This guide walks you through setting up an IPsec VPN on a FortiGate firewall, focusing on two key scenarios:

• Remote Access (Windows FortiClient to FortiGate)
  A user from a Windows machine uses FortiClient to securely connect to a FortiGate firewall. After completing the VPN configuration, the Windows client should be able to reach devices inside the protected LAN.
• Site-to-Site VPN (FortiGate to FortiGate)
  Two FortiGate firewalls, each securing its local LAN- are interconnected via an IPsec site-to-site tunnel. This enables hosts on each LAN to communicate securely across the tunnel.

These scenarios are ideal for hands-on learning, especially within virtual environments like Novavps. You’ll get practical exposure to configuring tunnel creation, user authentication, addressing, policy routing, and verification. For this guide, we are using the FortiGate service image provided by Novavps.  Here’s how to deploy a Novavps server.

Remote Access IPsec VPN (Windows to FortiGate) 

We are going to configure an IPsec VPN connection from a Windows machine to a FortiGate firewall. The goal is to enable connectivity from the Windows machine to a device on the remote network, allowing you to verify connectivity once the VPN connection is established.

Log in to the FortiGate firewall by entering your administrator credentials.

Configuration steps:

1. Set up DHCP on FortiGate Port2 (LAN):

Go to Network-> Interfaces in the FortiGate dashboard.

• Select Port2 (LAN) and 

Toggle the switch to ON in the DHCP Server section to enable the DHCP service. 

• DHCP Status: Enabled (This allows FortiGate to assign IP addresses automatically to devices on the LAN).
• Address Range: 192.168.0.10 – 192.168.0.20 (Enter the Address Range for DHCP clients, this means devices will be assigned an IP in this range).
• Netmask: 255.255.255.0
• Default Gateway: Choose Same as Interface IP (The LAN interface IP will act as the gateway for client devices.)
• DNS Server: 4.2.2.4 (or choose Same as System DNS if you prefer to use FortiGate’s global DNS settings).
• Click OK to apply the configuration. 

Now, any device connected to the LAN through Port2 will automatically receive an IP address, gateway, and DNS settings from the FortiGate DHCP server.

Now, edit the Network Configuration File to configure a Static IP. To use DHCP, make sure the following lines are present and uncommented (that is remove # symbols at the beginning of each line):

auto eth0

iface eth0 inet dhcp

After making changes, click Save and restart networking.

In the same network configuration file, locate the section labeled Static config for eth0. Remove the # symbols at the beginning of each line to enable the static configuration. 

auto eth0

iface eth0 inet static

    address 192.168.0.2

    netmask 255.255.255.0

    gateway 192.168.0.1

    up echo nameserver 192.168.0.1 > /etc/resolv.conf

Save the changes and restart the networking service. 

Create a user group and user (for VPN authentication)

To allow clients to log in to the VPN, you first need to create a user group and a local user account. In the FortiGate dashboard, from the left-side menu, navigate to the User & Authentication-> User Groups. 

Then, click Create New.

Enter a Name (e.g., VPN_GRP_A00123456) and Type (e.g., Firewall). Click OK to save the group.

Next, go to User & Authentication-> User Definition. Click Create New to add a new user.

When the Users/Groups Creation Wizard opens, under User Type, select Local User and then click Next.

In the Login Credentials step, enter a Username and Password in the provided fields, then click Next.

In the Contact Info step, disable Two-Factor Authentication by toggling the switch to Off, then click Next. 

In the final step, Extra Info, set User Account Status to Enabled. Toggle the User Group option to On and select the appropriate User Group (e.g., VPN_GRP_A00123456) for the user profile. Then click Submit. 

The newly created user group will now appear in the list of groups, as shown in the screenshot below. You can edit this group later to add more users or adjust its settings if needed.

Launch the IPsec wizard (Remote access setup)

FortiGate provides a built-in wizard to simplify creating a remote access VPN for FortiClient users.

From the left-side menu, go to VPN-> IPsec Wizard.

When the VPN Creation Wizard opens, 

• In the first step, VPN Setup, configure the following:

• Name: A0ID-VPN (replace A0ID with your student ID).
• Template Type: Remote Access.
• Remote Device Type: Choose Client-based and select FortiClient, since that’s the client software.

Now, click Next.

• In the second step, Authentication, configure the following: 

• • Incoming Interface: Choose your WAN port that is Port1 so clients can connect over the internet.
  • Authentication Method: Select Pre-Shared Key (set a secure key that both FortiGate and FortiClient will use).
  • Pre-Shared Key: Enter the key as a password.
  • User Group: Select the group you created (VPN_GRP_A0123456).

Click Next.

• In the second step, Authentication, configure the following: 

• • Incoming Interface: Choose your WAN port that is Port1 so clients can connect over the internet.
  • Authentication Method: Select Pre-Shared Key (set a secure key that both FortiGate and FortiClient will use).
  • Pre-Shared Key: Enter the key as a password.
  • User Group: Select the group you created (VPN_GRP_A0123456).

Click Next.

• In the final step (Review Settings) of the VPN Creation Wizard, you will see a summary of all the configuration details before creating the VPN.

• • Phase 1 interface: Displays the interface chosen for Phase 1 setup.
  • Phase 2 interface: Displays the interface chosen for Phase 2 setup.
  • Address: Shows the IP address range assigned to VPN clients.
  • Remote to local policies: Lists the firewall policies that will control VPN traffic.
  • Endpoint Registration: Shows the profile created for VPN client registration.

Once you’ve reviewed and confirmed all values, click Create to finalize the VPN configuration.

Install and configure FortiClient on Windows

Download FortiClient from the official Fortinet website (https://www.fortinet.com/products/endpoint-security/forticlient) and Install FortiClient on your Windows machine by following the installation wizard.

Click on Configure VPN to configure VPN in FortiClient.

Check the box next to Acknowledgement and click on I accept to accept the FortiGate Free License.

From your FortiGate device, copy the Port1 IP address. 

• In the New VPN Connection screen, 

• • VPN: Choose IPSec-VPN
  • Connection Name: VPN
  • Remote Gateway: enter the Port1 IP address of your FortiGate device and 
  • Authentication Method: From the drop-down menu, choose Pre-shared key and enter the key in the field provided. 
  • Authentication (XAuth): Choose Prompt on Login
  • Failover SSL VPN: Select None.

Then, click Save. 

Verify connectivity

After completing the setup, verify that the VPN is working correctly: On your Windows machine, open Command Prompt, run a ping test to an IP address within your VPC. 

Command:

ping <VPC_IP_ADDRESS>

If the configuration is correct, you should receive successful reply messages.

Site-to-Site IPsec VPN (FortiGate to FortiGate)

We are going to set up an IPsec VPN tunnel between Site 1 and Site 2. Each site has its own FortiGate firewall, and a client machine connected to the internal LAN. After configuring both firewalls through the IPsec VPN Wizard, we will verify connectivity by testing communication between the client machines at each site.

To validate the firewall licenses, we first connect both FortiGate devices to the Internet.

Configuration steps: 

1. On FortiGate 1 (FG1):

Navigate to VPN > IPsec Wizard. When the VPN Creation Wizard opens, 

• Complete the first step, VPN Setup by entering the required details: 

• Name: Enter a descriptive name for the tunnel (e.g., FG1).
• Template type: Select Site to Site (used for connecting two FortiGate devices or networks).
• NAT configuration: Choose No NAT between sites (use this if both sites have public IPs or direct connectivity).
• Remote device type: Select FortiGate (since the other device is also a FortiGate).

Click Next.

• In the second step, Authentication, configure the following:

• • Remote Device: Select IP Address
  • Remote IP address: Enter 10.10.10.2 (FG2’s WAN).
  • Outgoing Interface: Choose port3 (WAN).
  • Authentication Method: select Pre-shared key
  • Pre-shared key: Enter the key

Click Next.

• In the third step, Policy and Routing, configure the following:

• • Local Interface: port2
  • Local Subnet: 192.168.20.0/24
  • Remote Subnet: 192.168.10.0/24
  • Internet Access: None

Click Next.

• In the final step, Review Settings, review the configuration and click Submit.

When you complete the wizard, FortiGate automatically creates two firewall policies and two static routes to enable traffic between the local and remote subnets.

2. On FortiGate 2 (FG2):

Navigate to VPN > IPsec Wizard. When the VPN Creation Wizard opens, 

• Complete the first step, VPN Setup by entering the required details: 

• Name: Enter a descriptive name for the tunnel (e.g., FG2).
• Template type: Select Site to Site (used for connecting two FortiGate devices or networks).
• NAT configuration: Choose No NAT between sites (use this if both sites have public IPs or direct connectivity).
• Remote device type: Select FortiGate (since the other device is also a FortiGate).

Click Next.

• In the second step, Authentication, configure the following:

• • Remote Device: Select IP Address
  • Remote IP address: Enter 10.10.10.1 (FG1’s WAN).
  • Outgoing Interface: Choose port3 (WAN).
  • Authentication Method: select Pre-shared key
  • Pre-shared key: Enter the key

Click Next.

• In the third step, Policy and Routing, configure the following:

• • Local Interface: port2
  • Local Subnet: 192.168.20.0/24
  • Remote Subnet: 192.168.10.0/24
  • Internet Access: None

Click Next.

• In the final step, Review Settings, review the configuration and click Submit.

