Yes. Run the OpenClaw Gateway and Ollama on the same Linux VPS, then connect from your laptop or phone through the Control UI. The VPS becomes the source of truth: the Gateway keeps its configuration, workspace, and conversation state there, while your personal devices act as remote clients.
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The safest design keeps the Gateway bound to loopback and reaches it through an SSH tunnel or Tailscale Serve. You can install OpenClaw directly on the host with the official Ansible route, or run the Gateway in Docker Compose. Ollama supplies local model inference, but its model-download command, endpoint, and OpenClaw provider settings must be taken from the current Ollama and OpenClaw documentation for the exact releases you install.
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OpenClaw is the persistent Gateway and workspace service. Ollama is the local inference server that loads a model on the VPS and answers requests. A browser or mobile client connects to OpenClaw’s Control UI; it does not need to run the model itself.
- VPS: stores the Gateway configuration, workspace files, logs, and downloaded Ollama model.
- OpenClaw Gateway: stays running as a service or container and routes chat, tools, and agent work.
- Ollama: performs model inference locally on the VPS, avoiding a per-request hosted API bill.
- Remote client: your laptop or phone connects through an SSH tunnel, Tailscale, or another authenticated private path.
This arrangement also means that losing the VPS, its disk, or its workspace backup can lose your OpenClaw state. Treat the server as the primary computer for this installation, not as a disposable relay.
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Prerequisites and capacity planning
Software requirements
| Component | Requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Linux VPS with administrative SSH access | The official Linux server guidance supports running the Gateway on a Linux server or cloud VPS. |
| Node.js for a host install | Node 24.16 or newer, or Node 26.1 or newer; Node 26 is recommended by the current install overview | Older Node releases may fail installation or produce unsupported behavior. |
| Docker route | Docker Engine or Docker Desktop plus Docker Compose v2 | Compose v2 is required for the documented container workflow. |
| Memory for a source-image build | At least 6 GB RAM | This requirement applies to building the local OpenClaw source image. A pre-built image avoids that image-build requirement. |
| Ollama memory | Depends on the selected model, quantization, context size, and whether inference uses CPU or GPU | There is no single safe RAM number for every model. Leave headroom for Linux, OpenClaw, Docker, and filesystem cache. |
Storage, CPU, and GPU
Reserve disk space for the operating system, OpenClaw workspace, logs, Docker layers if applicable, and at least one Ollama model. Keep free space available for a second model during upgrades and for temporary downloads. A model that fits in advertised memory can still fail when its context window, runtime overhead, or concurrent requests are added.
CPU-only inference works, but response speed depends heavily on model size and quantization. A compatible GPU can improve throughput, yet GPU availability, drivers, passthrough, and regional pricing vary by VPS. Select hardware for the specific model tag you intend to run rather than assuming that every Ollama model has the same requirements.
Choose an installation route
| Decision point | Host-based Ansible | Docker Compose |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway location | Runs directly on the Linux host, normally under a hardened systemd service | Runs in a container managed by Compose |
| Sandboxing | Docker is installed for the optional agent sandbox while the Gateway remains host-based | Container boundaries apply to the Gateway; agent sandbox behavior depends on the Compose configuration |
| Automation | Best for repeatable provisioning, firewall-first setup, and a documented server baseline | Best when you already operate Compose stacks and want application files in one directory |
| Updates and rollback | Managed through the playbook and host package/service changes; keep playbook revisions and backups | Pin image tags or source revisions, recreate containers, and preserve named volumes |
| Firewall exposure | The hardened path configures UFW and Tailscale and limits reachability to SSH and Tailscale | You must review published ports and host firewall rules yourself |
| Troubleshooting surface | systemd, host Node/pnpm, firewall, and optional Docker sandbox | Compose, container logs, volumes, networking, and host resources |
Choose Ansible if you want a security-oriented baseline on a fresh VPS and are comfortable applying a playbook. Choose Compose if container lifecycle, image pinning, and volume management are already part of your operating routine. Do not run both Gateway installations against the same workspace unless you deliberately understand which instance owns state.
