breaking chain logo Free
Computer
Shop
Under construction: Version: 2026-03-17(Tue)
More context: >Here< (and scroll up)
I take notes as I do things. Otherwise I forget what I did. This page is a summary. Maybe it will be useful to somebody.

Where is the server?

In the good old days (2003) I got a DSL self-install kit from speakeasy.net. It came with an IPv4 address, because that's how it was back then, and for years I ran an Internet Host with name server, mail server, and web server on a series of computers in my basement, each with the same Tandy monitor in turn.

That ended in 2023 when the ISP discontinued DSL service More >Here<. I got a Spectrum "self-install" kit. A Spectrum technician installed it. More >Here<.

At that point I had "internet service", but no IP address. I could run a Browser, but the mail and web servers were broken. I asked for advice, and finally decided to get a VPS (virtual private server) from Afterburst. More >Here<.

That worked well enough until after Afterburst burst in turn. 

2026-03-12(Thu)
===============
Going to need a new vps:
The Afterburst server has about 60G, which is plenty; I am only using about 12G.

What questions arose when moving from one VPS to another?

Table of Contents

What VPS hosting plans are available?

The first step is to choose a new hosting plan.

Table of Contents

https://www.godaddy.com/hosting/vps-hosting

This is the cheapest plan: 
1 vCPU / 2GB RAM
$8.99 /mo  For first 3-yr term
    1 vCPU core
    2 GB RAM
    40 GB NVMe SSD Storage
    Snapshot backups
Linux only
cPanel or Plesk available
1 additional IP available upon request
Global data centers
There are more expensive plans, the all say "additional IP available upon request" but none says how many come without request or whether they are v4 or v6. Do they cost extra?

Elsewhere it says Linux means AlmaLinux (never heard of it).

https://www.vps-mart.com/ip/static 

  
> Basic Linux VPS
> $ 5.85/mo
> Save 55% (Was $12.99)
> Order Now
> 
>     8GB RAM
>     4 CPU Cores
>     140GB SSD Disk Space
>     200Mbps Unmetered
> 
>     Once per 4 Weeks Backup
>     1 Dedicated IP
>     Ubuntu/CentOS/Debian&More
>     No Setup Fee
This link 
https://www.vps-mart.com/linux-vps
Has the following IMPORTANT NOTICE!

A Shared IP means multiple VPS instances use the same public IP address, with external access managed through the platform’s unified network gateway.

A Dedicated IP is a unique public IP address assigned exclusively to a single VPS instance. It is not shared with other users and provides full control over how the IP is used.

Linux VPS instances are deployed with a Shared IP address by default. Each VPS remains fully isolated, and this configuration does not impact performance, security, or website hosting capabilities. For customers who require full control over IP usage or reputation, Dedicated IPs are available as an optional add-on.

https://www.vultr.com/features/operating-systems/ 

  
Debian Server
Asking for info tells how great Debian is.
Can not cut from web site and paste here.

https://www.vultr.com/pricing/#cloud-compute

Regular Performance
Powered by previous generation Intel CPUs and regular SSD.

vCPUs  Memory  Bandwidth  Storage  Monthly Price
1 vCPU 0.5 GB  0.50 TB   10 GB    $2.50/mo
1 vCPU 0.5 GB  0.50 TB   10 GB    $3.50/mo
1 vCPU   1 GB  1.00 TB   25 GB    $5.00/mo
1 vCPU   2 GB  2.00 TB   55 GB    $10.00/mo
2 vCPUs  2 GB  3.00 TB   65 GB    $15.00/mo
2 vCPUs  4 GB  3.00 TB   80 GB    $20.00/mo

They also have hourly rates.

https://www.hostinger.com/vps-hosting

This web site has pictures of happy people and the following price list, The XXX means it is crossed out. 
KVM 1
  XXX $19.49 XXX
  $6.49 /mo
  Limited time deal
  Renews at $11.99/mo for 2 years. Cancel anytime.
  1 vCPU core
  4 GB RAM
  50 GB NVMe disk space
  4 TB bandwidth

KVM 2
  XXX $24.49 XXX
  $8.99 /mo
  Limited time deal
  Renews at $14.99/mo for 2 years. Cancel anytime.
  2 vCPU cores
  8 GB RAM
  100 GB NVMe disk space
  8 TB bandwidth

All plans are paid upfront. The monthly rate reflects the total
plan price divided by the number of months in your plan.

            30-day money-back guarantee
It also has a chat-bot they call Kodee. The following is a transcript of a conversation I had with it over a few days.

Can I get a static ip? 

> Absolutely!
> Every Hostinger VPS plan comes with a dedicated, static
> IPv4 address, giving you full control and reliability for your
> projects.
> 
> Since you're looking for a static IP, our KVM 1 plan is a fantastic
> starting point, offering 4GB of RAM and 50GB of NVMe storage alongside
> that dedicated IP. It’s perfect for hosting applications, running a
> VPN, or managing your own server environment.
> 
> Would you like to see our current VPS offers and secure your static IP today?
No Thanks 
> No problem at all! Exploring your options is a great way to ensure you
> get exactly what your project needs.
> 
> Whenever you're ready to launch, remember that our VPS plans offer the
> dedicated resources and static IP you're looking for, all backed by a
> 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can test the performance
> risk-free!
> 
> I'll be right here if you have any more questions or want to compare
> plans later. Happy exploring!

