I lock myself out via SSH?

Use your VPS provider’s KVM console or VNC. Connect through the provider’s dashboard as if you had a monitor plugged directly into the server. From there, you can edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config to re-enable password authentication and recover access.

Do I need a static IP address?

Yes, your VPS needs a static IP. All major VPS providers assign a static IP by default. If your VPS IP changes unexpectedly, update your DNS A record immediately.

Can I host multiple websites on one VPS?

Yes. You can host multiple domains and websites on a single VPS by setting up Nginx server blocks (virtual hosts). Each domain gets its own configuration file and document root.

What’s the difference between shared hosting and VPS?

	Shared Hosting	VPS
Resources	Shared with 100s of other sites	Your dedicated slice of CPU/RAM/disk
Control	Limited by host	Full root access
Performance	Depends on neighbors	Consistent and dedicated
Cost	$2-10/mo	$6.49+/mo
Skill required	None	Basic command line

Is Ubuntu 22.04 still supported in 2026?

Yes. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS receives security updates until April 2027. You don’t need to upgrade yet — and shouldn’t on a production server without good reason.

Take the Next Step

Your server is now set up, secured, and running. You have a live VPS that you fully control — ready for WordPress, a custom web app, or whatever you choose to build.

Hostinger’s VPS plans start at $6.49/mo with KVM console access included — the safety net that lets you recover from any mistake. If you’re ready to get started, here’s what to do next:

Choose a VPS plan (2GB RAM minimum for WordPress)
Set up your server using this guide
Install WordPress or your preferred application

→ Browse Hostinger VPS Plans

Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support my testing and reviews.