To connect to your VPS, open a terminal (or PowerShell on Windows) and run ssh root@your-server-ip, using the IP address and password from your welcome email. Setting up SSH keys afterwards lets you log in without a password.

What is SSH?

SSH (Secure Shell) is a secure way to connect to your server's command line remotely. You'll use SSH for server management, software installation, and configuration.

Connection Details

After purchasing a VPS plan, you'll receive an email with:

  • IP Address: Your server's public IP
  • Username: Usually root
  • Password: Your initial root password
  • SSH Port: Usually 22 (may vary)

Connecting from Mac/Linux

Open Terminal and run:

ssh root@your-server-ip

Enter your password when prompted. Type yes to accept the host key on first connection.

Connecting from Windows

Windows 10/11 has a built-in SSH client. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run the same command as above. Alternatively, use PuTTY - a popular free SSH client with a graphical interface.

For better security, set up SSH key authentication instead of passwords:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519
ssh-copy-id root@your-server-ip

After this, you can log in without entering a password each time.

Troubleshooting

If you can't connect, check that your server is running, the IP is correct, and port 22 is open. If you've changed the SSH port, use ssh -p PORT root@ip.