{"id":3490,"date":"2026-10-08T17:43:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T09:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/?p=3490"},"modified":"2026-10-08T17:43:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T09:43:18","slug":"how-to-set-up-a-ssh-server-433e-64b34b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/08\/how-to-set-up-a-ssh-server-433e-64b34b\/","title":{"rendered":"How to set up a SSH server?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey everyone, it\u2019s Jake here from the Server Guys team\u2014y\u2019know, the folks that hook up small businesses and side-hustlers with reliable, no-fuss servers. Lately, I\u2019ve been fielding way too many DMs asking how to set up a SSH server. Let\u2019s be real: SSH is the backbone of remote server control, but it can feel super intimidating if you\u2019re new to this whole server game. I\u2019ve seen so many people mess up basic steps and end up with weak security, or worse, get locked out of their own server entirely. That\u2019s exactly why I\u2019m breaking this down, step by step, no jargon, no stuffy docs\u2014just real, actionable stuff that works, especially if you\u2019re using a server from us. Server<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s get the basics straight. SSH stands for Secure Shell, right? It\u2019s how you connect to your server over an unsecured network (like the internet) safely, because it encrypts every bit of data you send and receive. That means no one can snoop on your login credentials or the stuff you\u2019re moving around. If you\u2019re using one of our pre-built Linux servers (which 99% of our clients do, fyi), SSH is almost always installed by default\u2014we don\u2019t bloat our servers with unnecessary crap, so that\u2019s a win. But if you\u2019re on Windows, things are a little different, so I\u2019ll cover both cases here.<\/p>\n

Wait, quick pre-check before we start: you gotta have your server\u2019s IP address, a login username, and the root password or user password we sent you when you signed up. Keep that password handy\u2014write it down in a secure note, don\u2019t email it to yourself or post it somewhere dumb. Also, make sure your server is powered on and connected to the internet. Our servers run 24\/7, so that\u2019s one less thing you gotta worry about.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the most common setup: Linux servers, since that\u2019s what most people use for hosting, dev work, whatever. First, confirm SSH is even installed. Open your terminal (on Mac, that\u2019s the Terminal app; on Windows, you can use PowerShell or Command Prompt, but I\u2019d recommend Windows Terminal for this\u2014it\u2019s way better). Type ssh -V<\/code> and hit enter. If you get a version number back (like OpenSSH_8.9p1 Ubuntu-3ubuntu0.7, OpenSSL 3.0.2 15 Mar 2022), you\u2019re good to go. If not, install it super easy: for Ubuntu\/Debian, run sudo apt update && sudo apt install openssh-server<\/code>. For CentOS\/RHEL, it\u2019s sudo dnf install openssh-server<\/code>. That\u2019s it\u2014no complicated installs here.<\/p>\n

Now, turn on the SSH service so it runs when your server boots up. On Ubuntu, sudo systemctl enable --now ssh<\/code>; on CentOS, sudo systemctl enable --now sshd<\/code>. To make sure it\u2019s working, run sudo systemctl status ssh<\/code> (or sshd for CentOS). You should see a line that says \u201cactive (running)\u201d in green. If it\u2019s not running, we gotta troubleshoot\u2014most likely it\u2019s a typo in the command, or your server\u2019s firewall is blocking SSH. Speaking of firewalls, that\u2019s a huge security step almost everyone skips. SSH uses port 22 by default, so we need to make sure that port is open through your firewall. For Ubuntu\u2019s UFW firewall, run sudo ufw allow 22\/tcp<\/code>. For CentOS\u2019s firewalld, it\u2019s sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=22\/tcp --permanent<\/code>, then sudo firewall-cmd --reload<\/code>. Pro tip: don\u2019t skip this step\u2014if you do, you\u2019ll try to connect and get a \u201cconnection refused\u201d error, and that\u2019s a headache to fix if you\u2019re not there in person to edit settings.<\/p>\n

