Playbook

VPS Setup & EA Monitoring

Your EA needs to run 24/7 without you watching. Set up reliable infrastructure that trades while you sleep and alerts you when something goes wrong.

11 min read

Intermediate

VPS Requirements Setup Steps Monitoring

VPS Requirements

Specification	Minimum	Recommended	Notes
RAM	2 GB	4 GB	Add 512MB per additional MT4/MT5 instance
CPU	1 vCPU	2 vCPU	More cores help with multiple terminals
Storage	40 GB SSD	60 GB SSD	SSD required for fast execution
Location	Same continent as broker	Same city as broker server	Lower latency = better execution
Uptime	99.5%	99.9%+	Check provider's SLA guarantee

5-Step VPS Setup

1Choose & Configure VPS

Select Windows VPS (Linux doesn't run MT4/MT5 natively)
Choose location closest to your broker's servers
Start with minimum specs, upgrade if needed
Set up Remote Desktop (RDP) access
Create a strong password and enable firewall

2Install Trading Platform

Download MT4/MT5 from your broker's website
Install to default location
Log in with your trading account
Enable 'Allow automated trading' in options
Disable automatic updates (stability)

3Deploy Your EA

Copy EA file to MQL4/Experts or MQL5/Experts folder
Restart MT4/MT5 or refresh Navigator
Drag EA onto desired chart
Configure EA settings and save preset
Verify EA shows 'smiley face' (enabled)

4Configure Auto-Recovery

Set MT4/MT5 to auto-start on Windows boot
Create a scheduled task to restart if crashed
Save chart template with EA attached
Document recovery procedure
Test recovery by rebooting VPS

5Set Up Monitoring

Install or configure uptime monitoring service
Set up email/SMS alerts for disconnection
Configure daily health check reminders
Enable MT4/MT5 email notifications
Create monitoring dashboard (optional)

Auto-Restart Script

MT5 Auto-Restart Batch Script

Save this as check_mt5.bat and schedule it to run every 5 minutes using Windows Task Scheduler.

@echo off
REM Auto-restart MT5 if not running
tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq terminal64.exe" | find /I "terminal64.exe" > NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 (
  start "" "C:\Program Files\MT5\terminal64.exe"
  echo %date% %time% - MT5 restarted >> C:\logs\mt5_restart.log
)

Monitoring Setup

VPS Uptime Monitor

Alerts when VPS goes offline

Tools: UptimeRobot, Pingdom, StatusCake (free tiers available)

Setup: Monitor VPS IP address, alert via email/SMS

MT4/MT5 Connection Status

Detects platform disconnection from broker

Tools: Built-in email alerts, external scripts

Setup: Configure SMTP in MT4/MT5, enable connection alerts

Trade Activity Monitor

Alerts on trade opens, closes, and errors

Tools: EA's built-in alerts, Telegram bots, push notifications

Setup: Configure EA to send notifications on trade events

Daily Health Check

Manual or automated daily status review

Tools: Calendar reminder, automated scripts

Setup: Set daily reminder to verify EA running correctly

VPS Deployment Checklist

VPS located near broker serversCritical

Windows VPS with RDP access configuredCritical

MT4/MT5 set to auto-start on bootCritical

EA deployed and verified runningCritical

Uptime monitoring with alerts enabledCritical

Recovery procedure tested (reboot test)

Trade notifications configured

Daily health check reminder set

VPS credentials securely stored

Backup of EA settings and presets saved

Common VPS Mistakes

Using the cheapest VPS available

Why it matters: Unstable, oversold resources, frequent downtime. Missed trades and disconnections.

Fix: Use reputable providers (Contabo, Vultr, DigitalOcean, AWS Lightsail). Pay for reliability.

No auto-recovery setup

Why it matters: VPS reboot or MT4/MT5 crash = EA stops trading until you manually intervene.

Fix: Configure auto-start and scheduled recovery checks. Test by forcing a reboot.

VPS located far from broker

Why it matters: High latency = slippage, requotes, failed orders. Especially bad for scalping.

Fix: Ask broker where their servers are. Choose VPS in same region or city.

No monitoring or alerts

Why it matters: Problems can go unnoticed for hours or days. Open positions without management.

Fix: Set up uptime monitoring + trade alerts. Know within minutes if something fails.

Running too many terminals on weak VPS

Why it matters: Overloaded VPS = slow execution, freezes, crashes. All EAs suffer.

Fix: Start with 1-2 terminals. Monitor resource usage. Upgrade before hitting limits.

Templates & Scripts

Auto-Restart Script Bundle

Batch scripts for MT4 and MT5 auto-recovery.

VPS Setup Checklist PDF

Printable checklist for complete VPS deployment.

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