Prepaid Hoster FAQ

If you install a MySQL or MariaDB server on your virtual server, it will be installed automatically with the “Allow local only” rule. If you want to make the server accessible from outside, you have to change the configuration of the server.

We will show you with an example (MariaDB) how to do this.

Error message which means that MySQL is not reachable from outside:

ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can't connect to MySQL server on '168.119.29.XXX' (115)

Requirements

• You need a Linux server.
• You must have MariaDB installed (apt-get install mariadb-server).
• The port 3306 must be released in a firewall, if one is used.
• You have created a user that can either access from anywhere “%” or is filtered by IP address/host.

Customize configuration

Modify the file /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cfg. Open it with an editor of your choice.

In the area under [mysqld] you will find the setting “bind-address”. Change the configuration as described below.

Before

# Instead of skip-networking the default is now to listen only on
# localhost which is more compatible and is not less secure.
bind-address = 127.0.0.1

After

# Instead of skip-networking the default is now to listen only on
# localhost which is more compatible and is not less secure.
bind-address = 0.0.0.0

Save the file and restart your database server.

systemctl restart mysql

After that, your MySQL server is also accessible from the outside. For security reasons, we strongly recommend that you create a separate MySQL account for external users. The root access should only work internally.

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact us. We will be happy to help you!

Unfortunately, we do not offer our own Windows licenses for various reasons. Therefore, our servers are only equipped with Windows Server Evaluation licenses.

You are required to provide a valid Windows Server Standard license after setting up the server, but no later than 180 days after initial installation. Alternatively, but this is explicitly not our recommendation, you can reinstall the server.

If you do not do this, your Windows server will shut down at increasingly shorter intervals.

In order to deposit a Windows Server Standard license, it is necessary to change the evaluation version to Standard.

Yes, you can install a GUI on your KVM server if you are prepared to handle some technical challenges. Before you proceed, we recommend that you do not use a GUI for the best performance. If having a graphical interface is important to you, consider using our Windows Servers.

KVM Server

You are free to install a GUI on KVM servers because they use full virtualization and have guaranteed resources. However, please note that our host systems do not have graphics cards, so you will not have hardware acceleration. Whenever possible, you should use the VNC console.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

• Install a desktop environment, such as KDE.
• Install a VNC server.
• Configure the VNC server so it runs the correct X server.
• Connect to your VNC server using a VNC client.

Disadvantages of GUI on KVM Servers

We recommend once again to avoid using a GUI. Here are the reasons:

Resource Consumption: A GUI uses more resources. A vServer without a GUI uses much less RAM when idle.

No Graphics Cards: Our host systems don’t have graphics cards, so there is no hardware acceleration. The CPU has to handle graphic rendering, which can make the GUI feel slow.

Most of the time, there are better and less demanding ways to run programs. The Linux console might seem intimidating at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll find that the commands are quite straightforward.

In this article we will explain in a few steps how you can easily activate TUN/TAP.

The activation is done with a few clicks.

Step by step to activation:

• Open the vServer Administration in Vionity.com.
• Select the administration of the desired vServer.
• Click on “VPS Settings”.
• Check the box “TUN/TAP”.
• Click on the green “Save” button.
• Restart your server so that the changes are applied at the network level.

Immediately after restarting your vServer, the change will be online and usable. If there are any problems, inform us immediately so that we can help you as soon as possible. If you have any questions, of course.

Please note that according to the product terms and our general terms and conditions, you are obligated not to overload your services. Therefore, it is important to use your server properly and adjust your usage behavior accordingly. This topic is particularly relevant for virtual and dedicated servers.

To evaluate the load, we generally consider the server’s so-called load. The load is a comprehensive indicator of the server’s usage and includes CPU, I/O, and RAM usage, among others. As a general rule, the load should roughly be 1.25 per core. This is also the maximum limit allowed by us. Of course, it is possible that the server’s usage may temporarily exceed this limit. As long as it stays within reasonable limits, you don’t need to worry.

If, however, we determine that your server has a significantly high usage or it remains overloaded for a prolonged period of time (~one hour), we will unfortunately have to suspend your server. We use an automated system that constantly monitors the load of all servers and assigns points to each server, similar to the driving record in Flensburg. We have no influence on this system.

If your server has been overloaded and subsequently suspended, you need to contact our support. We will explain the product terms and the next steps to you again. After that, we will reactivate your server if you agree to comply with our general terms and conditions. In case of repeated suspensions, we reserve the right to terminate the contract.

P.S.: While this limit does not generally apply to KVM servers, they can still be suspended due to overload. This usually happens when mining software or continuous usage of 100% is detected over an extended period of time. Windows servers, in particular, are susceptible to this. So please make sure not to continuously use the full performance of your server.

Debian 12 has been released. As a result, the repositories for Debian 11 changed from “stable” to “oldstable.”

If you try to run apt-get update on the server, you will encounter an error:

root@vps:/# apt-get update
Get:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian buster InRelease [122 kB]
Reading package lists... Done      
N: Repository 'http://deb.debian.org/debian buster InRelease' changed its 'Version' value from '10.9' to '10.10'
E: Repository 'http://deb.debian.org/debian buster InRelease' changed its 'Suite' value from 'stable' to 'oldstable'
N: This must be accepted explicitly before updates for this repository can be applied. See apt-secure(8) manpage for details.

