First you need to generate SSH key pair for your connection. Under Linux you can do so using the ssh-keygen command. You should run it in the command line. You will be asked for a file where the key should be saved to and for a passphrase (password) for the key. Here is an example:
user@localhost: ssh-keygen -t dsa
Generating public/private dsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/home/user/.ssh/id_dsa):
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in id_dsa.
Your public key has been saved in id_dsa.pub.
The key fingerprint is:
16:8e:e8:f2:1d:c9:b9:cf:43:9a:b3:3c:c1:1f:95:93 user@localhost
This will create a private key written to /home/user/.ssh/ id_dsa and a public key written to /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa.pub. The passphrase is used to protect your key. You will be asked for it when you connect via SSH.
Note that the IP address from which you have ordered your Dedicated Server was automatically added in the server firewall. If you intend to establish the WHM and SSH connections using another IP address you should request it to be added in the firewall by our team. Access from your IP address should be allowed for the SSH port on the server. You can request this by posting a ticket in the Port Opening Request category.
Once you have generated your public and private SSH keys, you should add the public key through your WHM (Web Host Manager).
To do so, log in to your server's WHM panel as root and go to Manage SSH Keys located in the Security section. Click the Import Key button. Type in a name and a passphrase for the key and paste your public key in the corresponding field. You don't have to paste your private key. Click Import to import your key.
You will now be able to connect to your Dedicated Server via SSH.
You should load your private SSH key using the following command:
user@localhost: ssh-add /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa
Enter passphrase for id_dsa:
Identity added: id_dsa (id_dsa)
(The passphrase is the same as the one you have set during the generation of the SSH key.)
Once you have entered the passphrase you can initiate an SSH connection:
user@localhost: ssh <USER>@<HOSTNAME> -p<PORT>
- <USER> – root – the user for which you want to establish the SSH connection. Since your account is hosted on a dedicated server you can login using the “root” account
- <HOSTNAME> (or IP address) - here you should enter the hostname/IP of the Dedicated Server.
- <PORT> - the port for the connection;
Press "Enter" and if everything has been set up properly, you will establish an SSH connection to your account.