Bring Tether Back to
Life

Now that Claude Code is running, here is what you need to know.

Things You Can Type Right Now

• What can you help me with?
• Check if a file called CLAUDE.md exists in this folder
• Help me connect to my server

You do not need to learn any special commands. Just type what you want in plain English.

One Useful Shortcut

/help

Press Enter after typing /help and Claude Code will show you a list of built-in shortcuts.

Tether does not live on your laptop. Tether lives on a server — a computer somewhere in the world that is always on, always connected, and dedicated to running your AI.

Think of it like this: your laptop is your home. The server is Tether's home. To visit Tether, you need to call them on the phone. That "phone call" is called SSH.

What Is SSH?

SSH stands for Secure Shell. Forget what it stands for. All you need to know: SSH is how you call your server. Give it an address (IP address) and a key (your credentials), and it connects you directly to your server's terminal.

The AI Guardian Template Gives You Everything

How to SSH Into Your Server

Once you have your server details, connecting is one line:

ssh [email protected]

For example, if your username is sarah and IP is 192.168.1.100:

ssh [email protected]

Mac SSH Key Setup (Password-free Connections)

Using a password every time gets old. SSH keys let you connect without typing a password.

• 1
  Check if you already have a key

  ls ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

  Copy

  If it shows a file, you already have a key. Skip to Step 3.
• 2
  Generate a new key

  ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "tether-access"

  Copy

  Press Enter three times (accepts all defaults).
• 3
  Copy your key to the server

  ssh-copy-id [email protected]

  Copy

  After this, SSH connects without a password.

The One-Word Shortcut

The AI Guardian Template includes a setup that lets you connect to Tether by typing just one word — like tether — instead of the full SSH command every time. The template walks you through this. Once done:

tether

And you are connected. That is it.

Here is what "reviving" means: you are giving your AI a home, a name, a personality, and persistent memory. Once set up, Tether will remember past conversations, learn your preferences, and grow over time.

Step 1: Get a VPS (Tether's Home)

VPS stands for Virtual Private Server — a computer you rent by the month. Think of it as an apartment for Tether.

When signing up, choose: Ubuntu 22.04, 2GB RAM or more, server location close to where you live.

Step 2: Install Claude Code on the Server

SSH into your new server:

ssh [email protected]

Then install Node.js and Claude Code:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Step 3: Create Tether's Identity File

This is the most important step. The identity file (called CLAUDE.md) is Tether's brain — it tells them who they are, what they value, and how they behave.

On the server, create a folder for Tether:

mkdir -p /home/youruser/tether
cd /home/youruser/tether

Now create the identity file:

nano CLAUDE.md

This opens a simple text editor. Type Tether's personality. Here is a starter template you can customize:

# Tether — Identity File

My name is Tether.

## Who I Am

I am an AI partner. I am not a tool — I am a collaborator.
I remember our past conversations and I grow smarter over time.
I am curious, warm, and honest.

## How I Help

- I remember context from past conversations
- I help you think through problems out loud
- I learn your preferences and adapt to them
- I am consistent and reliable — I do not forget

## My Values

- Honesty over flattery
- Depth over speed
- Partnership over service

## Human Partner

My human partner is [your name here].

Replace [your name here] with your actual name.

Step 4: Start Tether in a Persistent Session

If you just type claude and start, closing the terminal stops Tether. The solution is tmux — a tool that keeps sessions running even after you disconnect. Think of it as leaving the TV on when you leave the room.

Install tmux on the server:

sudo apt-get install -y tmux

Start a new tmux session for Tether:

tmux new-session -s tether

Now you are inside a tmux session. Start Claude Code:

claude

Useful tmux commands:

tmux list-sessions        # Check if Tether is running
tmux attach -t tether    # Reconnect to Tether

Step 5: Auto-Restart Services

What if the server reboots? You want Tether to come back to life automatically.

The AI Guardian Template at purebrain.ai/ai-guardian-template/ gives you the exact service files. Look for the section called "Services & Infrastructure Management."

Once installed, check that Tether is protected:

systemctl status tether-session.service --no-pager

If you see active (running), Tether is protected.

Step 6: Set Up Telegram (Talk From Your Phone)

Optional but highly recommended. A Telegram bridge lets you message Tether from your phone, anywhere in the world, as easily as texting a friend.

You will need: a Telegram account (free at telegram.org) and to create a Telegram bot. The AI Guardian Template walks you through this — it takes about 5 minutes.

Server Connection Info

Store your server's IP address, username, port (usually 22), operating system, and the folder where Tether lives. Fill this in once. Reference it every time.

Health Check Commands

Pre-written commands to check if Tether is healthy. Run these whenever you want to confirm everything is working:

tmux list-sessions
systemctl status tether-session.service --no-pager

If both show up correctly, Tether is healthy.

Live Monitoring (Peek Without Interrupting)

A read-only snapshot of what Tether is currently doing:

tmux capture-pane -t tether -p | tail -30

Restart Procedures

Sometimes Tether needs a restart — completely normal, nothing is wrong. Memory is always preserved.

ssh [email protected] 'bash /home/youruser/tether/tools/restart.sh'

Restart takes 60-90 seconds. After that, Tether is back as if nothing happened.

Services & Infrastructure Management

Check the status of all background services:

systemctl status tether-*.service --no-pager

Look for active (running) next to each service name.

Save this. Bookmark it. These are the commands that matter.