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SSH (Secure Shell) is the standard way to access a Linux VPS. This guide covers first-time login and moving from passwords to SSH keys.

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First login (password)

When your VPS is provisioned, you’ll receive an email with:
  • Server IP address
  • Root password
  • SSH port (usually 22)

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From macOS / Linux

Enter your root password when prompted.

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From Windows

Use the built-in OpenSSH client via PowerShell (same command as above), or download PuTTY. SSH keys are far more secure than passwords and don’t require typing them each time.
1

Generate a key pair on your local machine

Press Enter to accept defaults. Optionally set a passphrase.
2

Copy the public key to your VPS

Or manually append ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub to /root/.ssh/authorized_keys on the server.
3

Test key-based login

You should log in without a password prompt.
4

Disable password authentication

Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config and set:
Restart SSH: systemctl restart sshd
Never disable password auth before verifying key login works — you could lock yourself out. If that happens, use the VNC console to recover.

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Creating a non-root user

Running as root is risky. Create a regular user for daily work:
Then SSH in as deploy@YOUR_SERVER_IP and use sudo for privileged commands.