Claudebot VPS Setup Guide 2026: Run Claude AI on Any Server (Mac Mini Not Needed)

To set up Claudebot on a VPS, rent a small Linux server (2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM, Ubuntu 24.04), create a non-root user, run the official OpenClaw installer, and reach the dashboard through an SSH tunnel. It then runs 24/7 and you control it from Telegram, with no Mac Mini and nothing left running on your laptop.

ClawdBot has since been renamed OpenClaw (the old github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot repo now redirects to openclaw/openclaw), so every command below uses the openclaw CLI. This guide shows how to deploy it safely on a Virtual Private Server (VPS) so it stays isolated from your personal computer.

Docs guide for terminal setup

Why use a VPS instead of a Mac Mini?

OpenClaw is open source and has full access to its environment.

That means:

• It can run commands
• It can read files
• It can access apps and services

Putting it on your main laptop is risky.

People buy Mac Minis to isolate it.

A VPS does the same thing, for much less money.

VPS Cost Comparison — Hetzner, Hostinger, DigitalOcean

The Mac Mini people buy for OpenClaw isolation costs $599–$799
upfront, plus electricity running 24/7.

A VPS does the same isolation job for a fraction of that.
Here’s how the main providers compare for an OpenClaw-ready spec
(2 vCPU, 8GB RAM, Ubuntu 24.04):

Which one to choose:

→ Hetzner — cheapest option, excellent for Europe-based users,
slightly more technical setup. Best value if you’re comfortable
with Linux.

→ Hostinger — what this guide uses. Best balance of price and
beginner-friendliness. VPS dashboard is cleaner to navigate.

→ DigitalOcean — slightly more expensive but the best
documentation and support ecosystem. Good if you plan to scale.

All three run Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and support the exact same
OpenClaw setup steps in this guide — only Step 1 differs
(choosing your provider).

What you need before starting

• A VPS account (Hostinger used in this guide)
• A computer with a terminal (Mac, Windows, or Linux)
• A Telegram account
• An Anthropic API key

→ Recommended: read the ClawdBot Practical Usage Guide
before starting this setup.

Step 1. Create a VPS

1. Go to Hostinger VPS hosting
2. Choose a VPS plan

Recommended plan used here:

• KVM2
• 2 vCPU
• 8 GB RAM
• 100 GB storage
• 8 TB bandwidth

This is more than enough for OpenClaw.

1. Choose a billing period
2. 12 or 24 months gives the best price
3. Optional discount code can reduce cost further
4. Choose server location
5. Choose operating system
6. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
7. Confirm and pay

Step 2. Set your root password

After payment:

• Create a strong root password
• Save it safely

You will need this password multiple times.

SSH keys are optional and can be added later.

Step 3. Open the VPS dashboard

1. Click “Manage VPS”
2. Skip onboarding questions
3. You should now see:
4. IP address
5. System status
6. VPS metrics

Step 4. Connect to the VPS using SSH

Open your terminal or command prompt.

In the Hostinger dashboard, copy the SSH command:

ssh root@YOUR_VPS_IP

Paste it into your terminal and press Enter.

When asked:

• Type yes
• Enter the root password

You are now inside the VPS.

Step 5. Create a dedicated user for OpenClaw

Never run OpenClaw as root.

Create a new user:

adduser claude

Set a password when prompted.

Skip optional profile details.

Give admin permissions:

usermod -aG sudo claude

Switch to the new user:

su - claude

Your prompt should change, confirming you are now logged in as this user.

Step 6. Install OpenClaw

Use the official one-line installer from openclaw.ai:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

What happens next:

• OS is detected
• Node.js is installed if missing (Node 24 LTS on Linux)
• OpenClaw is installed
• The onboarding wizard starts

This can take 2 to 10 minutes.

Do not interrupt the process.

Step 7. Start the onboarding flow

After installation, onboarding starts automatically.

1. Read the security warning
2. Confirm that you understand the risks
3. Choose Custom setup, which walks you through the steps below (Quick start is for machines that already have a Claude Code login or API key, and goes straight to the dashboard)

Step 8. Configure the AI model

1. Select Anthropic as the provider
2. Enter your Anthropic API key
3. Choose default model
4. Pick the current Claude model the wizard lists

Step 9. Choose a messaging channel

When prompted, select:

• Telegram Bot API

Step 10. Create a Telegram bot

Open Telegram.