The change in the suite value must be explicitly confirmed. You can do this with a single command:

apt-get --allow-releaseinfo-change update

Using this command, we tell apt that the change has been accepted.

Now, you can use apt-get update, upgrade, and install as usual.

Have you ordered a KVM server from Prepaid-Hoster and want to install Windows on it? No problem! In this guide, we’ll show you step by step how to set up Windows on your server.

Guide to Installing Windows

Login to the Web Interface

First, log in to the Prepaid-Hoster web interface. You can find the login page at this link.

• Open Server Management Click on your server in the navigation and select the server where you want to install Windows. Open the Cloud Manager.
• Install Operating System In the server dashboard, you will see a large “Install Operating System” button. Click it to start the installation.
• Select Operating System Choose “Windows Server 2019/2022 (Eval)” from the list of available operating systems. This version is free for testing.
• Start Installation Confirm your choice and click “Start Installation.” The installation process will begin and may take a few minutes.
• Establish Connection Once the installation is complete, you can connect to your new Windows server via Remote Desktop (RDP) using the credentials displayed in the web interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to install Windows myself? Our KVM servers come with a Linux operating system by default. Installing Windows takes only about 5 minutes.

What can I do if the installation fails? If the installation fails, first try again. If the problem persists, contact our support for further assistance.

Can I install a different version of Windows? Yes, you can also upload and install your own ISO file.

Support If you have any other questions or issues, our support team is always available. Simply contact us through the support ticket system in the web interface.

If you forget the password for your Sinusbot, it’s frustrating but not a big deal. You can easily reset it to a new password with just a few steps. Here’s how to successfully reset your password.

If you haven’t forgotten the password and just want to change it, go directly to the Password Reset page.

Activate Override Mode

Connect via SSH

First, you need to log in to your server via SSH. Once logged in, navigate to the Sinusbot directory. Usually, this is /opt/sinusbot.

Stop Running Instances

Next, you need to stop all running Sinusbot instances. We’ll use a method to stop all processes named “sinusbot”:

pkill -f ".sinusbot"

Log in as Sinusbot User

To start the Sinusbot, you need a separate user, usually named sinusbot. Log in as this user in your SSH console.

Use the following command, replacing “sinusbot” with the username you chose during installation if needed:

su sinusbot

Start Rescue Mode

Now that you are logged in as the Sinusbot user, you can start the Sinusbot in password override mode. Warning: This mode is only for resetting the password and is not secure for general use. It overrides the admin password for the current session.

Use the following command to start the PW Reset mode:

./sinusbot -override-password=temppassword123

The Sinusbot is now in Rescue Mode. Important: Keep the SSH session open; do not close it.

Open the Sinusbot web interface at Server-IP:8087 in your browser. You can log in with the user “admin” and the temporary password “temppassword123”.

Reset Sinusbot Password

After logging into the web interface, you need to set a new password for the admin user. Navigate to “Settings” > “User Accounts” and click the “Edit” icon next to the admin user. In the dialog that opens, set a new password for the admin user and save the changes.

You will be automatically logged out. Do not log in with the new details yet.

Go back to the SSH session and press CTRL+C to exit Rescue Mode. Then log out from the Sinusbot user and switch back to the root user.

exit

You should now be logged in as the root user. Start the Sinusbot normally with:

service sinusbot start

Go back to your browser and refresh the page. Now log in with the new admin credentials. The username is “admin” and the password is the one you just set. If you forget the password, start over.

No, unfortunately, it is not possible. Our vServer host systems are hosted at our partner Synlinq near Frankfurt. This allows us to provide top-notch DDoS protection and low latencies.

All KVM and OpenVZ host systems are located at this Frankfurt location.

Do you still have servers at OVH?

In May 2022, we moved our entire infrastructure that we had at OVH to the modern Maincubes Data Center. We no longer offer servers at OVH.

Do you still have servers at Hetzner?

No, our virtual servers are exclusively delivered in our own infrastructure. Only dedicated servers are sourced from our hosting partner Hetzner.

Do you still have servers in France?

No, all servers have been stationed in Germany since mid-2022.

Can I move my server to a different location?

A location move is not possible as all customer servers are located at the same location.

Image source: https://www.maincubes.com/rechenzentrum/rechenzentrum-frankfurt/housing-frankfurt/

If you have a domain and a vServer at Prepaid-Hoster, you can easily connect the domain to your server with our AutoConnect feature or take over the settings yourself.

If you want to connect the server manually with the IP address of the server, enter the IP address in all fields with the type “A“.

Connect automatically

Click on your domain in the web interface and go to the DNS settings. There you will find a button with the label “Connect to PPH Server“.

If you click on it, a dialog opens. There are all services listed, which you can use to connect to your domain. Select the desired server and then press Apply. Now all settings will be set automatically as they are needed for the DNS. Your previous settings will be overwritten, connections to MC or TS3 servers will be preserved. Provided you don’t want to reset all entries before.

Please note that the change in DNS can take up to 24 hours.

Domain at another provider

If you have a domain with another provider, please check the FAQ there. Basically: You have to set the IP address of your vServer as A-Record “@” and “*”. Since the DNS administration is different for each provider, we can’t provide detailed instructions. Please contact our support if you have any questions. Feel free to send us screenshots of your configuration, so we can tell you where there might be problems,

Please note that the change in DNS can take up to 24 hours.