When you complete the wizard, FortiGate automatically creates two firewall policies and two static routes to enable traffic between the local and remote subnets.

3. Now, Configure IPSec Tunnels. 

Navigate to VPN->IPSec Tunnels.

•  Double click on Inactive as shown in the screenshot below.

Right-click on the VPN tunnel and select Bring Up-> All Phase 2 Selectors. Once completed, the tunnel should be active and operational.

• Now, verify the status of the tunnel.

4. Verify connectivity:

• Go to Logs & Reports-> Event-> VPN Event to verify the VPN configuration and ensure the tunnel is functioning correctly.

You should now be able to ping from the local host to the remote host to verify connectivity through the VPN tunnel.

You have now successfully configured IPsec VPN tunnels on a FortiGate firewall for both remote access and site-to-site connections. By following these steps, you’ve established a secure pathway for users to access internal resources and for two networks to communicate seamlessly over the internet.

The post How to setup IPSEC-VPN In FortiGate appeared first on Novavps.

The Kubernetes dashboard is a web-based UI that makes it easier to monitor and manage workloads, cluster resources, and troubleshooting tasks. By combining Novavps’s reliable cloud VMs with MicroK8s, you get a simple yet powerful way to run Kubernetes and manage it visually through the dashboard.

Understanding Kubernetes node types

In a Kubernetes cluster, there are two main types of nodes:

• Master node (control plane): This is the brain of the cluster. It manages the overall state, schedules applications (pods) on worker nodes, and handles scaling, updates, and monitoring.
• Worker nodes: These are the machines where applications actually run. Each worker node hosts the pods, along with the necessary runtime and services, and reports back to the master node.

For this guide, we’ll use Ubuntu 22.04 (a Server OS image provided by Novavps Cloud Platform) on both the master node and worker nodes to set up a MicroK8s cluster and install the Kubernetes dashboard.

Setting up the master node

1. Make sure your server is up to date by running the below command:

Command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install snapd by running the following command:

Command:

sudo apt install snapd -y

Note: snapd is the background service that manages and runs snaps, self-contained software packages that include all the dependencies needed to run an application. Unlike traditional package managers (like apt), snaps are easy to install, update automatically, and work consistently across different Linux distributions.

Since MicroK8s is distributed as a snap package, you’ll need snapd installed on your Ubuntu system before setting up the Kubernetes cluster.

Creating the Kubernetes cluster

3. Install MicroK8s by running the below command on the master node:

Command:

sudo snap install microk8s --classic

You should see output like: “microk8s (1.32/stable) v1.32.3 from Canonical installed”.

4. By default, only root can run microk8s commands. To allow your user (e.g., ubuntu), run:

Command:

sudo usermod -aG microk8s $USER

sudo chown -f -R $USER ~/.kube

Note: Log out and log back in (or run newgrp microk8s) for the group change to take effect.

Command:

newgrp microk8s

5. Check if the cluster is running:

Command:

microk8s status --wait-ready

After running the command, you should see the status of Microk8s as running as shown in the screenshot below.

Note: In this step, we created a single node Kubernetes cluster.

6. At minimum, enable core addons such as CoreDNS component and Storage so workloads run properly:

Command:

microk8s enable dns

Command:

 microk8s enable storage

Note:

• In a MicroK8s cluster, Addons (like dns, storage, dashboard, etc.) should be enabled only on the master (control plane) node. When you enable an addon on the master, it gets deployed as Kubernetes resources (pods, deployments, services) across the cluster. The worker nodes automatically participate if the addon requires workloads to run on them (for example, dns pods may get scheduled on workers too). So, you do not need to enable addons separately on worker nodes. Just enable them once on the master node.
• To get the complete list of available addons, execute the sudo microk8s status command, and the output shows the list.
• To enable the ingress controller, you can use the following command.

Command:

sudo microk8s enable ingress

7. Now, check whether the node is registered or not by running:

Command:

 microk8s kubectl get nodes

Now, the output should be as shown in the screenshot below.

NAME           STATUS   ROLES    AGE   VERSION

master-node    Ready    <none>   2m    v1.28.3

On the Worker node:

1. Now, install MicroK8s on all nodes

Command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Now, install snapd just as you did on the master node.

Command:

sudo apt install snapd -y

3. Then install microk8s by running the below command

Command:

sudo snap install microk8s --classic

4. Then add your user to the microk8s group (so you don’t need sudo for every command):

Command:

sudo usermod -aG microk8s $USER

sudo chown -f -R $USER ~/.kube

Note: Log out and log back in (or run newgrp microk8s) for the group change to take effect.

Command:

newgrp microk8s

Note: Repeat the same process on other worker nodes as well.

Initialize cluster on the master node:

1. On the master node (the one you want as the control plane), run:

Command:

microk8s add-node

This command will generate a join command that looks like: “

microk8s join 103.252.116.147:25000/abcd1234efgh5678 --worker

• 103.252.116.147: private IP of the master node
• 25000: port used by MicroK8s for cluster joining
• Abcd1234efgh5678: unique token

Copy this output- you’ll need it on worker nodes.

Join worker nodes:

On each worker node, run the join command provided by the master, that is:

microk8s join 103.252.116.147:25000/abcd1234efgh5678 --worker

After a few moments, the node should join the cluster, and you will see the message “Successfully joined the cluster”.

Note: Run the same command on other worker nodes as well.

Verify cluster status:

On the master node, check that all nodes are connected:

Command:

microk8s kubectl get nodes

You should see the output as shown in the screenshot below.

Essential ports must be allowed on all ports:

Run the commands below on the master node.

Installing the Kubernetes dashboard

1. For MicroK8s cluster communication:

Command:

sudo ufw allow 25000:25010/tcp

# cluster node-to-node comms

Command:

sudo ufw allow 19001/tcp

# dqlite (MicroK8s internal DB)

Command:

sudo ufw allow 6443/tcp

# Kubernetes API server

Command:

sudo ufw allow 10250/tcp

# Kubelet API

Command:

sudo ufw allow 10257/tcp

# kube-controller-manager

Command:

sudo ufw allow 10259/tcp

# kube-scheduler

2. For NodePort services (optional, only if you plan to expose services externally via NodePort)

Command:

sudo ufw allow 30000:32767/tcp

Command:

sudo ufw allow 30000:32767/udp

Accessing the dashboard securely

1. On the master node, run:

Command:

 microk8s enable dashboard

This will install the Kubernetes dashboard and the required RBAC roles and it will also expose it as a ClusterIP service inside the cluster.

2. Verify the dashboard is running:

Command:

microk8s kubectl get pods -n kube-system

You should see something like:

kubernetes-dashboard-57bc5f89fb-56j7w   1/1   Running   0   2m56s

dashboard-metrics-scraper-5bd45c9dd6-5zndb    1/1   Running   0   2m56s

3. Now, check the service:

Command:

microk8s kubectl get svc -n kube-system

You will see:

kubernetes-dashboard   ClusterIP   10.152.183.166   <none>   443/TCP   5m1s

Note: It’s a ClusterIP service (internal only).

Access the dashboard (secure proxy):

Since the service is internal, use MicroK8s’ built-in proxy:

Command:

microk8s dashboard-proxy

You’ll see output like:

Dashboard will be available at https://127.0.0.1:10443

Use the following token to login

Copy this token as it is used to login to Kubernetes dashboard.

Note: This starts the Kubernetes dashboard, but it only binds to 127.0.0.1 (localhost) on the master node. That means you can only open https://127.0.0.1:10443 from the master node itself- not from your laptop/browser directly.

When you cannot open, you have 2 options to fix this

Option 1: Use SSH port forwarding (most common)

On your local machine (not the server), run:

Command:

ssh -L 10443:127.0.0.1:10443 <your-username>@<master-node-ip>

Then open in your local browser: https://127.0.0.1:10443. This way the traffic is tunneled securely to the cluster.

Option 2: Expose the dashboard with NodePort (direct browser access):

Command:

microk8s kubectl -n kube-system patch svc kubernetes-dashboard -p '{"spec": {"type": "NodePort"}}'

Then get the NodePort:

Command:

microk8s kubectl -n kube-system get svc kubernetes-dashboard

You will see the output:

kubernetes-dashboard   NodePort   10.152.183.166   <none>   443:31463/TCP

Now, try to open the link your_master_node_ip:31463 in the new tab, click on Advanced.

Click on Proceed to xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:31463.

Now, log in using the token you retrieved earlier with the Command:

microk8s dashboard-proxy

After entering the token, click Sign in.

Troubleshooting authentication issues

If, after entering the token and clicking Sign in, you see the message: ‘Unauthorized (401): Invalid credentials provided’, it usually means the wrong token was used (for example, from a secret not linked to the Dashboard ServiceAccount). To fix this, run the following command on the master node:

Command:

microk8s kubectl -n kube-system get secret | grep dashboard

Then, you will see output similar to the following:

• kubernetes-dashboard-certs
• kubernetes-dashboard-csrf
• kubernetes-dashboard-key-holder
• kubernetes-dashboard-token

The one you need is the secret that ends with -token.

To describe this token secret, run:

Command:

microk8s kubectl -n kube-system describe secret kubernetes-dashboard-token

Copy the long JWT value shown under token:

Now, go back to your dashboard login page and paste the token. This should log you in successfully.