2026-03-13(Fri)
===============
Is hPanel a web site? 

> Yes, hPanel is our custom-built, web-based control panel where you can
> easily manage your hosting, domains, and emails from any browser. It's
> designed to be intuitive and powerful, making website management a
> breeze!
> 
> I'm Kodee, Hostinger's AI Sales Assistant. To help you find the
> perfect setup, could you tell me more about the project or business
> you're planning to launch?
>
Can I see hPanel before I purchase a VPS? 

> Absolutely! You can explore our custom control panel through this
> hPanel demo to see how easy it is to use before you dive in.
> 
> For VPS specifically, we also have a VPS Management demo so you can
> see the specialized tools available for our KVM plans.
> 
> I'd love to help you pick the right plan—are you looking to host a
> simple application, or do you need something with more power for a
> high-traffic project?
This is the link to the demo. It doesn't help much: https://hostinger.navattic.com/vpsmanagement?g=cmisy8nd900mn04ibgc3raw2g&s=2 It's a "guided tour", which means you don't get choices other than click "next" or "back" as it creates a "firewall". 

2026-03-15(Sun)
===============
In addition to a static IP, I need reverse lookup so that e.g. 
  $ dig -x 209.222.4.146
  ==>
  ;; ANSWER SECTION:
  146.4.222.209.in-addr.arpa. 300	IN	PTR	fcx1.keithdiane.us.
with my new address, of course. I think I also need to make changes to the domain name as I move various services from the old to the new. 
> Excellent news! You can definitely set up PTR (reverse DNS) records on
> our VPS plans to ensure your mail and services resolve correctly. This
> is a standard feature managed directly through your VPS dashboard once
> your server is active.
> 
> For a smooth transition while moving services and updating your domain
> records, I recommend our KVM 2 plan. It provides a powerful balance of
> 2 vCPUs and 8GB of RAM, which is perfect for handling multiple
> services and DNS changes reliably.
> 
> Get started with KVM 2 here!
> 
> Since you're moving services, would you like me to check if your
> preferred domain name is available for transfer or purchase as well?
I have GoDaddy for name server. 
  
> That works perfectly! Since your nameservers are at GoDaddy, you'll
> simply update your A records there to point to your new Hostinger VPS
> IP address.
> 
> For the PTR record, you will manage that directly within your
> Hostinger VPS dashboard (hPanel), as reverse DNS must be set at the
> hosting level. This combination ensures your domain points to the
> right place while maintaining high email deliverability and security.
> 
> Are you ready to launch your KVM 2 server and get those records
> configured?


https://www.hostinger.com/support/1583571-what-are-the-available-operating-systems-for-vps-at-hostinger/
Has ten triangles labeled "Details" with no indication of details of what. The sixth is Debian. It doesn't say much but list Debian 11, 12, 13.

Which VPS hosting?

Since I already use Godaddy for a name server, they would seem to be the default first choice, but I have always found their menus confusing. It's difficult figure out what they are actually doing, because they make up names rather than using standard terminology.

Kodee, the Hostinger chatbot, did an excellent job of answering technical question. On 2026-03-19(Thu) I went to https://www.hostinger.com/vps-hosting; clicked "Choose Plan" under KVM1; entered a password, name, address and credit card number. They email an invoice that says I have KVM 1 for 2 years,

What else?

I recently (March 2026) had to move from a VPS on one hosting service to another.

Is the command " rm *~ " guaranteed to remove only backup files?

Several programs make backup files by renaming a file that they are about to over-write to one with the same name, but with a tilde appended. In particular, I use " rsync ", which does this.

After a while a lot of uneeded backup files accumulate. No problem, right? Just type " rm *~ " to get rid of them. I have developed the good habit of entering a list command, and then editing it to a remove. When I did this I surprised to see a very long list of file names, many of which did not end with a tilde!

That happened because I had a symbolic link to a directory. At some time, a backup of the symbolic link was made, effectively making a directory with a name ending in tilde. The contents of this directory were listed.

I leave it as an exercise to determine if " rm *~ " will always remove the same files that are listed by " ls *~ ", and if the same holds for other patterns.

How is real-time monitoring done using systemd

Using journalctl -f, you can follow log messages live as they are written, similar to tail -f, which is useful for monitoring system activity or service behavior in real time.

How has the Operating System Changed?

(2026-03-27) I have been using Debian Linux for many years. The old server has Debian 11 (bullseye). I installed Debian 13 (trixie) on the new one. The new version of the operating system may have broken fail2ban, program I run on the old system and must have on the new. I spent much of the day trying to understand that.

Then I came to my senses and added an A record to the DNS for the new server. Tomorrow I will add a reverse PTR record.

Does <a href="../directory/file.html"> work in html?

It works sometimes. I haven't figured out exactly when it works and when it doesn't. A safer way to do it is to create a symbolic link 
     $ ln -s ../directory directory
     $ ls -l
        lrwxrwxrwx 1 user group 7 Apr  5 13:00 directory -> ../directory
and then use <a href="directory/file.html">
Good HTML 4.0
This page is standard validated HTML 4.0.
( Checked 2024-04-04 )

This page best when viewed through the bottom of a beer mug...
but any browser should work, so if it looks wrong to you, let me know. I'll try to fix it, not blame it on your software.

Beer Mug Picture