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BuildYourVPS - OpenVZ VPS from $2

BuildYourVPS Via this WHT offer. BuildYourVPS, part of TOCICI, have been offering custom-build VPS since January this year at least (last time they featured on this blog). Quite a few changes since then. Besides a different website, now all VPS also gets 1TB/month data by default. No longer is 16MB memory an option (too much support overhead I guess). And for now the most basic VPS starts at $2/month which comes with

  • 32MB guaranteed/64MB burstable memory
  • 1GB storage
  • 1TB/month data transfer
  • Shared IP address
  • OpenVZ

Servers in Portland OR, and it has HE traffic and native IPv6 support. Shared IPv4 could be an issue depending on the application you are trying to run. They will put a Nginx in front to proxy to your server. I have not seen the control panel so no idea whether the Nginx proxy configuration is automated. If you want a dedicated IPv4 address it would be $1/month extra. My guess is that IPv6 addresses are free.

LEA
Latest posts by LEA (see all)

40 Comments

  1. for VPN

    September 14, 2010 @ 1:09 am | Reply
  2. Will they give you dedicated (TCP/UDP) ports?

    September 14, 2010 @ 1:19 am | Reply
  3. guinea pigs:

    DO *NOT* use buildyourvps, sincerely!!

    the price is expensive, although it just cost $2

    but you can buy nothing!!

    They have a lame control panel, with that panel
    you’ll never know what happen to your VPS.

    And alost their member system is very strange,
    or I should say: they do not have a member system.
    you won’t konw the billing cycle!!

    All of the environment make you confused:
    DID I REALLY BUY THE SERVICE?

    Just throw them away

    September 14, 2010 @ 1:47 am | Reply
  4. @LowEndAdmin – Thanks for featuring us! Yep, we’re maintaining existing 16MB customers, but no longer offering new signups for the $0.75/month 16MB plan. The support overhead was simply not worth it.

    @dmmcintyre3 dedicated (TCP/UDP) ports on NATed connections? Yes, we will port-forward up to 100 ports on NATed VPSes. Although, if you need a VPS with non-HTTP/HTTPS inbound traffic we’d recommend a dedicated IP. The target market for NATed VPSes are those seeking well-protected & accelerated webservers, and those wanting to better ensure that database servers are not directly accessible via the internet.

    September 14, 2010 @ 1:59 am | Reply
  5. Hmmm, looking at that other message…guess we need to setup a guest account for the control panel, so that everyone can review and decide for themselves. I’ll discuss re-prioritizing that plan with the guys tomorrow.

    As for the “…lame control panel…”; our developers are quite proud of this newly-released tool, and all feedback has been very positive (with exception to the poster here). Although we have always been the first to admit our control panel is not complete; in the blog announcement, the login email and within the control panel itself. We subscribe to the Agile software development methodology; ensuring customer satisfaction through rapid, continuous delivery of useful software. This means that easy to use (intuitive), and functional software is delivered frequently, with continuous attention to technical excellence. We will always encourage public feedback through our forums & private feedback via our support ticketing system: relevant links are sent to every customer when they signup, and are listed within the Control Panel itself.

    As for VPS billing cycles – here’s a perfect example of our commitment to continuous improvement. We just finished pushing this through the staging servers, and the upgrade has already been deployed into production. Copying directly from the changelog:
    “…
    * added visibility of most recent payment date/time
    …”

    We thrive on feedback, please reach out and communicate with us, we’re very enthusiastic about helping you accomplish your goals.

    September 14, 2010 @ 3:07 am | Reply
  6. pptp vpn server is ok ?

    September 14, 2010 @ 3:15 am | Reply
  7. @ray yes, from http://buildyourvps.com/faq.html “…both tun/tap and iptables are enabled on your VPS…”

    September 14, 2010 @ 3:19 am | Reply
  8. Raven:

    custom IRC scripts that access to IRC networks and channels are ok? They doesn’t mention IRC in their ToS :/

    September 14, 2010 @ 3:14 pm | Reply
  9. Jim Snow:

    @TOCICI
    If you want a 64 Bit OS you need to pay 1USD … Seriously ? other companys let you choose this for free

    Where are your Servers Located and is the ip for Unit you get in the same Region? (i.e Server in usa but the ip in UK)

    September 14, 2010 @ 4:28 pm | Reply
  10. Jim Snow:

    The above Configuration i did not found on the webpage

    if i choose from the Build Menu i have this
    “1TB/mo, 128MB Burst/64MB Guaranteed RAM, 5GB disk, Ubuntu 10.04 32bit, NAT IP”

    For 4.00 USD / month wich in my eyes is not that good as it look´s like just have a look at the other Offers on this blog i.e the Enotch pack (just to compare i´m not affiliated with enotch) You Get this
    512MB guaranteed memory 20GB storage 10Mbps unmetered bandwidth 2 IP addresses(dedicated) OpenVZ for 4,47 USD if the code from the offer still works otherwise it wouldbe 5,95 USD ok i know 4,47 / 5,95 are not 4,00 USD but you get far more for your money as with this offer !!!

