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Get from zero to a running environment fast. This guide covers account setup, creating an instance, connecting over SSH, and launching a vLLM inference server.
You’ll need
  • A Compute account (separate from a general Hivenet account)
  • Prepaid credits in your balance
  • An SSH client (macOS/Linux terminal or Windows Terminal)
1

Sign in to Compute

  1. Go to compute.hivenet.com and select Sign in.
  2. Use Google, Apple, GitHub, or email/password.
After sign-in you’ll land on the Console.
Add credits first to avoid interruptions. You can enable auto top-up later in Billing.
2

Create a GPU or CPU instance

  1. From the left sidebar, select Create new instance (or Create instance from the Console card).
  2. Choose a location. Pick what’s closest to your users or data.
  3. Choose your setup. Select GPU or vCPU only.
  4. Pick a template. Examples include Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, PyTorch 2.5, or Vulkan. Templates come pre-installed so you can start faster.
  5. Connectivity.
    • SSH: Paste your public key.
      • Need one? 
        ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "you@example.com"
        Then paste the contents of ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub.
    • HTTPS / TCP / UDP: Keep defaults unless your app needs open ports.
  6. Review the summary and select Create instance.
  7. Wait for Status: Running on the Instances page.
3

Connect over SSH

From Instances, copy the SSH command shown for your instance, then connect:
ssh -i /path/to/private_key username@INSTANCE_IP
_username _depends on the template. For Ubuntu images it’s usually ubuntu.
4

Launch a vLLM inference server (optional)

If you want a ready inference endpoint:
  1. In the sidebar, select Launch inference.
  2. Choose a model to run (pre-trained options are listed in the UI).
  3. (Optional) vLLM configuration. Leave defaults for your first run. You can tune things later (e.g., context length, concurrency, sampling parameters).
  4. Choose a location and setup (GPU).
  5. Confirm Connectivity (SSH is required; HTTPS is available by default for the endpoint when applicable).
  6. Select **Run inference **and wait for Running.
5

Manage and clean up

  • Stop/Start: You can stop and later start an instance from Instances.
  • Terminate: When you’re done, terminate the instance to stop billing.
  • Billing: Track spend and balance in Billing.
Billing is per second while an instance is running.Data on the instance is deleted after termination. Back up anything important before you terminate.

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Troubleshooting

  • “Permission denied (publickey)” when SSHing
    Ensure you added the public key during creation and you’re using the matching private key with correct file permissions (chmod 600).
  • Can’t reach the service
    Check that the required port is enabled under Connectivity and any firewall rules are correct.
  • Instance won’t start or pauses
    Verify you have enough credits. Top up in Billing.

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Next steps

Now that you’ve launched your first instance, you’re ready to explore more:

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Need help?

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