How to Connect to Your Linux Server (SSH)

You can access your Linux server from Windows using two simple methods: either with the built-in Command Prompt or using the PuTTY SSH client.

⚡ Method 1 — Using Windows Command Prompt (CMD)

Windows has a built-in SSH client you can use directly from the terminal — no extra software needed.

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, then hit Enter.
2. In the terminal window, type the following command:

ssh root@your.server.ip -p your_port

📝 Replace:

• your.server.ip with the IP address of your server
• your_port with the correct SSH port (default is usually 22)

3. Press Enter.
4. You’ll be asked to enter your SSH password — paste it and press Enter (nothing will show while typing, it's normal).

✅ Done! You’re now connected to your server via CMD.

🪟 Method 2 — Using PuTTY

PuTTY is a lightweight and trusted SSH tool.

1. Download PuTTY here
2. Open PuTTY.
3. In the Host Name (or IP address) field, enter your server IP.
4. Set the Port to your server’s SSH port (default: 22).
5. Click Open. You’ll see a terminal window asking for your login:

login as:

6. Enter your username ( root by default) and press Enter.
7. Right-click to paste your SSH password (copied from your email), then press Enter again.

🎉 You’re connected!

Troubleshooting

• Always use the correct username. For Linux servers, the default is root, not Administrator.
• If you see Permission denied (publickey), password login might be disabled or your keys misconfigured.
• If the connection is refused or times out, ensure port 22 is open in both your server firewall (like UFW) and any provider-side firewall.
• If you accidentally closed port 22, you can access the server via noVNC and reopen it.

Still stuck? Reach out — we're happy to help!

Updated on: 25/05/2026