Connect to a VPS via SSH – first steps on Windows, macOS, Linux

In short

You connect with ssh root@YOUR-IP in a terminal or with PuTTY and log in with the root password from the customer account. After that you change the password, install updates, create your own user and add an SSH key. You add the key only after the first login; there is no field for it when ordering.

What you need

• the IP address of your VPS and the root password, both in the customer account on the product page in the Übersicht (overview) tab
• a terminal (see below) or PuTTY
• about 15 minutes

You get there via Dienste (services) → Deine Produkte (your products) → Ansehen (view) next to your VPS. The root password is hidden; a click on the eye icon shows it. New VPS run Ubuntu 22.04. If something goes wrong, a ticket helps. How a VPS is set up and what you are responsible for is explained under VPS overview.

The path in this chapter

1. ▶Connectssh root@IP
3. 2Change password
5. 3Update the system
7. 4Create a user with sudo
9. 5Set up SSH key
11. ✓Secure itcontinue with Secure your VPS

Connect to the VPS

SSH (Secure Shell) is an encrypted access to the command line of your server. Everything you type runs on the VPS, not on your computer.

Windows

Windows 10 and 11 come with an SSH client.

1. Open the Start menu, type PowerShell and start Windows PowerShell or the Terminal.
2. Enter (replace the example IP with yours):

ssh root@203.0.113.10

3. The first time, SSH asks whether you trust the server. Type yes and confirm with Enter.
4. Enter the root password. You do not see any characters while typing. That is normal.

macOS

1. Open the Terminal app (Applications → Utilities).
2. Enter:

ssh root@203.0.113.10

3. Confirm the first prompt with yes and enter the password. No characters appear while typing.

Linux

1. Open a terminal.
2. Enter:

ssh root@203.0.113.10

3. Confirm the first prompt with yes and enter the password.

PuTTY

PuTTY is a free program for Windows from putty.org.

1. Start PuTTY.
2. Under Host Name (or IP address) enter your IP address, under Port enter 22, and select SSH.
3. Click Open. The first time, a security prompt about the server’s key appears. Confirm it with Accept.
4. At login as: enter root, then the password.

When you see the prompt, for example root@meinserver:~#, you are logged in.

A security question appears the first time

SSH remembers the fingerprint of your server. When you connect for the first time, it asks once whether you trust it. That is normal. If a warning later says that the key has changed even though you have not reinstalled the system, cancel and ask support.

Change the password

The password from the customer account is only meant for getting started. Change it right away:

passwd

You enter a new password twice. Use a long, random password from a password manager. If you forget it, set a new one in the Passwort ändern (change password) tab in the customer account. After hardening you will not need it for logging in at all (see Secure your VPS).

Update packages

Right after installation, security updates have usually already been released. Which commands you need depends on the distribution.

Debian and Ubuntu

apt update
apt upgrade -y

If a restart is requested afterwards (for example after a kernel update): reboot. Wait about a minute and reconnect.

AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux

dnf upgrade -y

After a kernel update, restart with reboot and reconnect after a minute.

Do updates regularly in future, for example once a week, or have them installed automatically (Secure your VPS).

Create a user with sudo

Do not work as root in everyday use. Create a normal user who may run administrative commands with sudo. Replace anna with your name.

Debian and Ubuntu

adduser anna
usermod -aG sudo anna

adduser asks for a password and some optional details.

AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux

useradd -m anna
passwd anna
usermod -aG wheel anna

Test the new user before you continue. Open a second terminal window and log in:

ssh anna@203.0.113.10
sudo whoami

If sudo whoami prints root, everything works.

Set up an SSH key

An SSH key consists of two files: a private key that stays on your computer, and a public key that you put on the server. The server lets you in if your computer holds the private key. That is more secure than a password because a key cannot be guessed.

When ordering a VPS you cannot specify a key. So you put it on the server yourself after the first login, with ssh-copy-id or by hand in the user’s authorized_keys file.

1. Generate a key on your own computer (not on the server). In PowerShell, in the terminal or on Linux:

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "mein-vps"

   Confirm the storage location with Enter. Set a passphrase so that the key is protected even if it is stolen.

2. Copy the public key to the server. On macOS and Linux:

   ssh-copy-id anna@203.0.113.10

   On Windows there is no ssh-copy-id. Instead, display the key, copy the line and paste it on the server:

   type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub

   On the server, as user anna:

   mkdir -p ~/.ssh
   chmod 700 ~/.ssh
   nano ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
   chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

   Paste the copied line into the file, save with Ctrl+O, Enter and exit with Ctrl+X.

3. Test logging in without a password. Open a new terminal:

   ssh anna@203.0.113.10

   It should now only ask for the key’s passphrase, not for the server password.

Never share your private key

The file id_ed25519 (without .pub) is your private key. Do not send it to anyone, not even support, and do not upload it anywhere. Only the file ending in .pub belongs on the server.

Typical problems

Message	Cause	Solution
Connection timed out	Server unreachable or a firewall blocks port 22	Check the IP, check whether the VPS is running (customer account, Übersicht tab), check the firewall in the Netzwerk (network) tab
Connection refused	The SSH service is not running or listens on a different port	Check via the VNC tab in the customer account or write a ticket
Permission denied (publickey)	The server only accepts keys and yours is not stored	Add your public key
Permission denied, please try again	Wrong password	Enter the password again, mind upper and lower case
WARNING: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED	The server was reinstalled and has a new fingerprint	Delete the old entry with ssh-keygen -R 203.0.113.10

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to change port 22?

No. A different port helps only a little against automated attacks. SSH keys and Fail2ban are more effective.

I locked myself out. What now?

Open the VNC tab of your VPS in the customer account. It is a console in the browser that works without SSH. Log in there with your user and password and correct the SSH settings. With Passwort ändern you set a new root password. As a last resort, reinstall the VPS in the Neuinstallieren tab (all data is lost) or write a ticket.

Is there SSH for my game server too?

No. For game servers there is SFTP instead of SSH, see Files, editor and SFTP.

Further reading

• Secure your VPS
• VPS overview
• Dedicated: installation and rescue
• Glossary from A to Z