How Do I Setup a VPS ? (Contabo)

VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. A VPS is a virtual machine. It is a server, hosted online. Think of your Desktop Computer hosted online. When you take out a VPS subscription you normally take out a subscription for a Windows or Linux desktop minus the monitor. 

The monitor is your computer, tablet, phone. Whatever device you choose to connect to the VPS with. 

A google of VPS available brings up lots of choice. You are looking at around £20 a month for VPS with 4 GB of RAM.

One provider is Contabo which added UK VPS in May 2022. 

https://contabo.com/en/

Navigate to Cloud VPS. The cheapest option provides ample enough RAM for our needs with 8GB.

Use the screenshot below to guide you through ordering the correct VPS setup. In our example we selected the Windows Server 2022. Assuming you are a UK user, the most important part is to select the location as UK. The other options may block you from accessing Betfair.  

At section 5 – Login & Password for your server – this is the password you will use to access your VPS for the first time. 

You will need to sign in or register to complete the purchase order.

After VAT, the UK price is £17.98. 

You will need to login/Register in order to complete the order. You then need to put the kettle on and wait a few minutes. In the past Contabo have created our VPS within 5-10 minutes however they state it can take up to 24 hours. 

You will then receive an email similar to below with the IP address of your new VPS. At that point you are good to go. 

We now need to connect to our server.

If you have Windows Pro Edition it comes with an application called RDC – Remote Desktop Connection.

If you have Windows Home Edition then you will need to download separate software called Microsoft Remote Desktop. The setup process is pretty much identical whichever one we use. Link for Microsoft Remote Desktop – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-remote-desktop/

For those who have Windows Pro Edition we can use the built in RDC – Remote Desktop Connection.

Finally, we should now be connected to the VPS. 

Close down any programs that have automatically opened. They are not needed. You are then left with a blank canvas similar to below. (Screenshot below is from an EpicHosts VPS however principle will be the same). 

With Contabo we set our password during the purchase. If you wish to change the password you would complete the process similar to below. Screenshots used are from a different VPS (EpicHosts). 

The next stage is to start setting up our Desktop.

We can do this by copy/pasting setup programs from our own desktop onto the VPS screen or we can navigate and download through the web browser to the setup files we need.

It is a good idea to make the Chrome Browser our default browser in any case. Start up Google Chrome and you will get a dialog asking if you would like to do this. Press the Set as Default Button.

Before we do anything else it’s a good idea to make sure Windows is fully up to date. 

In the Windows Search Bar type in updates.

Go to the Windows Updates Screen and start the ball rolling in downloading and installing updates.

Whilst the updates are being downloaded and installed the VPS may become sluggish. In which case leave it for half an hour to do its stuff.

You will need to install Gruss Betting Assistant and TBM on to the VPS. You can do this either by copy/pasting the setup files from your desktop on to the VPS. Or you can navigate to the files using the Chrome Browser.

TBM Download Page – https://www.thebetmachine.com/tbmdownload/

Gruss Download Page – https://www.gruss-software.co.uk/downloads.asp

Finally, before we are ready to go, double check the time is correct on the VPS. Gruss and TBM uses the time of the VPS PC. If the time is not correct, right click over the time and correct it.

Nearly there. After you have installed Gruss and TBM AND all windows updates are downloaded, Restart the VPS so that all updates can be installed.

This is not just log out, log back in. You need to restart the computer/VPS.

Wait about 10-15 minutes for the Windows updates to be installed. Then click on your RDC Shortcut you created. If you have saved it to the desktop as suggested earlier the icon will look similar to below. 

Remember we changed our password so you will need to retype your password when we try and log back in. You will only need to do this once. 

After entering the correct password you will now have access to your VPS.

Once you are back in you will need to run Gruss Betting Assistant and enable the COM interface. Otherwise TBM will be unable to connect to Gruss. 

https://www.thebetmachine.com/docs/SettingUpGrussBettingAssistant.html

You will then need to run TBM and register it again using your email. You are allowed to use TBM on 2 computers at the same time. If you need to reset your licenses you can do this automatically via

https://www.thebetmachine.com/license-reset/

Alternatively email us and we can reset it this end.

Final tips –

There is an RDC app for Android and IPhone that allow you to connect to the VPS from your phone. Great for checking in when away from the computer.

Android App

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.rdc.androidx

Iphone App

https://apps.apple.com/app/microsoft-remote-desktop/id714464092

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