Prepare the VPS before installing OpenClaw
- Create a non-root administrative path. Add an administrator account, install your SSH key, and test a second session before changing SSH settings. Harden SSH first: use key authentication, disable password login when you have confirmed keys work, and avoid leaving a root login as your only recovery route.
- Patch the operating system. Apply security updates and reboot if the kernel or system libraries require it. Record the distribution and release so later package and firewall instructions match the host.
- Set a hostname and time zone. Consistent host naming makes logs and backups easier to identify. Ensure time synchronization is active because authentication tokens and scheduled jobs depend on accurate time.
- Plan the firewall. The default target is no public Gateway port. Permit SSH only from your administration path, and permit Tailscale traffic if you use it. Do not publish port 18789 directly to the internet.
- Check resources. Record RAM, CPU threads, disk free space, and GPU visibility if applicable. Leave capacity for the Ollama model and its runtime rather than allocating every byte to Docker or the operating system.
- Create a backup destination. Decide where encrypted copies of the OpenClaw configuration, workspace, Compose files, and model inventory will live. A backup on the same VPS does not protect against disk or account loss.
Route A: the host-based Ansible installation
The official Ansible project is the more automated, security-oriented route. Its hardened path installs Tailscale, UFW, Docker CE with Compose v2, Node.js and pnpm, OpenClaw, and a hardened systemd service. Docker is used as the default sandbox backend for agents, while the Gateway itself runs on the host.
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- Start with a newly patched Linux VPS and working key-based SSH access.
- Read the Ansible project’s current variable list and supported distributions. Keep the project revision recorded so you can reproduce or roll back the server later.
- Set the administrative account, Tailscale enrollment details, firewall policy, and OpenClaw service options in the variables required by that revision. Do not copy variable names from an older guide without checking the current project.
- Run the project’s documented playbook from a separate administration machine or approved control host. Watch the output for package, firewall, Node, and service failures instead of assuming a successful SSH connection means the Gateway is healthy.
- After the playbook completes, verify the systemd service status, confirm that the Gateway is listening only where intended, and check that the optional Docker sandbox can start.
- Save the resulting inventory, variable file, project revision, and service configuration in a protected location. These are part of your recovery procedure.
This route is not “Docker-free.” Docker remains part of the supported sandbox design, but keeping the Gateway on the host gives systemd and the host filesystem direct ownership of the main service. That distinction affects where you look for logs and which files must be backed up.
Route B: the Docker Compose installation
The Compose path places the Gateway in a container. The documented workflow includes an onboarding script, a generated Gateway token, and a Control UI on the port selected by the configuration. Use the current OpenClaw Compose files and onboarding flow; option names and image tags can change between releases.
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docker compose version. - Create a dedicated directory for the OpenClaw Compose project. Keep the Compose file, environment file, onboarding output, and a note of the image tag under version control or another protected change log. Never commit the generated token.
- Follow the current OpenClaw Docker instructions to obtain either the pre-built image or the source-build configuration. If you build the source image locally, provide at least 6 GB of RAM; use a pre-built image if the VPS cannot meet that build requirement.
- Run the supplied onboarding script and allow it to generate the Gateway token. Store the token in a secret manager or a root-readable file, not in shell history or a public repository.
- Start the stack with the Compose command specified by the release, commonly the project’s detached start operation. Then inspect the stack with
docker compose psand view service logs before attempting remote access. - Keep the Gateway port private. A published container port is still a host firewall exposure; only publish the interface and port required by your chosen tunnel or private network.
- Back up named volumes and bind-mounted workspace directories. Recreating a container without its volume can appear to “reset” OpenClaw even though the image itself started normally.
Install Ollama on the VPS
Install Ollama using its current official Linux instructions for the distribution and CPU/GPU combination on your VPS. The exact installation, model-download, service, and endpoint commands are intentionally not repeated here because they are release-specific and were not established by the OpenClaw documentation available for this guide.
- Install the current Ollama package or service using the official instructions.