If you still see the message “Unauthorized (401): Invalid credentials provided”, it may be because the Dashboard ServiceAccount does not have sufficient permissions.

In that case, create an admin account as follows:

On your master node, open a new file:

Command:

sudo nano admin-user.yaml

Copy the entire script below and paste it into the admin-user.yaml file you just created, as shown in the screenshot.

apiVersion: v1

kind: ServiceAccount

metadata:

  name: admin-user

  namespace: kube-system

---

apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1

kind: ClusterRoleBinding

metadata:

  name: admin-user

roleRef:

  apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io

  kind: ClusterRole

  name: cluster-admin

subjects:

- kind: ServiceAccount

  name: admin-user

  namespace: kube-system

Now, save and exit the file by pressing CTRL+O, then Enter, and finally CTRL+X.

Apply it by running the following command:

Command:

microk8s kubectl apply -f admin-user.yaml

This will create the admin user with cluster-admin privileges.

You should see output similar to:

Serviceaccount/admin-user unchanged

Clusterrolebinding.rbac.authorization.k8s.io/admin-user unchanged

This output means your admin-user ServiceAccount and ClusterRoleBinding are now correctly applied.

Now, get the login token for the Kubernetes dashboard by running:

Command:

microk8s kubectl -n kube-system create token admin-user

This will generate and display a long JWT token string. Copy this token for use on the dashboard login page.

Paste the copied token into the Kubernetes dashboard login screen and click Sign in.

Managing your cluster through the dashboard

Now, you are in Kubernetes dashboard. From here, you can:

• Monitor cluster health: view nodes, namespaces, workloads, and resource usage.
• Manage workloads: create, update, or delete Deployments, Pods, and ReplicaSets.
• Check services and networking: inspect Services, Ingress, and Endpoints.
• View and manage ConfigMaps & Secrets: securely handle application configurations.
• Manage RBAC and users: view Roles, RoleBindings, and ServiceAccounts.
• Troubleshoot: review logs, check events, and debug running Pods.

And that’s it! You have successfully learned how to install the Kubernetes dashboard.

The post How to Install the Kubernetes Dashboard appeared first on Novavps.

Novavps’s cloud infrastructure supports Docker seamlessly, making it easier for businesses and developers to deploy and scale containerized applications.

This guide walks you through the most commonly used Docker commands. Whether you are a beginner or refreshing your knowledge, these commands will serve as the foundation for working with Docker.

For this user guide, we are using a Novavps server with Docker. (Here’s instructions on how to deploy a Novavps server.) Instead of manually setting up Docker on a new server, you can simply choose a Novavps server image with Docker pre-installed during deployment. This saves time, ensures proper configuration, and allows you to start working with containers immediately on reliable cloud infrastructure.

Set up and authenticate

1. The first command verifies that Docker is installed and running. This displays the installed Docker version.

Command:

docker --version

2. The next command is used to authenticate with Docker Hub (or any other Docker registry). Authentication is required before you can push images to your account or pull private images. 

Command:

docker login

Go to https://login.docker.com/activate, enter the code and click Continue.

Confirm the code and click Continue.

Enter Username or email address using Docker for work. Click Continue.

Enter the Username or email address and Password and click Continue.

3. Docker images are like blueprints for containers. You can pull images directly from the Docker Hub.

Command:

docker pull ubuntu

Note: This command downloads the latest Ubuntu image locally. 

Manage images and containers

4. To view the images that are downloaded, run the following command:

docker images

5. Start a container from an image by running the below command:

docker run -it ubuntu

Note: This command creates a new container from the ubuntu image, starts that container and attaches you to its interactive shell (bash or sh depending on image). This command should be used when you want to start a brand-new container (For example: testing a fresh Ubuntu environment).

You’ll be inside the Ubuntu container’s shell, where you can run regular Linux commands just like you would on a normal Ubuntu machine. The -it option makes the container interactive, allowing you to execute commands directly inside it. 

6. Execute commands inside the running container with this command:

docker exec -it <container_id> bash

Note: Running this command opens a new bash shell inside an already running container. It does not create a new container, but it just gives you access to the existing one. Use this command only when you want to debug, inspect, or run extra commands inside a container that is already running (e.g., a web server container).

The key difference between docker run and docker exec

• docker run: creates & starts a new container from an image.
• docker exec: enters an existing running container. 

7. View containers:

• To view which containers are currently running

Command:

docker ps

• To view all containers that are running and stopped

Command:

docker ps –a

• To view the latest container

Command:

  docker ps –l

•  To view only the Id of the containers

Command:

 docker ps -q

8. Start, stop, and restart the containers:

• To start a container

Command:

docker start <container_id>

• To stop a container

Command:

docker stop <container_id>

• To stop multiple containers

Command:

 docker stop <container_id1> <container_id2>

• To restart a container

Command:

 docker restart <container_id>

9. Remove container and image:

• To remove a container

Command:

docker rm <container_id>

• To remove an image 

Command:

docker rmi <image_id>

• To check whether the image is removed from your system (from the screenshot, you can see there are no images as we removed the image).

Command:

docker images

Troubleshooting and monitoring

10. To troubleshoot or monitor

Command:

docker logs <container_id>

11. If you have a Docker file: 

• You can build your own image by running the below command:

Command:

docker build -t <image_name>:tag .

Or

Command:

docker build -t <image_name>

Note: 

• The first command

  docker build -t <image_name>:tag .

  builds an image from a Dockerfile, tags it with a name and version (e.g., myapp:1.0), and uses the current directory (.) as the build context.

• The second command

  docker build -t <image_name>

  assigns the default tag latest, creating an image named <image_name>:latest.

• Using explicit version tags (like v1, v2) is a best practice for version control and easier deployment management.
• Once you build your own customized image using a Dockerfile, you can store it in a remote registry like Docker Hub. To do this, push your image with the following command: 

Command:

docker push <Image_name/Image ID>

• The docker system prune command is a powerful cleanup tool that removes all unused Docker objects in one go, including stopped containers, build cache, unused networks, and dangling images (untagged images not used by any container).

Command:

docker system prune

12. Docker Inspection

When Docker containers run into errors, you can debug them using the docker inspect command. This provides detailed information about a container, including its configuration, state, networking, and mounted volumes.

Command:

docker inspect

13. Docker Container Top Command

The docker container top command displays the running processes inside a container. It works similar to the Linux top command but is specific to the container you target.

Command:

docker container top <container_id_or_name>

14. To access a Docker container from the outside world, you need to map a port on your host machine (e.g., your laptop) to a port inside the container. This process is called port mapping.

Command:

docker run -d -p <port_on_host>:<port_on_container><container_name>

For example: docker run -d -p 8080:80 nginx

Here, port 8080 on the host is mapped to port 80 inside the container, allowing you to access the Nginx web server by visiting  http://localhost:8080 in your browser.

That brings us to the end of our list of commands to help you manage your Docker containers.

The post Basic Docker Commands to Manage Your Containers appeared first on Novavps.

In this guide, we’ll demonstrate how to fix and secure a hacked WordPress site using MalCare (a dedicated WordPress security plugin that offers malware scanning, cleanup, firewall, and site hardening features). For convenience, we’re using a WordPress site deployed on a Novavps server. If you discover that your WordPress site has been hacked, here is a step-by-step guide to clean it up and strengthen its security.

Download MalCare

1. Go to MalCare’s website and click on Pricing.

• The free plan includes Prepend Firewall, Login Protection, Daily Malware Scan, Vulnerability Scanner, Centralized Updates, Bot Protection, and Customer Support.
• The paid plans offer additional features such as AI-powered Malware Scans, Automatic Backups, Activity Logs, Advanced Monitoring, and more.

Click on the “Protect Your Site For Free” button as shown in the screenshot below.

2. You can sign up by entering your Email Address, Password, and Confirm Password, or choose Connect with Google to sign in with your Google account. After signing up, verify your email using the confirmation link sent to our inbox.

3. From the MalCare dashboard, click on Send confirmation email again as shown in the screenshot below.

4. Check your inbox and click on Verify your email address.

5. You will be then redirected to MalCare Dashboard. Here, select Sites and click on Add Site. Enter your full site URL (e.g., https://yoursite.com).

6. Enter the site name and click Continue.

Configure MalCare

7. Here, you will have 2 options:

• Option A: Auto-Install Plugin: Enter your WordPress Admin Username & Password. MalCare will install the plugin automatically.
• Option B: Manual Installation: Click on Download as shown in the screenshot below to download the plugin zip file.

Note: Here, Manual installation is selected.

8. Now, Log in to your WordPress admin panel (/wp-admin). Navigate to Plugins from the left-side menu.

9. Choose Add New and click on Upload Plugin. Now, click on Choose file to upload the MalCare zip that is downloaded. Once the zip file is uploaded, click Install Now.

10. Now, click on Activate plugin.

11. Otherwise, return to the INSTALL PLUGIN page and click on TEST PLUGIN.

12. Once connected, click on INITIATE SYNC to scan your website.

Start security scan

13. Malware performs an initial security scan across 3 layers:

• Ozone Layer: Firewall, login protection, bot protection
• Cortex Layer: Malware scanner, vulnerability scanner, malware cleaner
• Carbon Layer: Backups, activity logs, performance monitoring

14. After a few minutes, the initial scan will reveal whether your site is: Clean or Infected with malware.

If infected, you’ll see details such as:

• Hacked files (PHP, JS, etc.)
• Malicious scripts injected into the database
• Outdated or vulnerable plugins and themes

Note: In the screenshot below, you can see 2 malicious files and 1 malicious script found.