    September 14, 2010 @ 4:43 pm | Reply
  11. One good thing about them is that support staff is friendly and usually very quick. I used to use them but canceled because I found better priced offers (this before they re-did their inventory). I may try them again in the future.

    September 14, 2010 @ 5:24 pm | Reply
  12. @JimSnow Information about our datacenters are online at http://www.buildyourvps.com/aboutus.html For proof, you need to do nothing more than run a traceroute to our systems and note the names of our upstream routers.

    Our services are sustainably-priced; you pay only for what you need. Why we charge extra for 64bit builds is discussed in more detail at http://forums.tocici.com/index.php?topic=7.0

    Regarding our prices, our strength is in providing high quality & fast services. For example, check out eNotch Networks’s DNS server locations; they’re both on the same subnet. Now, check out our DNS servers; one is on the west coast and the other is on the east coast. That’s just one of many examples to our commitment towards high quality, fault-tolerant, and fast services.

    September 14, 2010 @ 5:26 pm | Reply
  13. Jim Snow:

    Why you Guys always come up with the dns Thing ?

    I don´t rely on the DNS servers of the vps hoster i do have some from an outside source (e.g opendns)
    or run a own Bind service saying you have dns servers on the east and west coast is not a valid reason but that is just my two cent´s

    September 15, 2010 @ 4:16 am | Reply
  14. @Jim — OpenDNS is a recursive DNS which is not what we are talking about here, i.e. provider’s authoritative DNS.

    I do use DNS as an example to show the competency of the provider (although some providers in business for many years still fail this test). DNS is designed to provide redundancy as many things might break when your DNS fails.

    September 15, 2010 @ 4:27 am | Reply
  15. Well, provider usually provides a VPS control panel (e.g. SolusVM), so when the DNS dies the panel dies with it, and you can no longer control your VPS. Having said that, it’s actually relatively easy to setup additional DNS elsewhere (i.e. not in the same subnet), so sometimes I do ponder why providers don’t practise that.

    September 15, 2010 @ 4:33 am | Reply
  16. @LEA
    I find http://www.intodns.com/ to be a good automated DNS checking tool.
    E.g. see http://www.intodns.com/buildyourvps.com

    September 15, 2010 @ 4:50 am | Reply
  17. Jim Snow:

    However

    The above Offer i did not found on the webpage the lowest i can get is 4.00

    i cannot choose 32 or 64 mb of ram

    September 15, 2010 @ 5:24 am | Reply
  18. The IETF published several best practices for DNS, as recommended by DNS architects and planners for the Internet.
    * RFC 1912, “Common DNS Operational and Configuration Errors”
    * RFC 2182, “Selection and Operation of Secondary DNS Servers”
    * RFC 2219, “Use of DNS Aliases for Network Services”

    From RFC 2182 “…A number of problems in DNS operations today are attributable to poor choices of secondary servers for DNS zones. The geographic placement as well as the diversity of network connectivity exhibited by the set of DNS servers for a zone can increase the reliability of that zone as well as improve overall network performance and access characteristics. Other considerations in server choice can unexpectedly lower reliability or impose extra demands on the network…”

    My example was only to illustrate the same point that I believe @LowEndAdmin is after. The point is, if a provider does not care enough about the performance, reliability, and accessibility of their own core services, what does that say about the rest of their infrastructure?

    September 15, 2010 @ 5:37 am | Reply
  19. Jim Snow:

    however far from the dns thing i tryed to order a unit but paypal said i can only pay with a credit card on file (wich i dont have and not willing to put my card on file) even if there is sufficient Balance on my paypal account and i also wonder why you need my phone number ?

    September 15, 2010 @ 6:05 am | Reply
  20. @Raven IRC is OK, as long as behaviors/usage does not violate our ToS. To discuss details, please contact us directly via support@tocici.com.

    September 15, 2010 @ 6:08 am | Reply
  21. @Igor we thrive on feedback, thanks!

    September 15, 2010 @ 5:39 pm | Reply
  22. @Jim please contact us via support@tocici.com; some of the things you noted are specific to PayPal’s anti-fraud configurations – depending on the size and number of VPS’s you’re seeking, we can invoice you directly.

    September 16, 2010 @ 9:23 pm | Reply
  23. Jim Snow:

    @Tocici i tryed to order the above offer wich is 2 USD but paypal said i can order it only with creditcard (paypal payment agreement) i just want 1 unit with the above offer for 2 bux

    September 16, 2010 @ 9:51 pm | Reply
  24. @Jim I just poked at the ordering page and I think I see where your confusion is coming from. We just re-sorted the VPS options (moving the 64MB and 96MB above our recommended 128MB minimum). Please take another look and see if that helps clarify things for you.

