Getting Started with Your VeerHost VPS

Estimated reading: 3 minutes

This guide walks you through everything you need to do right after receiving your VPS credentials from VeerHost — from your first SSH login to updating your server and checking system health. These steps apply to Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04, and Debian.

What You’ll Receive

After ordering a VPS from VeerHost, you’ll receive an email containing:

  • IP address — your server’s public IP (e.g., 185.123.45.67)
  • Username — usually root for a fresh Linux VPS
  • Password — a randomly generated root password
  • OS — Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04, or Debian (your chosen OS at order)

Step 1: Connect via SSH

Open a terminal on your computer (Terminal on macOS/Linux, or PowerShell / Windows Terminal on Windows) and run:

ssh root@YOUR_VPS_IP

Replace YOUR_VPS_IP with your actual IP address. When prompted, enter your password. You’ll see the server’s welcome banner once connected.

Can’t connect? See our guide: Fix: SSH Connection Refused / Timeout.

Step 2: Change the Root Password

The default password is auto-generated. Change it immediately to something strong and unique:

passwd

You’ll be asked to enter a new password twice. Use at least 16 characters with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.

Step 3: Update All System Packages

Always update packages right after provisioning to close security vulnerabilities and get the latest stable software:

Ubuntu / Debian:

apt update && apt upgrade -y

This may take 1–3 minutes. Some packages will ask about configuration files — press Enter to keep the default (recommended).

Step 4: Check Server Health

Verify the basics are working correctly after your first login:

Check disk space:

df -h

Check RAM usage:

free -h

Check CPU load and uptime:

uptime

Check OS version:

lsb_release -a

Step 5: Set the Correct Timezone

By default, the server may be set to UTC. Set it to your local timezone if needed:

timedatectl set-timezone YOUR_TIMEZONE

For example, for Cairo: timedatectl set-timezone Africa/Cairo. To list all timezones: timedatectl list-timezones.

Step 6: Install Useful Utilities

A few tools that are helpful right from the start:

apt install -y curl wget nano unzip git htop net-tools

Step 7: Reboot if Required

If the kernel was updated, a reboot is needed to apply it. Check if a reboot is required:

ls /var/run/reboot-required 2>/dev/null && echo "Reboot required" || echo "No reboot needed"

To reboot:

reboot

After rebooting, wait 30–60 seconds, then reconnect via SSH with ssh root@YOUR_VPS_IP.

Next Steps

My account