15. Scroll down to the Ozone Layer and check whether there are any infected files. Here, you can

• Enable Firewall (included in free plan).
• Activate Login Protection:
  • Enforce strong passwords
  • Limit login attempts
  • Enable two-factor authentication
• Enable Bot Protection (premium) to block malicious crawlers.

16. Scroll down to the Cortex Layer to view the scan results. In this layer, you will find the infected files. If the site is hacked, the results will clearly show as ‘Hacked.’ To proceed, click on Review Malware to examine the details.

Note: If you scroll further down, you will also find the Vulnerability Scanner section, where you can keep your plugins and themes updated.

17. You can view the infected files by clicking View File. Alternatively, click Clean All Malware to remove all infected files at once.

MalCare automatically:

• Cleans infected files
• Removes malicious scripts from the database
• Resets WordPress security keys
• Clears cached files
• Updates compromised user passwords

18. You will be redirected to the CLEANUP page, where you can select the checkboxes as per your requirements and then click Continue.

19. As you can see, the cleanup has been initiated. It may take a few moments to complete.

20. Once completed, click on the View report button to see a detailed report.

21. The detailed report shows:

• Files cleaned
• Database entries removed

22. Now, return to your site by clicking on the site name in the top-left corner, and then select Review Security.

23. Now you will see the message: Your site is clean. This confirms that the cleanup process was successful, and your site is free from malware.

24. Scroll down to check if there are any infected files in the Carbon Layer as well.

Harden your WordPress site

1. Even after cleaning, it’s critical to strengthen defenses:

• Enable firewall (included in free plan).
• Activate login protection:
  • Enforce strong passwords
  • Limit login attempts
  • Enable two-factor authentication
• Enable Bot Protection (premium) to block malicious crawlers.
• Run Daily Malware Scans (every 24h on free, instant on premium).
• Keep Plugins & Themes Updated using MalCare’s centralized updates.
• Schedule Backups (premium) for disaster recovery.

2. Regularly check MalCare’s Activity Log to track suspicious changes.
3. Use Vulnerability Scanner to detect outdated plugins/themes.
4. Enable Uptime Monitoring to receive alerts if your site goes offline.
5. For mission-critical sites hosted on Novavps, consider upgrading to premium for real-time protection and instant malware removal.

And that’s it! We have covered the process of fixing and securing your hacked WordPress site, using MalCare, along with ways to harden your site so you never get hacked again.

The post How to Fix and Harden a Hacked WordPress Site appeared first on Novavps.

As a global cloud services provider, Novavps helps businesses maintain reliable, high-performance hosting environments but understanding and troubleshooting common errors like this one is essential for users and administrators alike.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to resolve the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error.

1. Check your Internet connection

• Verify network connection:

On your computer, check the wi-fi icon or network status bar. If it shows disconnected or no internet, you’ll need to reconnect.

• Reconnect or restart wi-fi:

On Windows, click the wi-fi icon in the taskbar-> select your network-> click Connect. On macOS, click the wi-fi icon in the menu bar-> turn wi-fi off-> wait 5 seconds-> turn it back on.

• Restart your router: 

Before diving into system configurations, restart your internet modem or router by powering off the device, waiting for 10-15 seconds, and then powering it back on. Once restarted, try accessing the website again.

• Switch to a different network:

 If available, try connecting to another wi-fi

2. Restart your browser

Sometimes the error may be caused by a temporary glitch in your browser. Close all open browser windows and restart the application, then try reloading the website. You can also open the site in an incognito/private browsing window, which disables cached data and extensions that might interfere with loading. If the issue persists, test the website on a different browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari to rule out browser-specific problems. 

3. Restart your device

Sometimes, background processes or temporary system glitches can interfere with your internet connection and cause errors like ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT. Performing a full restart clears the system memory and resets active processes, which often resolves these issues. To do this, simply reboot your computer or laptop. After the device powers back on, reconnect to the internet and try accessing the website again.

4. Clear browser cache and cookies

Over time, cached files and cookies stored by your browser can create conflicts that prevent websites from loading properly. 

To clear them in Google Chrome address bar, type chrome://settings/privacy. Under Privacy and security section, click Delete browsing data. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the Delete browsing data window directly.

network. This helps confirm whether the issue is with your device or your main internet connection.

Beside Time range, use the drop-down menu to select All time. Then check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Click Clear data, restart your browser, and try accessing the website again.  

Once complete, restart your browser and try reloading the website to see if the error is resolved.

5. Flush DNS cache

Your computer stores DNS information locally to speed up website loading, but if these entries become outdated or corrupted, they can block connections and cause errors. Flushing the DNS cache clears these records so your system can fetch fresh information from the DNS server. 

On Windows

• Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.

• In the Command Prompt, type:

Command:

ipconfig /flushdns

              Press Enter and wait for the confirmation message.

On macOS

Open Terminal, type sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder, press Enter and provide your password if prompted. Once complete, restart your browser and test the connection again.

On Linux

Open your terminal, log in via SSH as the root user, and run the following commands: 

If your system uses systemd-resolved for DNS resolution, you can check if the service is active by running: 
Command:

systemctl is-active systemd-resolved

If the service is active, use the following command to flush the DNS cache: 
Command:

sudo resolvectl flush-caches

To verify that the cache has been flushed, you can run: 
Command:

resolvectl statistics

6. Change DNS servers

Sometimes, the DNS server provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may be slow or unresponsive, which can lead to connection errors. Switching to a reliable public DNS server often resolves the issue and improves browsing speed. 

On Windows

1. Press Windows + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter to open Network Connections. Alternatively, go to Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change adapter settings.

2. Right-click your active network adapter and select Properties.

3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.

4. Choose Use the following DNS server addresses, and enter:

• Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
• Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4 (Google)
• Click OK and restart your browser.

5. After updating, restart your connection and try accessing the website again.

On macOS

1. Click the Apple menu and go to System Preferences → Network.
2. Select your active network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and click Advanced.
3. Open the DNS tab.
4. Click the + button and enter the new DNS addresses:

• 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google DNS), or
• 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare DNS).

1. Remove any old or unresponsive DNS entries by selecting them and clicking –.
2. Click OK, then Apply, and restart your browser.

On Linux

Open your terminal, log in via SSH as the root user, and run the following commands:  

1. Edit the /etc/resolv.conf file (temporary change) by running the following command:

Command:

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

Add the following lines:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

Save and exit by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y and Enter.

Note: You may see a line like nameserver 127.0.0.53. Do not remove this manually. This address is a local DNS stub resolver provided by systemd-resolved, which forwards queries to upstream servers (like 8.8.8.8) based on your system’s DNS configuration.

2. Set DNS Using resolvectl (Recommended for systemd-resolved)

Run the following command to configure DNS servers:
Command:

sudo resolvectl dns eth0 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4

Note: Replace eth0 with your actual network interface

To know your network interface, run
Command:

ip a

3. Use NetworkManager (if you’re on a desktop Linux)

If you’re using a desktop environment with NetworkManager, you can run
Command:

nm-connection-editor

• Now, Go to your active connection → IPv4 Settings
• Set Method to Automatic (DHCP) addresses only
• Enter DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
• Save and reconnect 

Then apply the changes, by running the below command
Command:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

7. Disable VPN or proxy settings

If you are using a VPN or proxy service, it may interfere with your internet connection and cause errors like ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT. VPNs can sometimes route traffic through congested or blocked servers, while misconfigured proxy settings may prevent your browser from reaching the website. To rule this out, temporarily disable your VPN or proxy and try accessing the site again. 

On Windows
Go to Settings -> Network & Internet -> Proxy

(or) 

Settings -> Network & Internet -> VPN and disable any active proxy.

On macOS

1. Go to System Preferences-> Network.
2. Select your active network, click Advanced-> Proxies.
3. Uncheck any selected proxy options and click OK.

On Linux
Check for proxy settings in environment variables or network configuration tools.

8. Disable Antivirus or firewall temporarily

Antivirus software and firewalls are designed to protect your device from threats, but sometimes they can mistakenly block safe websites or prevent certain connections. If you suspect this is the case, temporarily turn off your antivirus program or firewall and then try loading the website again. 

On Windows

• Disable Windows Defender Firewall

Press Win + R, type control, and hit Enter to open Control Panel. Go to System and Security/ Windows Defender Firewall. In the left menu, click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.  

Under both Private and Public network settings, select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended). Click OK and test your connection. 

• For third-party antivirus (e.g., Avast, Norton, McAfee)

Locate the antivirus icon in the system tray at the bottom-right corner of the taskbar. Right-click the icon (as shown for McAfee in your screenshot) and explore the available options. Look for additional menus or settings within the antivirus dashboard that allow you to temporarily disable protection, pause real-time scanning, or turn off the antivirus. 

Note: After testing, be sure to re-enable both your antivirus and firewall to maintain system security. Let me know if you want Linux-specific instructions as well.  

9. Check website status

Sometimes the error isn’t caused by your device or network at all. The website itself may be experiencing downtime or server issues. In such cases, no amount of local troubleshooting will fix the problem. To confirm whether the issue is on your end or the website’s, you can use online monitoring tools such as DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com or IsItDownRightNow.com. These services check the site from multiple locations worldwide and let you know if it’s down for everyone or just you.

