Connect to a Linux VPS with SSH

SSH is the normal administrative path for most Linux VPS deployments.

Maintained documentation Last reviewed 28 September 2026

What you need

The server public IP or hostname.
The SSH username for the selected image.
A password or private key supplied or configured through the authorised provisioning workflow.
The SSH port if the server has been configured to use a non-default port.

Connect

Run the SSH client from a trusted device. Replace the placeholders with the actual username and server address.

Standard SSH

ssh username@server-ip

Custom SSH port

ssh -p 2222 username@server-ip

Verify the host key

On a first connection, SSH normally presents the server host key fingerprint. Verify unexpected fingerprint changes before accepting them, especially after a rebuild or when connecting through an unfamiliar network.

Move to key-based authentication

Where appropriate, use a unique SSH key for administration and protect the private key on the administrator device. Do not paste private keys into support tickets or public documentation.

Create an Ed25519 key on the administrator device

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

If SSH does not answer

Confirm the server is powered on.
Verify the public IP, SSH port and username.
Check the local network and any server-side firewall rules.
Use an eligible console function when normal network access is unavailable.
Test whether the TCP port is reachable independently of the SSH client.
Collect traceroute or packet-loss evidence if the symptom appears network-related.

Port reachability example

nc -vz server-ip 22