A VPS lets MetaTrader run around the clock on a server that never sleeps, with a wired connection a few milliseconds from most broker servers. This guide takes you from a fresh BearHost Windows VPS to an MT5 terminal that survives reboots and disconnects.
Which plan to choose
- VPS Bear (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM) is the minimum for Windows Server and runs one MT5 terminal with a handful of charts comfortably.
- VPS Grizzly (4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM) is what we recommend if you run several charts, Expert Advisors, indicators that recalculate on every tick, or more than one terminal.
- VPS Cub cannot run Windows; it is Linux only.
You can start on Bear and upgrade later. An upgrade keeps the same server, IP and files and only charges the difference between plans.
Step 1: Connect with Remote Desktop
- In the BearHost dashboard, open your server and check it shows Running. On a brand-new server give Windows 5 to 10 minutes after the first boot; the CPU will be busy with Windows Defender's first scan, that is normal.
- Copy the IP address and use Reveal password on the server page.
- On your PC open Remote Desktop Connection (Windows) or Microsoft Remote Desktop (Mac, App Store). Enter the IP, username
Administrator, and the password.
If you cannot connect, see Windows VPS: can't connect by RDP.
Step 2: Install MetaTrader 5
- Inside the VPS open Edge and download MT5 from your broker's website, not from a third-party site. Your broker's installer comes pre-configured with their servers.
- Run the installer, then log in with your trading account (login, password, server).
- If your broker only provides MT4, the steps are identical.
Step 3: Keep MT5 running after you disconnect
This is the step most people get wrong. When you are done, close the Remote Desktop window with the X (this disconnects the session but leaves it running). Do not choose Start > Sign out, which closes every program including MT5.
To confirm it is still running, reconnect later: the terminal should be exactly where you left it.
Step 4: Auto-start MT5 after a reboot
Windows Update or a restart you trigger from the dashboard will reboot the server. Make MT5 start automatically:
- Press Win + R, type
shell:startupand press Enter. - Right-click the MT5 desktop shortcut, choose Copy, and paste it into the Startup folder that opened.
- In MT5, Tools > Options > Server, tick Keep personal settings and data at startup so your login is remembered.
For a login-free start after reboots, set Windows to log the Administrator account in automatically: run netplwiz, untick "Users must enter a user name and password", and enter the password. Only do this on a server with a strong password.
Step 5: Recommended Windows settings
- Time zone: Settings > Time & language. Broker server time is shown in MT5 regardless, but a correct clock avoids confusion in logs.
- Windows Update: leave it on, but set Active hours so updates do not restart the server during your trading session.
- Power: Windows Server does not sleep, nothing to change.
- Security: keep the Administrator password long and unique. If you see repeated lockouts, read the RDP guide above about brute-force protection.
Latency
Our servers are in Amsterdam and Paris. Both are typically 6 to 11 ms from London, where many broker servers sit, and 1 to 5 ms from brokers hosted in Amsterdam. Test it from inside the VPS: in MT5, the bottom-right status bar shows the ping to your broker; right-click it to see all their servers and pick the fastest.
Something not working?
Reply to any of our emails or open a ticket from the dashboard. Describe what you see on screen and we will look at the server with you.