If the tool shows the website is down globally, the only option is to wait until the site’s administrators or hosting provider restore service. However, if the site appears to be working for others, then the problem is likely related to your own internet connection, DNS, or device settings.

10. Check your hosts file

Your computer uses a local file called the hosts file to map domain names to IP addresses. If this file contains incorrect or outdated entries, it can block access to certain websites by overriding DNS resolution. Checking and correcting the hosts file can often resolve connection errors. 

• The hosts file may contain incorrect entries blocking access.
• On Windows:
  • Open C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts with Notepad.

Look for the domain you’re trying to access in the hosts file. If you find it, remove the entry. The file usually contains some default lines that begin with the “#” symbol (comments). Any blocked or manually added websites will appear below these lines. Delete the unwanted entries, then press ctrl+s to save your changes.

On macOS

• Open the Terminal. Enter your admin password if prompted.
• Type sudo nano /private/etc/hosts and press Enter.
• Review the file for the domain you’re trying to access. If you see any list of websites appearing below the “::1” entry and if you find any conflicting entries (e.g., your domain pointing to the wrong IP), delete them. 
• Save and exit, then restart your browser.

Note: Only edit the hosts file if you’re confident about the changes. Deleting or altering the wrong entries may affect how your system resolves other websites.

On Linux

• Open the Terminal. Enter your username and password when prompted. 
• Type sudo nano /etc/hosts and press Enter.
• Review the file for the domain you’re trying to access. In this example, the file only shows default localhost and IPv6 entries, and no additional websites are listed below the “::1” entry. If you find any conflicting entries (e.g., your domain pointing to the wrong IP), delete them and save the file.
• To exit the Nano editor, press ctrl+x. When prompted to save changes, press Y. Nano will then ask for a filename. Press Enter to confirm the existing name or type a new name.

11. Update network adapter drivers

Outdated or corrupted network drivers can sometimes cause connectivity problems, including errors like ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT. Updating your drivers ensures your network adapter is running with the latest fixes and compatibility improvements.

On Windows

1. Press Windows + X on your keyboard and select Device Manager. Alternatively, go to Control Panel-> Device Manager.

2. In the list, expand Network adapters.

3. Right-click your active network adapter and choose Update driver.

4. Select Search automatically for updated driver software. Windows will look online for the latest version and install it if available.

After updating, restart your device to apply the changes and test your connection again.

On macOS

macOS manages network drivers through regular system updates. To update, go to Menu-> System Preferences-> Software Update and install any available updates. This will ensure your network adapter is using the most recent version supported by your system.

After updating, restart your device to apply the changes and test your connection again.

On Linux (Ubuntu/Debian-based distributions)

Linux users also update their network drivers to fix connectivity issues like ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT. Unlike Windows/macOS, Linux drivers are usually bundled with the kernel or package manager updates, but manual updates may be required in some cases.

1. First, update all system packages to ensure you have the latest drivers:

Command:

 sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade –y

2. The below command displays details about the system’s network adapters and their drivers. 

Command:

 lshw –C network

3. If you know your network adapter model, you can search for drivers with:

Command:

sudo apt search <driver-name>

(For example: sudo apt search virtio_net)

4. To apply changes, reboot your system:

Command:

sudo reboot

12. Contact your hosting provider

If none of the above solutions resolve the issue, the problem may be server-side. In this case, contact Novavps support directly. Their team can review server logs, check configurations, and determine if there is downtime or a network-related issue affecting your service. 

1. From the left-side menu, select Servers. When the list of servers is displayed, click Open next to the server you want to access. 

2. Select NETWORKS as shown in the screenshot below.

3. When you click the Add Network Interface button, you can attach an additional network interface (NIC) to your server. This action opens a dialog box where you can configure the network details and choose how the new interface will be added. 

In the dialog box (as shown in the screenshot), you can:

• Network: From the drop-down menu, choose which network the new NIC will connect to.
• Select IP: Pick a specific IP address for the new NIC (or let the system handle it).

You are then given three options for proceeding:

• Reboot and Add Automatically: The server will reboot, add the new NIC, and configure the IP address automatically in the operating system.
• Reboot and Add Manually: The server will reboot, add the new NIC, but you must manually configure the IP address within the operating system.
• Cancel: Abort the action without making changes.

Note:

• Adding a NIC requires a forced reboot of the server.
• Make sure there are no running applications or critical processes, as this could cause data loss or application issues.
• It is recommended to shut down the server safely from inside the operating system before proceeding with the reboot.

4. Click on the Actions button to open a drop-down menu with different management options.

• Connect: Attach and activate the network interface.
• Disconnect: Detach and deactivate the network interface.
• Change network: Reassign the interface to another available network.
• Add IP address: Assign an additional IP address to the interface.
• Remove IP: 103.195.44.91: Delete the specific IP address from the interface.
• Remove interface: Permanently remove the network interface from the server.
• Statistics: View traffic and usage statistics for the interface.
• Change interface type: Modify the type of the interface (e.g., public/private).

Let’s discuss each option in detail:

1. Connect: This option allows you to establish a secure connection between your local system and the Novavps cloud environment. By using this feature, you can quickly access your virtual machines, applications, or services hosted on Novavps. Depending on your setup, the connection can be made through different methods such as SSH (for Linux servers), RDP (for Windows servers), or a web-based console provided in the Novavps management panel.
2. Disconnect: This option allows you to safely terminate the active connection between your local system and the Novavps cloud server. Using this ensures that the session is properly closed without leaving any open connections that could pose security or performance risks.
3. Change network: The Change network option allows you to move your server’s network interface from one network to another within the Novavps Cloud environment. This is useful if you need to:

• Assign your server to a different VLAN or subnet.
• Switch between private and public networks.
• Allocate a new IP address from a different network pool.

When you select Change network, a dialog box opens (as shown in the screenshot). Here you can select the network and IP from the drop-down menu.

• Network: Choose the target network you want to connect your server to.
• Select IP: Assign an available IP address from the chosen network.

By clicking on Reboot and Change Automatically, the server will perform a forced reboot, automatically switching the network and configuring the IP in the operating system. Click Cancel to abort the process and keep the current network settings unchanged.

Note: Clicking on Reboot and Change Automatically, will perform force reboot of the server. So, ensure that no critical applications or processes are running to avoid data loss or corruption. It’s recommended to shut down the server gracefully from the operating system before applying this change.

4. Add IP Address: This option allows you to assign an additional IP address to your server’s existing network interface. This is useful when you need multiple IPs for hosting different applications, SSL certificates, or separating traffic.

When you choose this option, a dialog box appears (as shown in the screenshot):

• Network: Displays the current network the interface is connected to (e.g., wan-as).
• Select IP: Lets you select an available IP address from the chosen network’s pool.

After selecting the IP, you can either click on Reboot and Add Automatically, by which the server will perform a forced reboot, add the selected IP, and automatically configure it within the operating system or click Cancel to abort the process without making any changes.

Note: Clicking on Reboot and Add Automatically will trigger a Force Reboot. So, ensure that no critical or running applications are active to prevent data loss or corruption. Novavps recommends shutting down the server gracefully from within the operating system before applying this change.

5. Remove IP: 103.195.44.91: Deletes the selected IP address from the current network interface. The interface itself remains active, but the removed IP will no longer be available for use on this server.
6. Remove Interface: Permanently detaches the entire network interface (NIC) from the server, including all associated IP addresses. Once removed, the server will no longer be able to use this interface unless it is re-added.
7. Network Info: It provides detailed information about the server’s current network configuration. This is useful for administrators who need to troubleshoot connectivity issues, configure firewalls, or verify server networking details.

From the screenshot, the displayed details include:

• IP Address: 103.195.4.41
  The current public IP address assigned to the server.
• Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
  It defines the network’s size, and which IPs are part of the same subnet. In this case, it allows up to 254 usable IP addresses within the 103.195.4.x range.
• Default Gateway: 103.195.4.254
  The gateway through which the server communicates with external networks, such as the internet. 

8. Change Network Interface Type: This option allows you to switch the type of virtual network interface (NIC) assigned to your server. This is important when optimizing performance, ensuring compatibility with the operating system, or troubleshooting networking issues.

When you choose this option, a dialog box appears (as shown in the screenshot):

• Current Interface Type: VirtIO (paravirtualized) This is a high-performance NIC commonly used in virtualized environments. It provides better throughput and lower latency compared to emulated NICs, but it requires VirtIO drivers to be installed in the operating system.

• Network Interface Type: From the drop-down menu, you can choose a different NIC type (e.g., e1000, rtl8139, etc.), depending on compatibility and requirements.

Note:

• Changing NIC type might cause network issues. For example, the server could lose network access if the operating system does not have the proper drivers or if the new NIC type is incompatible. It is strongly recommended that you fully understand the implications before applying this change. 
• When you click Reboot and Change, the server will undergo a forced reboot. To avoid potential damage to files or applications within the operating system, it is recommended to first shut down the server before rebooting.
• Select a new NIC type only if necessary (e.g., due to driver issues, OS compatibility, or performance tuning). Always ensure that drivers for the selected NIC are available in the operating system before making the change.

And that’s it! By following these steps, you’ll be better equipped to handle this common hosting challenge in the future. Resolving this issue can bring your website back online and improve its overall performance.

