Logging in to your VPS with SSH (and creating an SSH key)

You manage your VPS via SSH: an encrypted connection to your server's command line. Logging in with an SSH key is safer and easier than with a password.

Log in with your password

Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux have SSH built in. Open PowerShell (Windows) or Terminal (Mac, Linux) and type:

ssh root@your-ip-address

Your IP address is shown in your VPS screen and in the e-mail "Your VPS is installed". Prefer a program with windows? PuTTY or Termius work too.

Create an SSH key

A key has two parts: a private key that stays on your own computer and a public key you give to the server. Create one with:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

Press Enter for the default location and optionally choose a passphrase. Your public key is then in ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub (Windows: C:\Users\yourname\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub). Show it with cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub. It starts with ssh-ed25519.

Put the key on your VPS

• When installing: paste the public key in the SSH key field. This also works when reinstalling.
• On a running VPS: from your own computer run ssh-copy-id root@your-ip-address, or paste the line into /root/.ssh/authorized_keys on the server.

Never share your private key (the file without .pub), not even with us.

Not working?

• Connection timed out: is your VPS running? Did you enable a firewall without leaving port 22 open? See No access to your VPS anymore.
• Permission denied: is the password correct? Set a new root password in the VPS screen if needed.
• REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED: normal after a reinstall. Remove the old entry with ssh-keygen -R your-ip-address.