- Enable and start the Ollama service according to those instructions.
- Confirm the daemon is running locally and that the VPS can see the expected CPU or GPU device.
- Download the exact model tag you plan to use, following Ollama’s current model command. Record the tag, quantization, context setting, and download date.
- Run a local Ollama test before changing OpenClaw. A successful model response proves that the runtime, model files, and hardware are working independently of Gateway configuration.
Do not guess an OpenAI-compatible URL, environment variable, model alias, or provider name from a forum post. Ollama endpoint defaults and OpenClaw provider settings can change. Verify the integration section for the precise OpenClaw release, then enter the documented local endpoint and model identifier exactly as shown there.
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Connect OpenClaw to the local model
- Open the OpenClaw onboarding flow for your selected installation route: the host service’s documented onboarding command or the Compose onboarding script.
- Choose the provider option that represents a local Ollama server, if that option is present in your release.
- Enter the Ollama endpoint and model tag from the current integration documentation. Keep Ollama on the VPS’s local interface unless the documentation explicitly requires another network path.
- Save the configuration and restart the Gateway using the host service command for Ansible or the Compose restart operation for Docker.
- Open the Control UI through your secure tunnel, start a minimal chat, and ask for a short deterministic response. Check the Gateway logs and Ollama service logs at the same time.
- Record the OpenClaw release, Node version or image tag, Ollama version, model tag, context setting, and date. This record is essential when a future upgrade changes defaults.
A working local Ollama response does not prove that every OpenClaw tool or agent sandbox is configured. Test one capability at a time: plain chat first, then workspace access, then any tool or sandbox operation you intend to permit.
Secure remote access
Preferred design: loopback plus SSH tunneling
Keep the Gateway bound to loopback whenever possible. An SSH tunnel forwards a local port on your laptop to the VPS’s loopback listener, so the Gateway is not reachable from the public internet. Use the tunnel only after key-based SSH access is working, and close it when administration is complete.
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Because tunnel syntax and local port choices vary by client, use the forwarding form documented for your SSH implementation and map a local browser port to the Gateway’s loopback port. Confirm the browser is using the local end of the tunnel, not the VPS’s public address.
Private-network access with Tailscale
Tailscale is the other secure-default path described by OpenClaw’s Linux guidance. Install and authenticate it through the Ansible route or the current Tailscale instructions, then use Tailscale Serve or an equivalent private-network route to reach the Control UI. Keep public firewall rules closed even when the private address works.
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If you bind beyond loopback
If the Gateway must bind to lan or tailnet, configure gateway.auth.token or gateway.auth.password as required by the current OpenClaw release. A trusted reverse proxy may delegate authentication, but that proxy must be the component enforcing identity before traffic reaches the Gateway. Binding to a wider interface without authentication is not an acceptable shortcut.
Do not expose port 18789 directly to the internet. A firewall rule alone is not application authentication, and an obscure port does not replace a private network, tunnel, or shared secret.
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- Process: the Ansible systemd unit or Compose container is active after a reboot.
- Network: the Gateway listens only on loopback or the intended private interface; no unexpected public listener is present.
- Model: Ollama has the recorded model tag and returns a local test response.
- Integration: OpenClaw logs show a successful request to the configured local provider without fallback to a paid remote API.
- Control UI: the UI loads through the SSH tunnel or Tailscale path and fails when that path is closed.
- Persistence: create a small workspace file, restart the service or container, and verify that the file and configuration remain.
- Recovery: test restoring a configuration or workspace copy on a non-production directory before you need it.
Backups, updates, and rollback
What to back up
Back up the OpenClaw configuration and secrets, workspace data, Compose files or Ansible inventory, systemd overrides, firewall notes, and a machine-readable record of the Ollama models installed. Encrypt backups and restrict access to the keys. Model files can be large; decide whether to back them up or re-download them after a rebuild, and document that choice.
