How to connect to a Linux VPS via SSH

What is SSH?

SSH (Secure Shell) is the standard protocol for remotely connecting to a Linux server securely. All communication is encrypted.

Prerequisites

Before you start, you need:

Connecting from Windows

Option 1: PowerShell or CMD (Windows 10/11)

Windows 10 and 11 include a native SSH client. Open PowerShell and type:

ssh root@YOUR_IP

Replace YOUR_IP with your VPS IP address. Accept the server fingerprint by typing yes, then enter your password.

Option 2: PuTTY (graphical client)

PuTTY is the most popular SSH client on Windows. Download it from putty.org, then:

Connecting from Mac or Linux

Open Terminal and type directly:

ssh root@YOUR_IP

Using SSH keys (recommended)

SSH keys are more secure than passwords.

Step 1: Generate the key pair

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "my-vexcloud-vps"

Press Enter to accept the default location. Set a passphrase if desired.

Step 2: Copy the key to your VPS

ssh-copy-id root@YOUR_IP

Step 3: Connect without a password

ssh root@YOUR_IP

Essential SSH commands

Securing your SSH connection

To protect your VPS from brute force attacks, edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config:

Restart SSH after changes: systemctl restart sshd