Complete guide to connecting to a server with SSH

SSH is the most common way to manage a Linux server remotely. This tutorial walks you through connecting to your first server with an SSH client.

Step 1: Prepare your connection info

• Server public IP
• Login username (usually root)
• Login password or key

Step 2: Install an SSH client

happy-ssh works on both Windows and macOS. After installing, create a new host and enter the IP, username, and password.

Step 3: Establish the connection

Click connect. The first time, you'll be asked to confirm the host fingerprint; after confirming, you're in the terminal. From there you can manage files with SFTP and run commands in the terminal.

Common issues

• Connection timeout: check that port 22 is open in the firewall / security group
• Wrong password: confirm the username and password
• Host key changed: the server may have been reinstalled; confirm and update

Safety tip

We recommend enabling happy-ssh's novice mode to intercept dangerous commands like rm and avoid accidentally deleting server files.