How to connect to your OBLAKO VPS via SSH

SSH is the standard way to work with a Linux server: you type commands in a terminal on your computer and they run on the server.

Find the IP and password

1. Open Servers in my.oblako.sh and select a server with the status Running.
2. The IP is on the IP Addresses tab.
3. The Root Password is in the server card.

The same details come in the Server is ready email together with a ready SSH command.

macOS and Linux

Open Terminal and run:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

On the first connection SSH asks whether you trust the server. Type yes, press Enter and paste the password. The password is not displayed while you type, this is normal.

Windows

Windows 10 and 11 include an SSH client. Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the same command:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

If you prefer a graphical client, PuTTY works too: enter the IP in Host Name, keep port 22, click Open and log in as root.

Update the system

Install updates first. Ubuntu and Debian:

apt update && apt upgrade -y

AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux and CentOS:

dnf upgrade -y

Log in with a key instead of a password

Servers on the internet are constantly scanned by bots guessing passwords. A key is practically impossible to guess.

1. Create a key on your computer if you do not have one:

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519

2. Copy the public key to the server:

   ssh-copy-id root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

   On Windows, where ssh-copy-id is missing, run:

   type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub | ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

3. Check that ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP logs you in without a password.

4. Only then disable password login: set PasswordAuthentication no in /etc/ssh/sshd_config and restart SSH:

   systemctl restart ssh || systemctl restart sshd

Keep a way back in

Do not close your current session until key login works in a new window. If you lock yourself out, use the Console tab, see managing your server.

Common errors

Error	What to check
Connection timed out	The server is not Running yet, or it is Suspended because it was not renewed, see expired servers
Connection refused	SSH is not running or uses another port. Check through the Console tab
Permission denied	Wrong password. Copy it again without extra spaces, or generate a new one on the Password tab
REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED	The server was reinstalled or the IP belonged to another server. Run ssh-keygen -R YOUR_SERVER_IP and connect again