Connect with SSH

Updated 2026-10-30

To connect, run ssh root@<server-ip> with the SSH key you selected when creating the server, or with the root password sent to your email. If SSH is not reachable, use the browser console or rescue mode from the server view in the console.

Find the address

Open the server in the console. The overview shows its public IPv4 (if it has one) and IPv6 address. Servers on a private network only have private addresses; see the section on servers without a public IP below.

Connect from Linux or macOS

ssh [email protected]          # example IPv4
ssh root@2001:db8::10          # example IPv6

If your key is not the default ~/.ssh/id_ed25519, name it:

ssh -i ~/.ssh/wolkra_ed25519 [email protected]

On the first connection, confirm the host fingerprint with yes.

Connect from Windows

Windows 10 and 11 include OpenSSH. In PowerShell:

ssh [email protected]

With PuTTY, enter the address as Host Name, load your .ppk key under Connection → SSH → Auth → Credentials, and log in as root.

With a root password

If you selected no SSH key, the root password arrives by email. Log in, then change it straight away:

passwd

Better still, add your key and turn off password login. The SSH keys guide shows how.

Save a shortcut

Add the server to ~/.ssh/config:

Host web-1
  HostName 203.0.113.10
  User root
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Now ssh web-1 is enough.

Reach servers without a public IP

Servers that live only on a private network have no public address. Connect through a server that has one, a so-called jump host:

ssh -J [email protected] [email protected]     # example addresses

Or in ~/.ssh/config:

Host db-1
  HostName 10.0.0.5
  User root
  ProxyJump web-1

A WireGuard VPN into the private network is another good option for teams.

Browser console

Open the server and choose Console. It shows the server's screen, as if a monitor were attached, and works even when the network or SSH is broken. Log in with a user that has a password. If root has only a key, set a password first while you still have SSH access:

passwd

Use the console to fix a firewall rule, an SSH config error or a network setting.

Rescue mode

If the system no longer boots, choose Rescue in the server view. The server restarts into a small rescue system. Log in as instructed in the console, then mount your disk and repair it:

lsblk                       # find the system disk and its partitions
mount /dev/vda1 /mnt        # device names vary, check lsblk first

When done, unmount, leave rescue mode and reboot normally.

Troubleshooting

Run ssh -v for a detailed log. Still stuck? Open a ticket in the console.

Next: harden the server with how to secure an Ubuntu server.