Updating the host route
For Ansible, review the project changelog and supported Node range, snapshot the VPS or complete a tested backup, then apply the playbook revision in a maintenance window. Check the service status, logs, model connectivity, and workspace after the update. Keep the previous playbook revision available so you can restore the known-good configuration.
Updating the Compose route
Pin the image or source revision rather than silently tracking an unreviewed latest tag. Pull or build the new image, stop or recreate the container using the documented Compose procedure, and verify that the existing volumes are mounted. If behavior changes, revert the image or source revision while retaining the data volume and configuration backup.
Troubleshooting guide
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Control UI works locally but not remotely | The Gateway is correctly on loopback, but no tunnel or private route is active | Re-establish the SSH forwarding or Tailscale path and browse to the local/private address, not the VPS public IP. |
| Gateway starts, but chat cannot reach Ollama | Wrong provider setting, endpoint, model tag, or Ollama service state | Test Ollama locally, compare every integration field with the current OpenClaw documentation, then inspect Gateway and Ollama logs together. |
| Model download or inference fails with out-of-memory errors | The model, context, or concurrent workload exceeds available RAM or GPU memory | Stop other workloads, reduce the context or concurrency, choose a smaller quantization, or move to a larger VPS. Do not assume the 6 GB image-build figure is sufficient for model inference. |
| Compose container repeatedly exits | Missing environment value, invalid onboarding token, volume permission issue, or incompatible image | Run docker compose ps, inspect container logs, validate the generated secret, and confirm the mounted directories are writable by the container user. |
| Ansible service is missing or unhealthy | Playbook variable mismatch, unsupported distribution, failed package step, or systemd configuration error | Read the failed task output, correct the variable or platform issue, rerun the documented playbook, and inspect the systemd journal. |
| State disappears after a restart | Workspace or configuration was stored inside a disposable container layer | Mount the documented persistent volume or host directory and restore the last known-good backup. |
| Users can reach the Gateway from the internet | A container port or firewall rule published the service publicly | Remove the public binding, close the firewall rule, rotate the Gateway secret if exposure occurred, and return to loopback plus SSH or Tailscale. |
How to choose the VPS
There is no universal best provider or monthly price for this setup. Compare offers using the model and access pattern you actually need:
- RAM and CPU: include Ollama’s model footprint, context overhead, OpenClaw, Docker, and normal system headroom.
- GPU availability: verify the exact GPU, driver support, passthrough policy, and regional availability for your selected model.
- Storage: use fast persistent storage with enough room for models, workspace growth, logs, and upgrade staging.
- Network location: choose a region close to your users and any systems OpenClaw must access; latency affects interactive tool calls.
- Bandwidth and transfer limits: model downloads and remote workspace operations can consume more traffic than a simple chat server.
- IPv4 and IPv6: confirm how the provider assigns addresses and whether your SSH and private-network plan works without a public IPv4.
- Backups and snapshots: check retention, restore time, and whether snapshots include attached volumes.
- Total monthly cost: include storage, backups, public addresses, GPU premiums, and transfer rather than comparing the headline compute rate alone.
Provider-specific prices and Ollama performance benchmarks change frequently, so treat them as a procurement exercise tied to your chosen model and region rather than as permanent specifications.
A practical operating checklist
- Keep a written record of OpenClaw, Node or image, Ollama, and model versions.
- Use loopback binding and an SSH tunnel or Tailscale Serve for normal administration.
- Rotate the Gateway token or password after any suspected exposure.
- Watch disk usage as models, logs, and workspace files grow.
- Monitor RAM and swap pressure during real agent tasks, not only during idle chat.
- Test a reboot after initial setup and after major upgrades.
- Perform a restore drill before relying on the VPS for important workspace data.
- Review OpenClaw and Ollama release notes before changing provider fields or model tags.
The Bottom Line
For most VPS users, the dependable pattern is a host or Compose OpenClaw Gateway on the server, Ollama serving a tested local model beside it, and remote access restricted to loopback plus SSH or Tailscale. Use Ansible for a hardened automated host, Compose for container-first operations, and verify every Ollama integration field against the current release documentation before putting the system into service.
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