How to Run IDENA nodes on VPS?

VPS is considered as advanced setup (I'm not responsible if you lose your node key...). Basically Linux setup, so you have to know some basic Linux stuff... There is no graphical interface, which makes it even more difficult for Linux beginners.

This is how it has done:

1. Got promo on vultr.com for $5... from reb0rn on the Idena discord server. $5/month package for idena is enough if you want to run even 2 nodes at once... Kudos to team for optimizing node in regards to CPU and network utilization.
   https://www.vultr.com/?ref=8483204-6G

2. Once you register an account, you must enter your credit/debit card.

3. Chose Operating system for your server. Here you can even choose windows if you are used to working on it. I'm not sure that $5 can run it though since that package gives you 1GB ram and one core... but you can try.... (tell us how it goes Cheesy)
   The OS that most are using is Ubuntu 18.04 x64, this will install Linux ubuntu without GUI... and it runs great... tutorial continues for Linux

4. Under vultr console you'll find your server IP and password for the root user, you need this to connect to your server from your PC... Let's presume you are running Windows on your home PC.

5. Download putty, it's a free program that connects to your server, and you can type in commands to deal with idena node and stuff...

6. In putty, connect to your servers IP address, just enter the address in the first screen of putty and hit connect, it'll ask you to import some key, confirm it

7. Login as user root
   and use a password from vultr console... you can copy-paste it since its complicated when you right-click in putty, its pasted, just hit enter after that

8. The next steps are from reb0rn's tutorial in discord, these are commands that you need to copy-paste in putty...

a.
Code:
cd /home && wget https://github.com/idena-network/idena-go/releases/download/v0.18.1/idena-node-linux-0.18.1
(this takes us in home directory and downloads idena node)

b.
Code:
chmod +x idena-node-linux-0.18.1
(this gives idena node file, permission to execute, security measure)

c.
Code:
screen ./idena-node-linux-0.18.1
(this runs idena node in a separate screen, If we don't run it this way, you would have to leave your putty window open all the time, as well as your pc)

d. Ctrl+A+D to exit the screen (use screen -r if you want to connect to it again)
(This disconnect us from that screen where idena node is running but leaves it running in background, so we can exit putty without stopping idena node)

e.
Code:
nano /home/datadir/api.key
copy that code that you get and save it somewhere on PC
(nano is like notepad for Linux, we use it to open api.key file, you need api.key which is the password for accessing your node... so you can connect from idena client on your PC)

1. Now, close putty, open it again and setup putty tunnel for connection as in this picture
   https://idena.io/?view=guide#guide-remote-2
   In source enter: 9999
   In destination enter: localhost:9009
   After you click Add, tunnel is saved, you can close this window now.

2. connect to server using putty as before, using root/password... but now we have a node running and tunneled connection...

3. Configure Idena client to use node on your VPS. Open idena on PC, go to settings>node turn off "Run built-in node", turn on "Connect to remote node", set:
   Node address: http://localhost:9999
   Node api key: that key that you saved previously using nano
   Save both settings

4. Now check if you have some idena address by going to My Idena, you'll have some new address(robot) that is not yours... This is normal because you've run new node that generated new address.

5. Now you can transfer your private key/nodekey/identity to the VPS... We must find it on your PC, go to
   Code:
   %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Idena\node\datadir\keystore
   (best if you copy paste this in some folders address) there you will find nodekey file. Open it with notepad and copy it... ALSO, IMPORTANT, BACKUP THIS, THIS IS YOUR PRIVATE KEY, DON'T SHARE IT WITH ANYONE.

6. Now we must put it on VPS... in putty, run nano to edit nodekey file on vps so you can paste it there
   Code:
   nano /home/datadir/keystore/nodekey
   this will open current private key on VPS, you must delete it and paste your from PC. After paste, just exit nano(Ctrl+X) when it asks you to save, save it. Now you have transfered your identity to VPS.

7. We must restart node on VPS so it runs with new key/identity
   Code:
   screen -r
   (return to running node)
   Ctrl+C (shut the node down)
   Code:
   screen ./idena-node-linux-0.17.2
   (run it again)
   Ctrl+A+D (disconnect from node screen as before)

Now when you go to client, you should see your identity/address/robot.

Now, you need to connect putty every time you want to open Idena client on PC (when making flips, doing validation, sending coins etc...)
But node runs and mines on VPS...

So... this setup might take some time, make sure to check if mining is on, after all that you've done.

Also I have bot that checks your node online state and sends you an email notification if node goes offline... so you can restart it and avoid penalty... for third time on BTCtalk, PM me if you want to use it, its free...