1. Search for BotFather
2. Send the command: /newbot
3. Choose:
4. Bot name
5. Bot username (must end with “bot”)
6. BotFather gives you a bot token

Copy this token and paste it into the terminal when OpenClaw asks for it.

Step 11. Select skills

When asked to install skills:

1. Choose npm
2. Select optional skills using Space
3. Claude Hub
4. Google tools if needed

You can add more skills later.

If a skill fails to install, continue.

It can be fixed later.

Step 12. Finish onboarding

When onboarding completes:

• OpenClaw is installed
• A local dashboard URL is shown

If you open it in your browser, it will not work yet.

This is expected.

Step 13. Start the OpenClaw gateway

Make sure you are logged in as the correct user:

whoami

The wizard can leave the gateway running in the foreground of your terminal. Press Ctrl+C to stop it, then install it as a background service:

openclaw gateway install

Check it:

openclaw gateway status

You should see:

• Gateway listening on port 18789

Step 14. Create an SSH tunnel

Open a new terminal window on your computer.

Run:

ssh -N -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 claude@YOUR_VPS_IP

Enter the claude user password.

The gateway only listens on the VPS itself (loopback), so this tunnel is how your laptop reaches it without opening port 18789 to the internet.

Step 15. Open the web dashboard

In your browser, open:

http://localhost:18789

You should now see:

• OpenClaw dashboard (Control UI)
• Health status showing OK

Step 16. Pair Telegram with OpenClaw

1. Open your Telegram bot
2. Press Start and send any message
3. The bot replies with an 8-character pairing code (it expires after 1 hour)

Approve it in the dashboard under Settings → Channels → DM access requests, or on the VPS:

openclaw pairing approve telegram YOUR_CODE

Until you approve, OpenClaw ignores messages from that Telegram account. Full details are in the OpenClaw pairing docs.

Step 17. Test Telegram control

Send a message to the Telegram bot:

Hello

OpenClaw should reply.

This confirms:

• Telegram integration works
• OpenClaw is live

Step 18. Enable auto-start on reboot

This ensures OpenClaw runs 24/7. openclaw gateway install (Step 13) set the gateway up as a systemd user service.

Enable it so it starts with the server:

systemctl --user enable --now openclaw-gateway.service

Check status:

openclaw gateway status

Need to restart it after a config change?

openclaw gateway restart

You should see the gateway running.

Step 19. Verify remote access

Close your SSH tunnel and terminal.

Send a message from Telegram again.

If OpenClaw responds:

• Your setup is complete
• OpenClaw is running independently

Security warnings you must understand

Treat OpenClaw like a human assistant with admin access.

Key risks:

• It can run system commands
• It can read files
• It can access services you connect

Best practices:

• Use separate email accounts
• Avoid personal calendars and vaults
• Prefer read-only permissions
• Never expose secrets casually

A VPS isolates damage if something goes wrong.

FAQ

Is Claudebot the same as OpenClaw?

Yes. ClawdBot (often searched as Claudebot) was renamed OpenClaw, and its GitHub repo now redirects to openclaw/openclaw. The old clawdbot npm package stopped updating in January 2026, so install with the openclaw.ai installer or npm install -g openclaw@latest.

Do I need a Mac Mini to run OpenClaw?

No. It runs on Linux, and the installer sets up Node.js for you on Ubuntu. A small VPS gives you the same isolation as a dedicated Mac Mini for a few dollars a month.

Why can’t I open the dashboard at my VPS IP address?

The gateway listens on port 18789 on the VPS’s loopback address only, which keeps it off the public internet. Open it through the SSH tunnel in Step 14, then browse to http://localhost:18789.

My Telegram pairing code stopped working. What now?

Pairing codes expire after 1 hour. Message the bot again to get a new one, then approve it with openclaw pairing approve telegram followed by the code.

Finally

You now have:

• OpenClaw running on a VPS
• Telegram control from anywhere
• No Mac Mini required
• Reduced security risk

New to ClawdBot? Read the complete ClawdBot setup and
usage guide first:
→ ClawdBot Complete Guide — What It Is, How It Works, and What You Can Build With It

Want Claude doing more than chat? See our practical guide to Claude skills and how to pair n8n with Claude Code.

n8n

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