Logging in with SSH for the first time

SSH is an encrypted connection to your server's command line. Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux come with an SSH program built in. You don't need to install anything.

How to log in

1. Open a terminal. On Windows: right-click Start and choose Terminal or Windows PowerShell. On a Mac: open Terminal via Spotlight. On Linux: open your terminal.
2. Type ssh root@ followed by your VPS's IP address and press Enter.

C:\Users\anna> ssh root@203.0.113.10
The authenticity of host '203.0.113.10 (203.0.113.10)' can't be established.
ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:Wq3fB0c1x9yS2mVq4h8aD7nE5kR6tL1pZ0uJ3gH2iY.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?

The first time, your computer asks whether you trust this server. It doesn't know it yet and shows its fingerprint.

Checking the fingerprint

The fingerprint proves that you're talking to your own server and not to another computer in between. Here's how to check it:

1. Open the console in the VPS screen (see The console: your VPS in your browser) and log in as root.
2. Type this command:

root@web1:~# ssh-keygen -lf /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub
256 SHA256:Wq3fB0c1x9yS2mVq4h8aD7nE5kR6tL1pZ0uJ3gH2iY root@web1 (ED25519)

Does the text after SHA256: match what your terminal showed? Then type yes. Your computer remembers the server in the file known_hosts in your .ssh folder. After that, it won't ask again.

Next, the server asks for the root password. You won't see any characters as you type; that's normal. If you pasted an SSH key during installation, you'll get straight in.

You're in

root@web1:~#

Type exit or press Ctrl+D to log out again. Do this right away:

1. Update everything: apt update && apt upgrade (see Updates and automatic updates).
2. Create an SSH key if you don't have one yet (Creating an SSH key on Windows, Mac and Linux).
3. Create your own user and disable logging in as root (Your own user with sudo and Disabling password login and root login).

Tip: Prefer a program with windows? PuTTY (Windows) or Termius work too. The steps in this manual use the SSH program that's already on your computer.

Please note: Do you ever get the message REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED even though you haven't changed anything on your server? Then don't just carry on typing. Read Common SSH error messages first.