    A word of caution though – please be sure you’ve reviewed information regarding low-RAM VPSes, such as http://www.lowendbox.com/blog/32bit-or-64bit-for-my-low-end-vps-take-2/ & http://forums.tocici.com/index.php?topic=34.0

    September 16, 2010 @ 10:13 pm | Reply
  25. Jim Snow:

    @Tocici

    I`m sorry it still says (paypal)

    “You Need a Credit Card To complete This order” i mean my account is veryfied and i have funds on my account

    normaly this is the primary funding source until Forced to use another source

    BT001RM064DG001LU10432NAT, 1TB/mo, 64MB Burst/32MB Guaranteed RAM, 1GB disk, Ubuntu 10.04 32bit, NAT IP, Qty:1 $2,00 USD Each Month Starting at : 17. Sep 2010 $2,00 USD

    September 16, 2010 @ 10:28 pm | Reply
  26. Jim Snow:

    i think i found the problem

    “PayPal handles the payment to TOCICI securely. Sign in to complete the checkout with PayPal. More information. ->>> Subscription payments can only be settled by credit card <<<—" if you change it to a normal payment (no payment agreement) then it will work i guess

    September 16, 2010 @ 10:35 pm | Reply
  27. Austin Berke:

    BuildYourVPS is great. No problems so far, and quick, friendly support.

    September 16, 2010 @ 10:58 pm | Reply
  28. @Jim We’re considering a new payment technique that will be rolled out with an upgraded shopping cart soon. Until then, subscription payments are the most effective way to ensure that VPSes remain online month-after-month.

    September 17, 2010 @ 9:33 pm | Reply
  29. Just to throw this out since it;s mentioned above, their mx records are missing:

    http://www.intodns.com/buildyourvps.com

    September 19, 2010 @ 1:07 pm | Reply
  30. @drmike yep, that’s because BuildYourVPS is a trademark/product of TOCICI, and all emails come from tocici.com.

    September 19, 2010 @ 4:15 pm | Reply
  31. Jim Snow:

    @TOCICI

    hi

    well i managed to place an order but its not instant Setup still waiting for the mail…

    September 20, 2010 @ 3:39 pm | Reply
  32. Jim Snow:

    Hi again

    the mail Hidded in the Junk-folder XD

    But i´m a bit confused 192.168.X adresses are not routed to the net and SSHing to the NAT Url:port from

    the control panel dont work (time out) also neither i dont have a root password

    i Guess i just dumped 2$

    September 20, 2010 @ 4:15 pm | Reply
  33. @Jim – sounds like you can in-fact get to the control panel, and that your timeout is actually when attempting to connect to the VPS. We’re able to connect without issue – please check your internet connection, or contact us directly via support@tocici.com for further assistance.

    As for your “…not routed to the net…” concern: NATed VPS (ie: the $2 ones) are just that, a private IP address that’s NATed to the outside world; you can still access the internet and internet-based resources can still reach you. More details are at http://forums.tocici.com/index.php?topic=24.0 Public IPs are also available for $1/each.

    Passwords are not provided in the control panel, they are emailed when a VPS is setup or rebuilt. The why is discussed at http://forums.tocici.com/index.php?topic=52

    Finally, as @LowEndAdmin points out below, please “…do not use LowEndBox for support issues…” You will obtain more rapid and detailed responses to your support inquiries if you contact us directly via support@tocici.com.

    September 20, 2010 @ 6:02 pm | Reply
  34. guinea pigs:

    @TOCICI

    LOL 404 Not-found XD

    September 21, 2010 @ 9:14 pm | Reply
  35. Just “built” my vps. The custom control panel looks like a good effort, but neede some fixes.
    Good points like you can modify hostname/rdns easily.

    However, there is no trace of a logout button! Some links are just dead broken, and some other abruptly redirect you fully to complete different portion of the site (or even a separate site – perhaps the parent one).

    Anyways, they look professional otherwise, hoping speed/disk i/o wud be gud.

    November 14, 2010 @ 11:28 am | Reply
  36. Annika:

    What’s your (their) best promo code?

    March 4, 2012 @ 5:29 pm | Reply
  37. Jeff Nadler:

    Warning about doing business with BuildYourVPS / Tocici:

    We put a server in colo with these guys. Everything seemed fine at first, then they stopped billing us. I had to send them a few emails to get them started sending invoices again, then all was quiet for a while.

    After a while, they stopped invoicing us again. We didn’t notice this time. We don’t have any accounting procedure that would catch a vendor that stopped invoicing.

    Their support has been completely nonresponsive. Not only do they not send us invoices, we can’t seem to get any kind of response out of them. Intermittently they respond to email messages, then they go for weeks with no response at all.

    One day I requested to pull our server out of their racks and they refused. They sprung a huge invoice on us, said that the account was delinquent and they were going to keep our equipment.

    Perhaps not a coincidence, the server is quite a high end unit, and I feel like these thieves have decided to steal it. I’m finding that they simply don’t respond to any kind of communications.

    -Jeff

    June 19, 2014 @ 6:20 pm | Reply
  38. Roblim Agatitated:

    I tried to set up a server with these guys a few days ago. I paid with bitcoin, they registered my payment on their site but gave me no instructions as to how to access my VPS. I have a support ticket with them that has gone unanswered. I suspect that at this point they’re just a rip-off site, I don’t recommend you deal with them

    September 20, 2014 @ 5:50 pm | Reply
  39. G. Morehouse:

    This provider appears to be completely unattended. Zero response from support, no refund, unroutable host servers, etc. Avoid.

    April 30, 2016 @ 12:54 am | Reply

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