Before you start using this guide. Be aware that this is only optional, if you contact our team because you don't properly follow the instructions here, we will not help you. We reserve the right to reject server related support requests.
This guide covers a complete setup for Zender and the WhatsApp server. It contains a detailed guide from scratch to a working Zender site. After you complete this guide, you should have a working VPS Server with a control panel ready for Zender.
Before we start setting up, you need to purchase a VPS server. You will also need a domain to make everything easier.
We will recommend Contabo for this tutorial since they offer cheap VPS with powerful specs for your Zender. We also have a partnership with them.
This guide uses a Contabo VPS server, we highly suggest getting a VPS server using the links below depending on your budget. Using the links below will also help our team earn commissions to fund the development of Zender.
Choose the one that will fulfill your use case
https://bit.ly/41qyVMe (For Personal Use)
https://bit.ly/41i21My (For Business Use)
Make sure to select the following options:
Make sure that you choose NVMe as storage type because it's much more faster than SSD.

You must choose Ubuntu 22.04 because we will use HestiaCP as the server control panel. Do not install any additional software. The VPS must have a fresh operating system for this guide.
Enter a root password. Make it easy to remember but complicated to steal:

After that, do not touch other options and proceed to purchase the server.
You should get an email containing your server credentials, save them, we will use it later.
We will assume that you already have a domain that you will use for Zender. It's recommended to get one from Namecheap: https://bit.ly/3XqhGZ8
Login to Namecheap domain dashboard.
Find your domain then click on "MANAGE":

Click on "Advanced DNS" then scroll down to "HOST RECORDS",
Insert the following records like in this image:

Please make sure to replace "SERVER_IP" with the actual IP address of your VPS. You should have received this in the same credentials email.
After that, wait for at least 15 minutes then proceed to the next step of this guide. This is required to let the DNS server have some time to update your domain information.