Fix common SSH connection errors

Can't connect to your VPS over SSH? The error message usually tells you what's wrong. Find your error below for the likely cause and fix.

If you're locked out completely, you can still reach your server through Open Console on your VPS's management page in the client area. See Use the web console to access your VPS.

"Connection timed out"

Your computer can't reach the server at all.

• Check you've typed the right IP address. You'll find it under IP Assignments on your VPS's management page.
• Check the Power Status on the same page shows Online. If the VPS is off, power it on.
• A firewall on the server may be blocking SSH. Log in with Open Console and allow SSH:

  ufw allow OpenSSH                                                  # Ubuntu/Debian
  firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=ssh && firewall-cmd --reload   # AlmaLinux/Rocky

• Your own network may be blocking outgoing SSH. Some workplace, school and public Wi-Fi networks do. Try another network, such as your phone's hotspot.

"Connection refused"

Your computer reached the server, but nothing is accepting SSH connections.

• The server may still be starting up, for example just after a reboot or reinstall. Wait a minute and try again.
• The SSH service may have stopped. Log in with Open Console and start it:

  systemctl restart ssh    # Ubuntu/Debian
  systemctl restart sshd   # AlmaLinux/Rocky

• If you changed the SSH port, connect with that port, for example ssh -p 2200 root@YOUR_SERVER_IP.

"Permission denied" or "Access denied"

The server rejected your login.

• Check the username is root, and that the password is correct. Passwords are case-sensitive, so check Caps Lock.
• Remember that nothing appears on screen while you type the password. Type it carefully and press Enter.
• "Permission denied (publickey)": the server only accepts SSH keys, and your key wasn't accepted. Make sure you're using the right key, or log in with Open Console to fix your ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file.
• Too many failed attempts can temporarily block your IP address if you've set up a tool such as Fail2ban. Wait and try again later.

"REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED"

The server's identity key is different from last time. This almost always happens because you reinstalled your VPS, which creates new keys. Remove the old key from your computer, then connect again:

ssh-keygen -R YOUR_SERVER_IP

If you haven't reinstalled or changed anything on your server, and you see this warning, open a support ticket before connecting.

"No route to host" or "Network is unreachable"

The server's network may be misconfigured, or your computer has lost its internet connection. Check your own connection first, then log in with Open Console and check the server has its IP address with ip addr.

Your SSH session keeps disconnecting

Some networks drop idle connections. You can ask SSH to keep the connection alive:

• Windows Terminal, macOS or Linux: connect with ssh -o ServerAliveInterval=60 root@YOUR_SERVER_IP.
• PuTTY: go to Connection, set Seconds between keepalives to 60, then save your session.

For long-running jobs, such as big downloads or installs, use screen or tmux so the job keeps running even if you disconnect.

Still stuck?

If you've tried the steps above and the console also shows problems, open a support ticket. Include the exact error message you're seeing, but never your password.

Related guides

• Connect to your VPS over SSH from Windows
• Connect to your VPS over SSH from macOS or Linux
• Set up SSH keys to log in to your VPS securely

Need help?

Our Cloud VPS plans are self-managed, so you're responsible for installing, securing and maintaining the software on your server. If something on our side isn't working, such as the network, or your VPS won't boot, open a support ticket.