We’ve updated the operating system lineup for our VPS SSD plans, and we want to show you that running your own server is no longer a job for tech wizards. If you can handle email, Excel, and the occasional router setup, you can click your way to your own server in minutes. And if you get stuck, an AI assistant (like ChatGPT) will guide you through it.
What Is a VPS and Why Would You Want One?
A VPS is your own virtual server. Imagine having a dedicated computer on the internet that runs 24/7, where you can host your websites, email, e-shop, or anything else you need. Unlike standard shared hosting, you call all the shots. No limits set by the provider, no other websites sharing your space, full performance reserved just for you.
The catch is that VPS servers have traditionally been managed via the command line. For most people, that was a real barrier. So we’ve prepared an option that changes that.
We’ve Refreshed Our Operating System Lineup
When ordering any VPS SSD, you choose which operating system runs on it. We offer all of them for free, all updated to the latest secure versions:
- Debian 12 free, the classic stable choice
- Debian 13 free, the newest version
- Linux Debian 13 ISP free, recommended for beginners, comes with the ISPConfig panel pre-installed
- Ubuntu Server 24.04 free, the popular Debian alternative
If you’re not sure which to pick, go with Debian 13 ISP. Here’s why.
ISPConfig: A Click Interface Instead of the Command Line
ISPConfig is a free server control panel. Instead of configuring your server through text commands, you open a page in your browser, log in, and click. It looks similar to the WordPress admin area or your Wi-Fi router settings.
ISPConfig handles pretty much everything you’ll typically need:
- adding websites and domains
- creating email mailboxes
- setting up databases for WordPress, e-shops, or applications
- enabling HTTPS security with a single click
- managing backups
And the best part? With our Debian 13 ISP template, ISPConfig (currently version 3.3.1p1) comes pre-installed. After ordering, you just open your browser, log in, and start working.
An Honest Note: This Isn’t a Managed Service
Let’s be straight with you. WEDOS doesn’t offer a “managed” VPS service, meaning a setup where our team takes care of the server for you. The server is yours, and so is the responsibility for running it.
That said, the ISPConfig variant is the closest thing we offer. Instead of paying an external sysadmin hundreds of crowns a month, you get everything you need in a clear, free interface. And when you’re stuck, today’s AI assistants (ChatGPT, Claude, and others) can walk you through almost anything. Just describe what you want to do and they’ll lay out the steps.
Who Is This For?
This path makes sense if you:
- have outgrown standard shared hosting
- want professional email addresses on your own domain
- manage websites for clients and want them all in one place
- don’t want to pay a server admin
- aren’t afraid to read a guide or ask an AI
It’s not for you if you want a completely hands-off solution where someone else installs, monitors, and fixes everything for you. In that case, look for managed hosting elsewhere or hire a sysadmin.
How to Get Started, Step by Step
Step 1: Order
In the WEDOS admin area, order a VPS SSD. The smallest plan is plenty for starting out, and you can upgrade anytime. When choosing the operating system, pick Linux Debian 13 ISP.
Step 2: Wait a Few Minutes
After payment, your server boots up shortly. You’ll receive an email with your access details: an IP address (something like 1.2.3.4) and a password.
Step 3: Log Into ISPConfig
In your browser, type the address from your welcome email (typically https://your-ip-address:8080). Log in with the credentials you received.
The first thing to do: change the password to your own strong one. You’ll find that option in the top right corner under your user icon.
Step 4: Point Your Domain to the Server
If you have your own domain (registered with WEDOS, for example), go into its admin area and set up an A record pointing to your server’s IP address. It looks like this:
Name Type TTL Data
A 300 1.2.3.4
After a few minutes (sometimes hours), your domain will route to your new server.
That’s basically all you need to get started. From here on, you just click around in ISPConfig.
Example 1: Launching a WordPress Site (or Any PHP App)
Say you want to run WordPress on your domain mycompany.com.
1. Add the website in ISPConfig
Click on Sites → Website → Add new website.
Fill in:
- Domain:
mycompany.com - PHP: pick the latest version (PHP 8.3 or newer)
- Check SSL and Let’s Encrypt SSL
Save. ISPConfig sets up the website for you in seconds and even handles secure HTTPS (the green padlock in the browser).
2. Create a database
WordPress needs a database to store posts and settings. In ISPConfig:
- Sites → Database Users → Add new user (create a user with a password)
- Sites → Databases → Add new database (create a database and assign it to the website)
Write down the database name, username, and password, you’ll need them shortly.
3. Upload WordPress
Download WordPress from wordpress.org and upload the unzipped files to your server. To upload, use the free FileZilla program. You’ll find your FTP credentials in ISPConfig under Sites → FTP-Accounts.
4. Finish the installation
In your browser, go to https://mycompany.com and WordPress will walk you through the rest. Enter the database name, user, and password from step 2, and you’re done.
That’s it. You have a WordPress site on your own server, with HTTPS, all for free.
Example 2: Your Own Email on a Domain (info@yourcompany.com)
Maybe email matters more to you than the website. ISPConfig makes it just as easy.
1. Add the email domain
In ISPConfig, click Email → Domain → Add new domain.
Fill in: Domain: mycompany.com and save.
2. Create a mailbox
Email → Email Mailbox → Add new mailbox.
Fill in:
- Email:
info@mycompany.com - Password: a strong password (write it down)
- Quota: how much space the mailbox can take up (say, 2000 MB)
Add other addresses the same way (sales@, support@, …).
3. Set up DNS records for your domain
For email to work and not land in spam folders, your domain’s DNS needs a few records. Don’t panic, it’s just copy-paste:
- MX record: routes mail to your server
- SPF record: tells the world your server is allowed to send mail from your domain
- DKIM record: a digital signature for outgoing mail (generate it in ISPConfig under Email → Domain → DKIM tab → Generate)
- DMARC record: extra protection against spoofing
If you’re not sure how to set up DNS records, contact our support and we’ll help. Or ask an AI assistant, who’ll explain each record one by one.
4. Connect the mailbox on your phone or in Outlook
In your email client, enter:
- Incoming mail server (IMAP): your server’s address, port 993
- Outgoing mail server (SMTP): your server’s address, port 587
- User: the full email address (
info@mycompany.com) - Password: the one you set up
And you’re sending mail from your own domain like a pro.
Tip: If you want to read your mail through a web browser (like Gmail), our template also includes the Roundcube webmail. You’ll find the address in your VPS documentation, or just ask support.
What to Do When You’re Stuck
- Our support. Helps with anything related to the VPS itself.
- An AI assistant (ChatGPT, Claude). Honestly the beginner’s best friend. Describe what you’re trying to do and the error message you’re seeing, and the AI will usually solve the problem in two or three messages.
- The community. ISPConfig has solid documentation at docs.ispconfig.org and an active forum.
Wrap-Up
Running your own server is no longer reserved for developers. With our Debian 13 ISP template, you can click together your own web hosting and email server in minutes, all free and all in your browser.
It’s not a fully managed service, but it’s the easiest path to your own server we offer. And thanks to AI assistants, basic server admin is now genuinely within reach for almost anyone.
Want to give it a try? Order a VPS SSD with Debian 13 ISP and get started today.