How to Access A Server via SSH/Terminal

SSH (Secure Shell) is a secure way to access a server remotely. Here’s a quick guide on how to do that, using the IP 178.32.214.84 as an example.

Prerequisites for SSH Access #

To access a server via SSH, you must ensure the following:

1. SSH Service is Enabled on the Server: SSH must be running on the server. Most Linux servers come with SSH enabled by default.
2. Correct IP Address: You need the correct server IP address. In this guide, we are using 178.32.214.84 as an example.
3. Username: You must have the username for the account you wish to access on the server.
4. Authentication Method: You must have either:
   • A password for the username (password authentication), or
   • An SSH key pair (private and public keys) if using key-based authentication (preferred for security).
5. Port: By default, SSH uses port 22. If the server is configured to use a different port, you’ll need that information.

Method 1: Access Using Password Authentication #

1. Open Terminal:
   • On Linux and macOS, open the terminal directly.
   • On Windows, you can use Windows Powershell or an SSH client like PuTTY or Termius.
     
2. Run SSH Command: In the terminal, use the following command:
   ssh [email protected]
   
   Replace username with your actual server username and the IP with the actual server IP or hostname.
   For example, if your username is root, the command would be: ssh [email protected]
   
3. Enter Password: When prompted, type the password for the user and press Enter. After successfully entering the password, you will have access to the server.
   

Method 2: Access Using SSH Key Pair #

SSH key authentication is more secure than using passwords. You need to have the private key file on your local machine.

1. Generate or Obtain SSH Keys: If you don’t already have an SSH key pair, you can generate one using: ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096
   This will create a private key (id_rsa) and a public key (id_rsa.pub). You will need to place the public key on the server under the user’s .ssh/authorized_keys file.
   
2. Use SSH with Key: Run the following command to connect using your private key:
   ssh -i /path/to/private-key [email protected]
   
   For example: ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa [email protected]
   
3. Enter Passphrase (if applicable): If your private key is protected with a passphrase, you will be prompted to enter it. Once authenticated, you will be logged into the server.

Additional Options #

• Specifying a Different Port: If SSH is running on a non-default port (other than 22), you can specify it with the -p flag:
  ssh -p 2222 [email protected]
• Logging Out: To end your session and log out of the server, simply type: exit

Example Commands #

1. SSH with password: ssh [email protected]
2. SSH with key-based authentication: ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa [email protected]
3. SSH with a custom port: ssh -p 2222 [email protected]