How to Self-Host RustDesk Remote Desktop Server on Contabo VPS (TeamViewer Alternative)

The Problem with Commercial Remote Desktop Tools

Commercial remote desktop tools like TeamViewer and AnyDesk have become increasingly frustrating for IT administrators and developers, imposing aggressive "Commercial Use Detected" timeouts, rising subscription rates, and privacy concerns. RustDesk is an open-source, self-hosted remote desktop software written in Rust that delivers smooth 60 FPS desktop streaming with end-to-end encryption.

Step 1: Deploying RustDesk ID and Relay Servers with Docker

RustDesk consists of two core components: hbbs (ID/rendezvous server) and hbbr (relay server). Create a dedicated directory on your Contabo VPS:

mkdir -p ~/rustdesk && cd ~/rustdesk
nano docker-compose.yml

services:
  hbbs:
    image: rustdesk/rustdesk-server:latest
    container_name: hbbs
    command: hbbs -r YOUR_CONTABO_IP:21117 -k _
    volumes:
      - ./data:/root
    network_mode: host
    restart: always

  hbbr:
    image: rustdesk/rustdesk-server:latest
    container_name: hbbr
    command: hbbr -k _
    volumes:
      - ./data:/root
    network_mode: host
    restart: always

Launch the relay containers:

docker compose up -d

Step 2: Opening Required Firewall Ports in UFW

RustDesk requires specific TCP and UDP ports for NAT traversal and encrypted streaming:

sudo ufw allow 21115:21119/tcp comment "RustDesk TCP"
sudo ufw allow 21116/udp comment "RustDesk UDP"
sudo ufw reload

Step 3: Obtaining Your Server Public Encryption Key

RustDesk generates a cryptographic public key in ./data/id_ed25519.pub:

cat ~/rustdesk/data/id_ed25519.pub

Step 4: Configuring Desktop and Mobile Clients

Download the free RustDesk client on your Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android device. Navigate to Settings -> Network -> ID/Relay Server:

• ID Server: YOUR_CONTABO_IP
• Relay Server: YOUR_CONTABO_IP:21117
• Key: Paste the contents of your id_ed25519.pub key.

Your client will immediately show a green status light: Ready. You can now establish high-speed, encrypted remote desktop connections globally with zero third-party intermediaries.