The post How to Fix the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error appeared first on Novavps.

Quick signal cheat sheet

SIGTERM (15): ask the process to exit gracefully (default)
SIGKILL (9): force stop (last resort)

Step-by-step guide

1. Connect and prepare

To begin managing your server, you first need to establish a secure connection to it. This is done using SSH (Secure Shell), which allows you to remotely log in and run commands on the server.

Command: ssh user@your.server.ip 

ssh: The command used to start an SSH session.

User: Replace this with your server’s username (for example, root or another admin account). 

Your.server.ip: Replace this with the public IP address or hostname of your server.

When you run this command, you will be prompted to enter the account’s password (unless you have configured SSH keys). Once authenticated, you will gain terminal access to your server, and from there you can run the necessary setup or management commands.

Note: If you’re already logged in as the root user (likely on Novavps), you don’t need sudo.

2. Viewing running processes

To monitor and understand what applications or services are currently active on your server, you can list the running processes. 

Command: ps

It displays processes running under the current shell (the session you are logged into). Useful for quickly checking what you personally started in this session.

Command: ps aux

a: Shows processes for all users, not just your own.

u: Provides detailed information such as the user running the process, CPU usage, and memory usage.

x: Includes processes that don’t have a controlling terminal (for example, background services like web servers or databases).

This command gives a comprehensive overview of all running processes on the system, making it easier to identify resource-heavy tasks or troubleshoot issues.

3. Identifying processes

When managing a server, it’s important to identify which processes are running, their process IDs (PIDs), and what resources they are using. Below are different ways to find them: 

• By PID (Process ID):

Command: ps aux | grep <name>

It searches for a process by name and shows detailed information, including its PID.

Example: ps aux | grep sshd. 

This will display all running sshd processes as shown in the screen below.

• By process name (more targeted):

Command: pgrep -fl <process_name>

It lists processes by name along with their PIDs and easier to use than ps aux | grep since it directly searches processes.

Example: pgrep –fl sshd

This will show the PID(s) and command line for all running sshd processes.

• By resource usage (when you’re unsure):

       Command: top   

An interactive tool showing CPU, memory, and other resource usage. This command is useful for spotting processes that are consuming a lot of resources.  

Press P or M to sort by CPU or memory

Press k: kill a process (enter PID and signal when prompted)

Press h: show help menu

Press q: That immediately quits the top session. 

Command: htop 

This command gives a more user-friendly, interactive version of top. It displays processes in a tree view, making it easier to understand parent-child relationships. Here, you can scroll, search, and kill processes directly from the interface as shown in the screen below.

Note: htop interface is shown only if it is already installed.

• By network port (for services)

Sometimes you need to check which service is listening on a specific port.

Command: sudo ss -lptn | grep :<port>

Example: sudo ss -lptn | grep :22 

This shows which process is listening on port 22 (typically SSH). 

Command: sudo lsof -i :<port> -sTCP:LISTEN

Example: sudo lsof -i :22 -sTCP:LISTEN 

This lists the process (with PID and command) that is listening on port 22. 

4. Graceful termination (SIGTERM)

When you want to stop a process, it is best to begin with a graceful termination. This uses the SIGTERM (signal 15), which politely asks the process to shut down. Unlike a forced kill, SIGTERM allows the application to clean up resources, close files, or save data before exiting. 

Note: Always try SIGTERM first before moving to stronger signals (like SIGKILL), as it minimizes the risk of data loss or corruption. 

Command: sudo kill <PID>

Here, replace <PID> with the Process ID of the application you want to stop.

(or) explicitly (with signal 15):

Command: sudo kill -15 <PID>

Here, replace <PID> with the Process ID of the application you want to stop.

5. Kill by name (when multiple instances)

Sometimes, you may need to stop all processes running under the same name instead of identifying and terminating them one by one. Linux provides multiple ways to do this: 

Here, we used the process name ‘yes’. It is actually a standard Linux/Unix command-line utility. When you run ‘yes’ in a terminal, it outputs y (or any string you provide) repeatedly until stopped. Because it runs continuously, it’s often used as a simple example process in tutorials about terminating processes. 

• Using pkill (pattern-based):

Command: sudo pkill -TERM <process_name>

Example: sudo pkill -TERM yes

This command sends a termination signal (SIGTERM) to all processes whose names match the given pattern.
Note: Because pkill uses pattern matching, it may terminate unintended processes if the name is too broad. 

• Using killall (exact match):

Command: sudo killall -TERM <process_name>

Example: sudo killall -TERM yes

This command stops all processes with the exact specified name. It is generally safer than pkill when you know the exact process name.

• Using kill with PID (targeted):

Command: sudo kill -TERM <PID>

Example: sudo kill -TERM 28353

This method requires the specific PID (Process ID) and affects only that single process. 

Note: Use kill with a PID when possible for precision, and use killall if you are sure of the process name. Use pkill cautiously due to its pattern-matching behavior.

6. Force kill (SIGKILL) (use as last resort)

If a process does not respond to a graceful termination (SIGTERM), you can use SIGKILL (signal 9) to immediately force it to stop. Unlike SIGTERM, this method does not allow the process to perform cleanup (such as saving data or closing connections), so it should only be used when other methods fail.  

• Kill by PID (most precise): 

Command: sudo kill -9 <PID>

Example: sudo kill -9 28374

This terminates the specific process with the given PID instantly. 

• Kill by process name (pkill):

Command: sudo pkill -9 <process_name>

Example: sudo pkill -9 yes

This command terminates all processes matching the given name. 

• Kill by process name (killall)

Command: sudo killall -9 <process_name>

Example: sudo killall -9 yes

This command also terminates all processes matching the specified name. 

Note: Use SIGKILL only, when necessary, as it does not allow the process to clean up resources or save work. 

7. Interactive termination using top or htop

You can terminate processes interactively using system monitoring tools like top or htop, which allow you to view running processes and send signals directly. 

• Steps in top:

Open the terminal and run the below command

Command: top

This displays a live list of running processes. 

Press k to initiate a process kill and enter the PID (Process ID) of the process you want to terminate as shown in the screen below.

Example: In the example below, we want to kill the process named ‘yes’, which has a PID of ‘28403’. 

Enter the signal number to send (The default signal is 15 (SIGTERM), which requests graceful termination. Use 9 (SIGKILL) only if the process does not respond). Press Enter to confirm and send the signal. 

From the screen below, you can verify that the ‘yes’ process has been terminated. 

When you exit top by pressing q, you will see a line like: [2]- Terminated yes > /dev/null indicating that the process has terminated.

• Steps in htop:

Open the terminal and run: 

Command: htop

This displays a colorful, interactive list of running processes. 

Use the arrow keys to navigate and select the process you want to terminate. 

Example: Here, the process name ‘yes’ is selected with PID 28448.

Press F9 to bring up the kill menu. Now, select the signal you want to send (Default is 15 (SIGTERM) for graceful termination. Use 9 (SIGKILL) if the process does not respond). Press Enter to confirm and send the signal.

The process will be terminated, and the list will update automatically as shown in the screen below.

8. Handle zombies & orphaned processes

A zombie process is a process that has completed execution but still remains in the process table because its parent has not yet read its exit status. Zombie processes cannot be killed directly, as they are already terminated. 

How to identify:

• Run the below command to list all processes.  

Command: ps

Once the processes are listed, you can see the number of zombie processes (for example, 1 zombie). Zombie processes are marked with a Z in the process status column, as shown in the screen below. 

How to clean up:

• Send a SIGCHLD signal to the parent process to encourage it to reap the zombie child.

Command: kill -s SIGCHLD <parent_PID>

To find the Parent Process ID (PID), use the following commands:

Command: ps aux | grep ‘zombie’

Command: top

Note: Zombie processes cannot be killed directly. Prompting the parent or terminating it (if safe) allows the system to clean up the zombie process. 

9. Managing service-managed processes with systemd in Novavps

Many processes on Novavps servers are managed by systemd, which handles starting, stopping, and monitoring services. You can use systemd commands to stop, check, or forcibly terminate services. 

Note: If you’re already logged in as the root user (likely on Novavps), you don’t need sudo.

• To know the services that are running, active, inactive, failed, run the below command:

               Command: systemctl list-units --type=service

• Stop a service:

Command: systemctl stop <service>

Example: systemctl stop irqbalance

This stops the specified service and prevents it from running until manually restarted.

Now, check the service status by running the below command.

Command: systemctl status <service>

Example: systemctl status irqbalance

From the screen below you can see the status is Inactive. It also displays logs and any active processes for the service.

• Force kill a service (if unresponsive)

Command: systemctl kill <service>

(or)

Command: systemctl kill --signal=SIGKILL <service>

• If you want to make sure it doesn’t start again after reboot, you should also disable it:

Command: systemctl disable <service>

10. For Novavps users

• Ensure SSH reliability:

When running long processes over SSH, they may be terminated if the connection drops. To prevent this, you can use nohup to run commands immune to hangups:

Command: nohup <command> &

Example: nohup top &

The trailing & makes the process run in the background, even if you log out (hangup), the process keeps running.

• screen to create a detachable session that continues running even if you disconnect.

• Watch automatic restarts:

Some services may automatically respawn, which can interfere with maintenance or stopping processes. To prevent this: 

Command: sudo systemctl disable --now <service>

Example: sudo systemctl disable –now irqbalance 

This stops the service immediately and disables automatic restart on boot. 