Next, Windows setup. If you\u2019re on Windows 10 1809 or newer, SSH is built right in. Open PowerShell (as admin, if you want, but not required for basic stuff) and run ssh -V<\/code> again. No version? Then you gotta install it: go to Settings > Apps > Optional Features > Add a feature, search for \u201cOpenSSH Server\u201d, install it, then restart your computer. Once it\u2019s installed, open PowerShell as admin and run Start-Service sshd<\/code>, then Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'<\/code> so it starts every time you turn on your PC. Firewall step here too: Windows Firewall will pop up asking if you want to allow SSH, just check \u201cPrivate networks\u201d if you\u2019re on a home network, or \u201cPrivate and Public\u201d if you need to connect from other places, but for servers, make sure to allow the firewall rule for SSH.<\/p>\n

Now, the fun part\u2014actually connecting to your SSH server. Once you have the IP address (you can find this in your account dashboard with us, by the way\u2014we make it easy to see your server\u2019s IP at a glance), open your terminal (Mac\/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows) and type ssh your_username@your_server_ip<\/code>. For example, if your username is \u201cjake\u201d and your server\u2019s IP is 192.168.1.100, it\u2019d be ssh jake@192.168.1.100<\/code>. Hit enter, and you\u2019ll be prompted for your password. Type it in, and boom\u2014you\u2019re logged in! You\u2019re now in your server\u2019s terminal, running commands directly on it, no matter where you are. That\u2019s the magic of SSH, right? I\u2019ve logged into our servers from a coffee shop in Europe and it works like a charm, as long as you have a decent internet connection.<\/p>\n

But wait\u2014using a password is risky. Brute force attacks are super common, where bots try thousands of passwords to get into your SSH server. The easiest fix is to set up SSH keys instead of passwords. Way more secure, way less hassle once it\u2019s set up. Let\u2019s walk through that. First, on your local machine (the one you\u2019re using to connect, not the server), generate a key pair. On Mac\/Linux, open terminal and type ssh-keygen<\/code>. You\u2019ll be prompted to name the key (just press enter to use the default, id_rsa) and set a passphrase (optional, but highly recommended\u2014adds another layer of security). On Windows, same command in PowerShell, works the same way.<\/p>\n

Once the key is generated, you need to copy the public key to your server. The easiest way is ssh-copy-id your_username@your_server_ip<\/code>. That will prompt you for your password one last time, then it copies the public key over. If that command doesn\u2019t work (sometimes it messes up on old Windows versions), you can do it manually: on your local machine, the public key is in ~\/.ssh\/id_rsa.pub<\/code> (Mac\/Linux) or C:\\Users\\YourName\\.ssh\\id_rsa.pub<\/code> (Windows). Open that file, copy the whole line, then log into your server via SSH as you did before, and paste that line into a file called ~\/.ssh\/authorized_keys<\/code>. Make sure the file permissions are set right\u2014run chmod 600 ~\/.ssh\/authorized_keys<\/code> on the server, and chmod 700 ~\/.ssh<\/code>\u2014that stops anyone else from accessing those files.<\/p>\n

Now, test the key login: close your current SSH session, run the same ssh your_username@your_server_ip<\/code> command again. You shouldn\u2019t be prompted for a password or passphrase (if you set one, you\u2019ll just enter that). Way better, right? No more typing long passwords, and way more secure. The next step is to harden your SSH setup even more, because even with keys, there are tweaks you can make. On your server, open the SSH config file with sudo nano \/etc\/ssh\/sshd_config<\/code>. Let\u2019s go through the important settings:<\/p>\n

First, change the default port from 22 to something random, like 2245. Why? Bots scan port 22 all day, every day. If you change it to a non-standard port, you\u2019ll cut down on 90% of the brute force attempts. Just find the line that says Port 22<\/code>, change it to Port 2245<\/code> (or any number between 1024 and 65536, just don\u2019t pick one that\u2019s used by another service). Next, disable password authentication entirely\u2014find PasswordAuthentication yes<\/code>, change it to PasswordAuthentication no<\/code>. That way, no one can log in with a password, only with keys. Then, you can even disable root login over SSH\u2014find PermitRootLogin prohibit-password<\/code> and change it to PermitRootLogin no<\/code>. We recommend creating a regular user and using that, then using sudo<\/code> for admin commands, way more secure than logging in as root.<\/p>\n

