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Install OpenClaw on vServer – Ready-to-use Images by netcup

Run OpenClaw securely on a netcup server

You want to run OpenClaw 24/7 - without depending on a laptop and without exposing risky “open ports”? With a dedicated netcup VPS, you can operate OpenClaw in a controlled, isolated environment with a clean security-by-default setup.

  • Separate machine instead of a hacky setup: clear isolation for keys, tokens, and integrations
  • Secure-by-default approach: prefer access via SSH tunnel or Tailscale instead of exposing a gateway to the public internet
  • Deployment options: classic (Linux/Node) or containerized (Docker / Compose)

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OpenClaw: The GitHub Sensation for Self-Hosted AI Assistants

OpenClaw (formerly Moltbot and Clawdbot) is a self-hosted platform for personal AI assistants that runs directly on your own infrastructure. It enables interaction with AI through a variety of messaging channels, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Signal, iMessage and Microsoft Teams. Unlike cloud-based assistants, OpenClaw acts as a centralized control and integration layer that seamlessly integrates with existing communication platforms and provides a unified interface for AI-powered interactions - with full control over your data. The platform has gained a lot of attention in the developer community with over 166,000 GitHub stars.

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI agent gateway that acts as a central hub between your AI agent, your tools and your messaging channels. Technically, OpenClaw is built around a long-lived gateway process that runs continuously - ideal for a 24/7 assistant that doesn’t depend on your laptop being on. A crucial focus of OpenClaw is “secure-by-default”: Instead of simply hanging the gateway publicly on the Internet, the recommended default path is to run the service locally (loopback-first) and to solve access securely via SSH tunnels or tailscale. If you deliberately deviate from this, you need consistent protection (e.g. token/password plus firewall rules).

The requirements for operation on a server are clear: OpenClaw requires Node 22+. Docker is optional (e.g. for containerized setups with Docker Compose). If you want to use OpenClaw productively, you need one thing above all: a stable, permanent runtime environment. A separate VPS ensures that your gateway runs reliably 24/7, is cleanly isolated and that you can secure access and the network as recommended by OpenClaw - via SSH tunnel or tailscale instead of unnecessarily open ports. This is exactly what netcup is ideal for: you get the infrastructure on which you can run OpenClaw in a controlled manner, roll out updates securely and scale up at any time if required. And if you want it as simple as possible, you can even install OpenClaw directly in thenetcup SCPusing a ready-made image.

Use cases

  • Development teams: Create customized AI assistants that integrate seamlessly with existing workflow tools and perform tasks such as automated code reviews, documentation creation or technical support via Slack and Discord.
  • Product and operations teams: Develop intelligent chatbots that handle customer queries simultaneously across multiple platforms to ensure faster response times and consistent services.
  • Home users & small teams: Consolidate AI interactions across different messaging apps so that a unified assistant can access the same context and functionality regardless of which platform is being used.

Why OpenClaw on netcup?

OpenClaw is intended as an always-on gateway - and that’s exactly why you need an environment that runs permanently, is cleanly isolated and can be operated securely. With netcup, you geta VPS on which you can deploy OpenClaw in a controlled manner (classically or via Docker) and where you can secure access and the network according to best practice - e.g. via SSH tunnel or tailscale.

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VPS 2000 G12.5

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Install OpenClaw on netcup vServer

Here’s how it works in 5 simple steps:

Step 1: Open your server in the Server Control Panel (SCP), then click on “Media” in the menu and select “Images” at the top

Step 2: Select the image “Ubuntu openclaw” (at the bottom) and then “Panel Minimal”

Step 3: For partitions, select “One large partition…” and configure language, time zone etc. according to your needs

Step 4: When you click on “Next”, you will be shown everything again for confirmation

Step 5: Click on “Install” to reinstall your server with the Ubuntu openclaw image

Note: The server hard disk will be overwritten/deleted in the process

FAQs: OpenClaw vServer Images at netcup

OpenClaw is a self-hosted platform for personal AI assistants and serves as a central AI agent gateway between models, tools, and messaging channels such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and more. Running it on your own server gives you full data control and ensures reliable 24/7 operation.

Running OpenClaw on a netcup vServer (VPS) provides a stable 24/7 environment, which is essential for an AI assistant. Compared to running it on a local laptop, you benefit from a fixed IP, high availability, and clean data isolation. Additionally, netcup offers specialized vServer images that make the installation of OpenClaw extremely simple.

Security is the top priority for OpenClaw (“Secure-by-default”). netcup supports this approach by recommending access to the gateway via secure SSH tunnels or networking solutions like Tailscale. This avoids the need to open insecure ports to the public internet and protects your AI infrastructure from unauthorized access.

A pre-configured image is a pre-installed software environment (in this case: Ubuntu + OpenClaw) that you can install directly via the Server Control Panel. This eliminates the need for time-consuming manual setup.

Using a pre-configured image allows you to get started faster, saving time on setup and configuration while reducing potential sources of error – ideal for projects where you want to start being productive with OpenClaw immediately.

OpenClaw requires Node.js 22 or higher to operate. Docker is optional and can be used for containerized setups. Stable server operation is crucial for reliable 24/7 deployment.

Yes, OpenClaw can be operated both traditionally via Node.js or containerized using Docker. The netcup vServer image provides an ideal foundation for deploying Docker Compose setups quickly and efficiently.

Yes. Once the image is installed, you have full root access and can customize OpenClaw according to your requirements – such as messaging integrations, API keys, and security rules.