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Connect with SSH

Open a terminal on your own computer, log in to your server, and know what the first-connection question means.

3 min Updated 7 Nov 2026 VPS, dedicated servers

SSH lets you type commands on your own computer that run on the server. You need the server's address, a username, and a password or key, all in the Connect card on the server's page:

Live from the portalThe Connect card on a server's page
  1. 1Copy Copies the server's address.
  2. 2Copy Copies the whole SSH line, ready to paste.
  3. 3Reset… Sets a new root password if you've lost it.

Not collected the root password yet? See Log in for the first time for a VPS, or for a dedicated server.

Connect#

Windows

Windows 10 and 11 have SSH built in.

  1. Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell from the Start menu.
  2. Paste the SSH line from the Connect card and press Enter:
ssh [email protected]
  1. Answer the first-connection question (see below), then paste the password when asked. Right-click pastes in most Windows terminals.

If you'd rather use PuTTY, put the address in Host Name, leave Port at 22, and press Open. Log in as root when it asks. PuTTY asks the same first-connection question in a window: press Accept.

macOS

  1. Open Terminal, from Applications, then Utilities, or by searching for it with Spotlight.
  2. Paste the SSH line from the Connect card and press Return:
ssh [email protected]
  1. Answer the first-connection question (see below), then paste the password when asked.

Linux

  1. Open a terminal. Most desktops open one with Ctrl+Alt+T.
  2. Paste the SSH line from the Connect card and press Enter:
ssh [email protected]
  1. Answer the first-connection question (see below), then paste the password when asked. If ssh isn't found, install the openssh-client package.

Nothing shows while you paste a password, which is normal. Paste once and press Enter. When you're in, the prompt changes to something like root@web-01:~#. To leave:

exit

The first-connection question#

The first time you connect to a server, SSH asks something like this:

The authenticity of host '203.0.113.10 (203.0.113.10)' can't be established.
ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:Xs0c2B9V8bN4WkqgVw1q3l7mT5wq0uWm7nTqfKXJ1lE.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?

SSH hasn't seen this server's key before. Type yes. It saves the key in known_hosts and checks it every time after, so nobody can quietly pretend to be your server.

To be certain first, log in on the server's console in the portal and print the fingerprint. It should match:

ssh-keygen -lf /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub

See Use the browser console for a VPS, or Use the console for a dedicated server.

"Remote host identification has changed"#

After a reinstall the server has a new key, and SSH stops you:

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@    WARNING: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED!     @
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

After a reinstall that's expected. Remove the old key, then connect and answer yes:

ssh-keygen -R 203.0.113.10

If you haven't reinstalled, stop and open a ticket before you connect.

If it doesn't connect#

SSH saysIt meansTry
Connection timed outSomething is dropping the connectionCheck the server is running, and the portal firewall allows SSH from you
Connection refusedNothing is listening on port 22Check SSH from the console
Permission deniedWrong username, password or keyCopy the password again, or reset it

For more, see Locked out of SSH.

Stay connected#

If a session drops after a few idle minutes, ask SSH to send a small signal every minute:

ssh -o ServerAliveInterval=60 [email protected]

To make that permanent, and to stop typing the address, see the ~/.ssh/config section in Make an SSH key and use it.

Running your server Make an SSH key and use it Make a key on your computer, put it on your server and in the portal, and give your server a short name so you can type ssh web-01.Running your server Secure a new server The first half hour on a new server: updates, your own user, key-only SSH, a firewall, fail2ban and automatic security updates.VPS Log in for the first time Find your server's address, collect the root password once, and connect over SSH.VPS Locked out of SSH Can't log in over SSH? Get back in through the browser console, then fix the password, key, firewall or setting that blocked you.

Still stuck? Open a ticket and say which guide you followed.