• Manage clustered or background tools:

For services managed by clustering or process managers (e.g., Docker containers, PM2 for Node.js apps), ensure you handle restarts according to their management tools to avoid unexpected service behavior.

Note: Using these methods helps maintain control over running processes and prevents accidental terminations or restarts during server maintenance.

• Killing a process with xkill (desktop environments only)

On Linux systems with a graphical desktop environment (less common on Novavps servers but useful on local workstations), you can use xkill to forcefully terminate unresponsive windows. 

a. Install xkill by running the below command:

Command: sudo apt install x11-utils

b. Run xkill: 

Command: xkill

Your mouse pointer will change to a cross or skull icon.

c. Terminate the window:

Click on the window you want to close. The system will immediately kill the process associated with that window.

Note: xkill forcefully terminates the process behind a window (similar to kill -9). Only use it when the normal close options do not work, as it does not allow the process to perform any cleanup.

And that’s it! You have now learned safe ways to find and end Linux processes on your Novavps cloud server.

The post How to kill a process in Linux appeared first on Novavps.

For this process, we will be using an Ubuntu server on Novavps’s cloud platform. Here’s how to deploy a Novavps server.

1. Enter your credentials to access the Novavps management console and click Login. Your Ubuntu server will appear in the SERVER MANAGEMENT dashboard. Click on Actions, then select Clone to hard disk library from the dropdown menu.

2. If there are no active snapshots, you will see the screen below. Check the box next to Hard Disk 1, enter a name in the Disk Name field, and click Clone Selected Disks to proceed.

3. Under the Tasks Queue, you will see a Success message next to the Clone to Hard Disk Library operation.

4. From the left-hand navigation menu, choose Hard Disk Library.  

5. Then, select the appropriate Zone (data center location) where the clone was created (here, AS- Hong Kong, China is selected).

6. Click on the MY PRIVATE IMAGES tab to view your backup image, which you can use to create new servers or attach as a disk. 

       Note: In Novavps, backups are stored as server images. These images can be used to restore your server or to create new ones.

7. Click on the Actions button located next to your backup image. A dropdown menu will appear with several options, including:

• Create New Server: Launch a new server using this backup image. 
• Edit: Change the name, description, and configuration of the backup image.
• Clone Image: Make a duplicate copy of the backup image.
• Delete: Permanently remove the backup image from your library. 
• Permissions: Manage who can access or use this backup image.  

Now let’s go through each option in detail: 

• Create new server:

When you click on Create New Server, you will see the Origin Server Information, which includes the backup image you selected and the server zone.

You can toggle to Detailed View to configure server specifications such as:

• • Type (General, Dedicated, Burstable, High Availability)
  • CPU (number of cores)
  • RAM (memory size)
• Storage and additional resources

For step-by-step instructions on how to configure these specifications, refer to: How to Configure a Windows Server on Novavps.

Note: While the guide shows Windows configuration, the process and options are the same for Linux and other operating systems.

• Edit: 

When you click on Edit, a pop-up window opens where you can configure the details.

The table below explains each option available in this configuration screen:

Remaining columns:

Once the required information is filled in, click Update to save the changes, or click Cancel to discard them. 

• Clone Image

When you click on Clone Image, a new window will appear. In this window, select the destination zone and enter a disk name. Once completed, click Clone Image to start the process. This creates a copy of your server’s disk image, which can later be used to restore the server or create a new one. You can monitor the progress in the Tasks Queue section. 

By following these steps, you can easily create and manage server backups (stored as images) in Novavps, enabling reliable restore options and ensuring business continuity across your cloud infrastructure. 

Novavps also supports snapshots, which are point-in-time copies of your server’s disk. While snapshots are useful for quick rollbacks (e.g., before system updates), backups (stored as images) are better suited for long-term retention and reliable restoration. 

Creating and Using Snapshots

A snapshot is a point-in-time image of your server’s entire state, including the operating system, configuration, applications, and data. In Novavps, snapshots serve as a fast and reliable backup method, allowing you to capture the current condition of a server before making major changes such as software updates, configuration tweaks, or system upgrades.

1. Since the Ubuntu server is set up and running, let’s proceed to create a snapshot. Navigate to the Snapshots tab and click Create Snapshot. 

2. Enter the name for the snapshot and click Create Snapshot and wait for the snapshot to complete.  

3. Once the snapshot is created, it will appear under the Snapshots tab. You will see two available options: Revert and Commit. 

Click on Revert option.

4. When you click on Revert, the following screen will appear. 

Click on Revert to Snapshot.

Note: This action restores the server’s hard disk to the exact state it was in at the time the snapshot was taken. It is especially useful for rolling back changes made during software updates, configuration modifications, or in the event of system failures.

5. In the screen below, you will see that the server state is OFF. Click on the Actions button and select Power ON to start the server. 

6. When you click on the Commit button, a confirmation pop-up window will appear. Click on Commit Snapshot to proceed with deleting the snapshot. This action is typically performed after confirming that the system is stable, and the snapshot is no longer needed for recovery.

You’ve now learned how to take a snapshot, use it safely, and clone a server in Novavps. These steps help you back up your server, make changes with confidence, and quickly create copies when needed. Novavps also offers backup services. For a small monthly fee, daily backups of your server are saved for up to 14 days. If the worst happens, Novavps’s technical support team will perform a full restoration on your server, or only on the files that are inaccessible. If you haven’t signed up for our monthly service, don’t worry. Backup restoration is available to all our customers.

The post How Do I Back Up my Server and Restore from a Backup? appeared first on Novavps.

Before starting the upgrade, back up all critical databases and configuration files, as the upgrade process may involve changes that are not reversible.

This guide walks you through the step-by-step process to upgrade MySQL 5.6 to 5.7 safely on a CentOS 7 server installed using the server OS images provided by the Novavps cloud platform.

Step-by-step guide

1. For this guide, we are using CentOS 7, installed via Novavps’s Server OS images. In the Novavps management console, select the server, click on CONNECT in the middle pane, and then choose Open Remote Console as shown in the screen below. 

2.  Once the remote console is open, log in using your username and password.

3. Now, connect to the server via SSH using the root user and password:

Command:

ssh root@<your-server-ip>

Note: Replace <your-server-ip> with the actual public IP address of your Novavps server.
When prompted with: “Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? Type yes and press Enter.

Then, when prompted, enter the root password to complete the login.

4. Confirm your current MySQL version: 

Command:

mysql –V

Note: It should show something like: mysql Ver 14.14 Distrib 5.6.51.

5. Now, check whether  mysqldump tool (which is part of MySQL client utilities) is installed on your CentOS 7 server. If it is not installed, you can install the MySQL Client tools using the MySQL yum repository.

Command:

sudo yum install mysql -y

Note: This package includes mysql, mysqldump, and other essential client tools.

6. Before making any changes, back up your existing databases and MySQL configuration. 

• Backup all databases: 

To do that, use mysqldump to create a full backup of all MySQL databases

Command:

mysqldump -u root -p --all-databases > /root/all-databases-backup.sql 

• This will prompt you for your MySQL root password. Enter the password.
• It creates a file /root/all-databases-backup.sql containing all your databases.

• Backup MySQL configuration file:

Run the command below to make a copy of the current MySQL configuration in case you need to restore it.

       Command:

 cp /etc/my.cnf  /etc/my.cnf.bak

Note: You may also take a snapshot if you’re using Novavps’s cloud server snapshot feature. 

7. Remove MySQL 5.6 and related server/client packages: 

Use the command below, if you already installed MySQL 5.6 and want to upgrade cleanly to 5.7. 

Command:

yum remove mysql mysql-server mysql-libs mysql-community-server

Note: This removes the actual MySQL 5.6 components (binaries, libraries, and running server).

8. Remove the MySQL 5.6 YUM repository config:

Use this if you added the MySQL 5.6 YUM repo earlier, so you can replace it with the 5.7 repo.

Command:

sudo yum remove mysql-community-release

Note: This removes the repository configuration, which helps prevent conflicts when you later add the MySQL 5.7 repo.

9. Now, download and add the official MySQL 5.7 repository from Oracle: 

Command:

wget https://dev.mysql.com/get/mysql57-community-release-el7-11.noarch.rpm

10. Once downloaded, install the RPM. 

Command:

sudo rpm -ivh mysql57-community-release-el7-11.noarch.rpm

Note: You should see messages like Preparing… and Installing… if it’s successful.

(An .rpm file is like a .exe installer on Windows or .deb on Debian-based Linux.
It contains precompiled software, configuration files, and metadata to install a program cleanly).

11. Proceed to Install MySQL 5.7 

Command:

 sudo yum install mysql-community-server 

When prompted “Is this ok [y/d/N]”.  Type y and press Enter.

12. Ensure that only MySQL 5.7 is enabled by running the below commands: 

Command:

sudo yum-config-manager --disable mysql80-community

Command:

sudo yum-config-manager --enable mysql57-community

13. Now upgrade the MySQL server package:

Command:

sudo yum update mysql-server

14. Ensure the MySQL service is running and enabled on boot: 

Command:

sudo systemctl start mysqld

Command:

sudo systemctl enable mysqld

15. This command is used to check and upgrade the MySQL system tables after a MySQL version upgrade (for example, from 5.6 to 5.7 or 5.7 to 8.0).                                         

Command:

mysql_upgrade -u root -p

16. Once the upgrade script is complete, restart the service by running the below command.

Command:

sudo systemctl restart mysqld

17. Now, check that the new version is installed:

Command:

mysql -V

Note: It should show something like: mysql Ver 14.14 Distrib 5.7.44.

