How to Troubleshoot SSH Connection Problems
Match the error you see: a timeout usually means the wrong IP, port or a blocked network; “connection refused” means the wrong port or SSH isn't running; “permission denied” means the username, password or key doesn't match. Run ssh -v for details and open a ticket with your public IP if you think you've been blocked.
Applies to: Linux OpenSSH Blue Arctic VPS Hosting and Virtual Dedicated Servers (VDS); Windows, macOS and Linux computers
On this page
Most SSH problems come down to one of three things: the address, the network, or the login details. The exact error message tells you which, so read it carefully.
Warning
don’t keep retrying a login that fails. After two or three failed tries, stop: too many failures can block your IP address automatically.
1. Check the basics
- Compare the IP address, username and port with the login details we gave you when your server was set up. If no port is given, it’s 22. If you don’t have these details, open a support ticket.
- Check the Blue Arctic status page for an incident.
- Check you’re typing the command in the right form:
ssh -p PORT username@203.0.113.10, with your own values. If your port is 22, you can leave out-p PORT.
2. Match the error
- Connection timed out: nothing answered. The IP address may be wrong, or your network blocks SSH. Try another network, such as your phone’s hotspot. If it works there, ask your network administrator to allow outgoing SSH.
- Connection refused: the server answered, but not on that port. Check the port. If it’s right, the SSH service may have stopped; open a support ticket.
- Permission denied, please try again: the username or password is wrong. Both are case-sensitive. Check them and try once more.
- Permission denied (publickey): the words in brackets are the login methods the server accepts. If you see only
publickey, the server wants an SSH key and didn’t get one it accepts. If you have a key, point SSH at it with-i, for examplessh -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 -p PORT username@203.0.113.10. If you’ve never set up a key, open a support ticket. To add a key once you can log in, see how to set up SSH key authentication. - REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED, or Host key verification failed: the server’s key no longer matches the one your computer saved, so SSH stops. This is expected if your server’s operating system was reinstalled, but it can also mean you’re not reaching your own server. Open a support ticket and ask about your server’s key fingerprint. Only when support tells you the change is expected, remove the old entry with
ssh-keygen -R 203.0.113.10(with a port other than 22:ssh-keygen -R "[203.0.113.10]:PORT"). This deletes only your computer’s saved copy for that server. Then connect again. - It worked before, and now it times out after a few failed attempts: your IP address may have been blocked automatically. Don’t keep retrying; open a support ticket with your public IP address (search the web for “what is my IP”).
3. Get more detail
Add -v to see each step of the connection. It only prints more information:
ssh -v -p PORT username@203.0.113.10The last few lines usually show where it stopped. Use -vv or -vvv for more. Never add a password to what you share.
Warning
Never switch off the server’s firewall or login protection to get in. They protect your server from constant login attempts. If you’re locked out, open a support ticket.
How to tell it worked
You see the server’s prompt, which shows your username and the server’s name and ends in $ or #, and commands run on the VPS.
Troubleshooting
- Windows says ssh is not recognized: you need a Windows account with administrator rights for this; if you don’t have one, ask whoever manages your computer. Select Start, type
Optional featuresand open it. Select View features (Windows 10: Add a feature), search for OpenSSH Client, select it, then select Add (Windows 10: Install). Close and reopen PowerShell. More detail: how to connect with SSH on Windows. - You changed SSH settings on the server and can’t get back in: if another session is still open, undo the change there. If not, open a support ticket.
Still need help?
Open a support ticket from the Client Portal at my.bluearctic.com. Our support page explains how the 24/7 helpdesk works. Include your VPS IP address, the username, the exact command, the output of ssh -v, when it last worked, and your own public IP address. Never include a password or a private key.