Deploy openclaw.ai on Vultr

Beginner ⏱ 25 minutes 📅 Updated Aug 2026

Vultr offers globally distributed cloud compute suitable for an always-on OpenClaw Gateway.

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📋 Prerequisites

1

Create & Connect to Your Server

Log in to the Vultr Customer Portal and deploy a new Cloud Compute instance:

  1. Click Deploy + → Deploy New Server
  2. Choose Cloud Compute — Shared CPU
  3. Select your preferred server location (pick the region closest to you)
  4. Under Server Image, select Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or a newer supported LTS release
  5. Choose a current Shared CPU plan with at least 2 GB RAM
  6. Under SSH Keys, add your public key (recommended) or use the auto-generated root password
  7. Click Deploy Now

Wait for the server status to show Running (usually 1–2 minutes), then connect:

bash
# Replace with your server's IP from the Vultr dashboard
ssh root@your-server-ip
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Finding Your IP

Your server's IP address is shown on the Vultr dashboard under your instance details. You can also copy it from the Server Information page.

2

System Update & Dependencies

Update the package index and upgrade all installed packages to their latest versions:

bash
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
3

Install supported Node.js version

openclaw.ai requires Node.js 22.22.3+, 24.15+, or 25.9+ (installer defaults to Node 26). Install it from the official NodeSource repository:

bash
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_26.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
node --version  # Should show v26.x.x
4

Install openclaw.ai

Run the official one-line installer:

bash
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
5

Run Onboarding

Launch the interactive onboarding wizard. The --install-daemon flag automatically configures openclaw.ai to run as a background service:

bash
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The wizard will walk you through:

  • Authentication setup (API keys for your LLM provider)
  • Gateway configuration (port, allowed origins)
  • Optional channel setup (Slack, Discord, etc.)
6

Verify Installation

Confirm everything is running correctly:

bash
# Check system configuration
openclaw doctor

# Verify the gateway is healthy
openclaw health

# Print the authenticated dashboard URL
openclaw dashboard --no-open

# On your local computer, forward the private Gateway port
ssh -N -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 root@your-server-ip
# Then open http://127.0.0.1:18789
7

Configure Vultr Firewall

Create a Vultr Firewall Group for SSH while keeping the Gateway private:

  1. In the Vultr dashboard, go to Products → Network → Firewall
  2. Click Add Firewall Group and give it a name (e.g., openclaw-fw)
  3. Add the following Inbound Rules:
text
Protocol   Port     Source         Description
TCP        22       My IP          SSH access
  1. Go back to your instance → Settings → Firewall and attach the firewall group
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Keep the Gateway Private

Do not add a public rule for port 18789. Keep the default loopback bind and use the SSH tunnel from Step 6.

8

Keep Running with systemd

The --install-daemon flag from Step 5 already set up a systemd user service. To check its status:

bash
# Check gateway status via openclaw CLI
openclaw gateway status

# Or check directly via systemd
systemctl --user status openclaw-gateway

# View live logs
journalctl --user -u openclaw-gateway -f

The service will automatically restart on failure and start on boot.

🔧 Troubleshooting

If node --version shows an older version, the system Node.js may be taking priority. Remove it and reinstall:

bash
sudo apt remove nodejs
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_26.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Check the Gateway on the Vultr instance, then restart the tunnel on your local computer:

bash
# On the Vultr instance
openclaw gateway status
ss -tlnp | grep 18789

# On your local computer
ssh -N -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 root@your-server-ip

The Vultr Firewall Group only needs SSH from your IP; port 18789 stays private.

Ensure your server status is Running in the Vultr dashboard. If you set up a Firewall Group, confirm port 22 is open for your IP. You can also use the Vultr web console as a fallback from the dashboard.

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