18. Check for any post-upgrade warnings or errors:

Command:

sudo tail -n 100 /var/log/mysqld.log

19. Verify that your applications and databases are functioning correctly after the upgrade. 

• Check MySQL Server Status:

Command:

sudo service mysqld status

Note: Should say: active (running)

• Log In to MySQL

Command:

mysql -u root –p

When prompted, enter the password.

Now, run the queries:

SHOW DATABASES;

SELECT VERSION(); 

Note: This confirms access and upgraded version.

By carefully following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully upgrade MySQL from 5.6 to 5.7 on your CentOS 7 server while minimizing downtime and ensuring data integrity, keeping your environment secure and up to date.

The post Upgrade MySQL 5.6 to 5.7 on CentOS 7 appeared first on Novavps.

Step-by-step guide

1. Click on the Start menu and select Settings (gear icon).

2. Navigate to Time & Language.

3. Select the Language tab from the sidebar.

4. Under Preferred languages, click Add a language.

5. Search for your desired language (e.g., French, German, Japanese) using the search bar. Click on the language, then select Next.

Note: When you hover over the icons next to the selected language, you’ll see available features such as Text-to-speech, Speech recognition, and Handwriting.

6. Then, you will see your Preferred language, along with Optional and Required language features listed. Click Install to proceed.

Note: If you click on Choose a different language, you will be prompted to select a new preferred language from the list.

7. After installation, return to the Language settings page. From the Windows display language dropdown, select your newly installed language. 

Note: You’ll be prompted to sign out and sign back in for changes to take effect.

8. Under Preferred languages, click your installed language (e.g., English) and click the Options button.

9. In the next screen, you can:

• View current layouts and you can update the layouts by clicking on Settings.
• Click on Add a keyboard layout, then you will see options like: US QWERTY, UK, Dvorak, AZERTY, etc.
• Remove layouts you don’t need.

10. Again, from the Start menu, go to Settings -> Time & Language.
Select the Region tab from the left-hand menu.

If you want your regional format (e.g., date, time, currency) to match the newly selected language, click on Regional format or select Settings under the Regional format section, as shown in the above screen.

11. The new screen lets you set your country or region and choose a regional format for how dates, times, and numbers are displayed.

• Country or region: Determines local content.
• Regional format: Controls date and time styles (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY, 12-hour clock).
• You can choose a different region and format independently.

12. Again, from the Start menu, go to Settings -> Time & Language->Language (from the left-hand menu). Now, select Keyboard.

13. You can customize how Windows handles your input methods. Under Override for default input method, select Use language list (recommended) or choose your preferred language-specific keyboard layout. This ensures that your keyboard input matches your newly selected display language.

14. Restart your system or sign out and back in for the new language settings to fully apply.

And that’s it! You have now successfully changed your Windows operating system language.

The post How to Change a Windows Operating System Language appeared first on Novavps.

This guide walks you through multiple solutions to resolve the issue on Windows and Linux systems. Novavps’s high-performance cloud infrastructure ensures DNS resolution issues are rare, but when they occur, this guide will help you troubleshoot effectively. 

1. Restart your computer and modem/router 

Before diving into system configurations, restart your internet modem or router by powering off the device, waiting for 10-15 seconds, and then powering it back on. Once restarted, try accessing the website again.

2. Clear browser DNS cache

To clear the DNS cache in Google Chrome, open Chrome and in the address bar type chrome://net-internals/#dns, then click on Clear host cache. After that, restart the browser and try accessing the website again.

3. Clear browser cache and cookies 

Sometimes, corrupted cache or cookies can interfere with DNS resolution. To clear them in Google Chrome address bar, type chrome://settings/privacy. Under Privacy and security section, click Delete browsing data. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the Delete browsing data window directly. 

Beside Time range, use the drop-down menu to select All time. Then check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Click Clear data, restart your browser, and try accessing the website again. 

4. Reset Chrome flags

Google Chrome includes experimental features known as “flags” that users can enable or disable to test new functionalities. Occasionally, changing these settings can interfere with how Chrome handles DNS, causing errors like DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.

To reset Chrome flags, open Chrome and in the address bar, type chrome://flags. At the top-right, click the “Reset all” button, then restart Chrome.

5. Flush your system DNS cache

Over time, your system stores DNS records in a local cache to speed up domain resolution. However, if this cached data becomes outdated or corrupted, it can lead to errors like DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. Flushing the DNS cache forces your system to discard old entries and fetch updated DNS information, often resolving the issue quickly. 

On Windows

• Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.

In the Command Prompt, type:

Command: ipconfig /flushdns

Press Enter and wait for the confirmation message.

On Linux

Open your terminal, log in via SSH as the root user, and run the following commands: 

If your system uses systemd-resolved for DNS resolution, you can check if the service is active by running: 

Command: systemctl is-active systemd-resolved

If the service is active, use the following command to flush the DNS cache: 

Command: sudo resolvectl flush-caches

To verify that the cache has been flushed, you can run: 

Command: resolvectl statistics

6. Change DNS server settings 

Sometimes, your ISP’s DNS may fail to resolve domains. You can switch to a public DNS provider like Google.

On Windows

1. Go to Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change adapter settings.

2. Right-click your active network adapter and select Properties.

3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.

4. Choose Use the following DNS server addresses, and enter:

• Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
• Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4 (Google)
• Click OK and restart your browser.

On Linux

Open your terminal, log in via SSH as the root user, and run the following commands: 

• Edit the /etc/resolv.conf file (temporary change) by running the following command:

Command: sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

Add the following lines:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

Save and exit by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y and Enter.

Note: You may see a line like nameserver 127.0.0.53- do not remove this manually.
This address is a local DNS stub resolver provided by systemd-resolved, which forwards queries to upstream servers (like 8.8.8.8) based on your system’s DNS configuration.

• Set DNS Using resolvectl (Recommended for systemd-resolved)

Run the following command to configure DNS servers: 

Command: sudo resolvectl dns eth0 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4

Note: Replace eth0 with your actual network interface 

To know your network interface, run 

Command: ip a

3. Use NetworkManager (if you’re on a desktop Linux)

If you’re using a desktop environment with NetworkManager, you can run

Command: nm-connection-editor

• Now, Go to your active connection → IPv4 Settings

• Set Method to Automatic (DHCP) addresses only

• Enter DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
• Save and reconnect 

Then apply the changes, by running the below command

Command: sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

7. Disable VPN or proxy (if applicable) 

A VPN or proxy may route your traffic through DNS servers that are misconfigured.

On Windows
Go to Settings -> Network & Internet -> Proxy (or) Settings -> Network & Internet -> VPN and disable any active proxy.

On Linux
Check for proxy settings in environment variables or network configuration tools.

8. Disable antivirus or firewall temporarily

Some security software may block DNS queries. 

Disable Windows Defender Firewall

Press Win + R, type control, and hit Enter to open Control Panel. Go to System and Security/ Windows Defender Firewall. In the left menu, click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off. 

Under both Private and Public network settings, select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended). Click OK and test your connection. 

For Third-Party Antivirus (e.g., Avast, Norton, McAfee)

Locate the antivirus icon in the system tray at the bottom-right corner of the taskbar. Right-click the icon (as shown for McAfee in your screenshot) and explore the available options. Look for additional menus or settings within the antivirus dashboard that allow you to temporarily disable protection, pause real-time scanning, or turn off the antivirus. 

Note: After testing, be sure to re-enable both your antivirus and firewall to maintain system security. 

9. Restart DNS client service (Windows only) 

The DNS Client service in Windows helps cache and resolve domain names for quicker access to websites. If this service encounters issues or becomes unresponsive, it can lead to errors like DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. Restarting the DNS Client can refresh the DNS cache and restore proper domain resolution. This is a quick and safe troubleshooting step. 

On Windows

Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Scroll to DNS Client, right-click it, and choose Restart. Then, try accessing the site again.

On Linux

Open your terminal, log in via SSH as the root user, and run the following commands: 

If you’re using systemd-resolved, restart the systemd-resolved service by running the below command.

Command: sudo systemctl restart systemd-resolved

To check status, run 

Command: systemctl status systemd-resolved

IMAGE

10. Check the domain name

Sometimes, the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error occurs simply because of a typo in the URL or because the domain genuinely doesn’t exist. To verify whether the domain can be resolved correctly, you can use basic networking commands from the command line.

On Windows 

Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt. 

Use the following commands:  

• To check DNS Resolution, run 

Command:  nslookup example.com. 

Note: This checks whether the DNS server can resolve the domain name. If you see an IP address in the output, the domain exists. 

• Check network connectivity to the domain, run

Command: ping example.com

Note: This tests if your system can reach the domain’s server. A successful response indicates that the domain is live and reachable. 

On Linux

Open your terminal, log in via SSH as the root user, and run the following commands:

Command: nslookup example.com

Command: ping example.com 

This concludes our list of all the ways you can spot a a DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_ NXDOMAIN error and how to troubleshoot them.

The post How to fix a DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_ NXDOMAIN error appeared first on Novavps.