Once you make those changes, save the file (nano shortcut: Ctrl+O, hit enter, then Ctrl+X) and restart the SSH service: sudo systemctl restart ssh<\/code> (or sshd for CentOS). Important: if you changed the port, you have to specify the new port when you connect from now on! So your command becomes ssh your_username@your_server_ip -p 2245<\/code>. Don\u2019t close your current SSH session yet\u2014test the new connection in a new terminal window first, to make sure you didn\u2019t mess up the settings. If you can\u2019t connect, you can go back to your old session and fix it, no panic. That\u2019s a crucial step I wish more people did\u2014test before logging out.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about common mistakes I see clients make all the time, so you can avoid them. First, locking yourself out of the server by messing with SSH settings. Always test the new connection before closing the old one. Second, using weak passwords or reusing passwords across accounts. We enforce strong passwords on all our servers, but SSH keys are still better. Third, not updating SSH regularly. Keep your server\u2019s packages up to date\u2014run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade<\/code> (Ubuntu) or sudo dnf update<\/code> (CentOS) every couple of weeks, that fixes security bugs. Fourth, forgetting the server\u2019s IP or domain name. We send you a welcome email with all that, and your dashboard has it too, so save that somewhere. And fifth, using outdated Windows versions that don\u2019t have SSH built in\u2014if you\u2019re on Windows 7, just use PuTTY, it\u2019s a free SSH client, works fine, we have a guide for that if you need it.<\/p>\n

Wait, and if you\u2019re using our servers specifically\u2014we make this even easier. Our control panel has a one-click \u201cEnable SSH\u201d button, and you can view your IP, port, and even reset your SSH keys right there, no terminal commands needed. We also give you a dedicated support team 24\/7 if you run into any issues\u2014no wait times, no automated bots, real people that know our servers inside and out. That\u2019s the benefit of working with a server supplier that actually cares, not just selling you a box and leaving you to figure it out.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s run through a quick recap to make sure you didn\u2019t skip anything: 1) Confirm SSH is installed on your local machine and server. 2) Open port 22 (or your custom port) on your firewall. 3) Connect to your server for the first time. 4) Set up SSH keys for better security. 5) Harden your SSH config by changing the port, disabling passwords and root login. 6) Test all changes before logging out of your old session. That\u2019s it\u2014super straightforward, and way more secure than the default setup.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in the market for a server to set up SSH on, or you\u2019re tired of dealing with flaky hosting that can\u2019t handle remote access, hit us up. Our servers are optimized for SSH and remote management, with 99.9% uptime, instant provisioning, and support that actually answers when you need it. Whether you\u2019re a small business owner needing to manage your website files remotely, a dev working on a project, or just someone that needs reliable remote access to a server, we\u2019ve got plans tailored to all kinds of needs. No hidden fees, no long-term contracts, just good servers and good service.<\/p>\n

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Before I wrap up, a quick note: SSH is powerful, so use it responsibly. Don\u2019t use it to access servers you don\u2019t own, don\u2019t leave your connection open unattended, and always keep your keys secure\u2014if you lose your key, you\u2019ll have to reset SSH access, which we can help with if you work with us. And for more tips on server security, remote management, and all things hosting, check out our blog\u2014we post stuff regularly that\u2019s actually useful, no corporate fluff.<\/p>\n

Hard Disk<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

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  1. OpenSSH Project. (2024). OpenSSH Overview. Retrieved from official OpenSSH documentation (note: since we avoid links, we just list the standard source)<\/li>\n
  2. Ubuntu Documentation. (2024). OpenSSH Server Guide for Ubuntu.<\/li>\n
  3. CentOS Documentation. (2024). Configuring SSH on CentOS and RHEL Systems.<\/li>\n
  4. Microsoft Learn. (2024). Get started with OpenSSH for Windows.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Hyllsi Technology Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    Hyllsi Technology Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional server manufacturers and suppliers in China, specialized in providing high quality products with low price. We warmly welcome you to wholesale or buy bulk discount server in stock here from our factory. For more cheap products, contact us now.
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    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.it-hyllsi.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hey everyone, it\u2019s Jake here from the Server Guys team\u2014y\u2019know, the folks that hook up small … How to set up a SSH server?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":927,"featured_media":3490,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3453],"class_list":["post-3490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-server-45b5-6592cc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/927"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.mytets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}