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SSH (Secure Shell) is how you log into a VPS’s command line. It’s the first skill every VPS user needs. Here’s the whole thing, plainly.
1. Get your credentials
When you order a VPS, the provider gives you an IP address, a username (usually root), and a password (or you set an SSH key during setup).
2. Connect
- macOS / Linux: open Terminal and run
ssh root@YOUR_IP - Windows: use PowerShell (built in) or PuTTY
You’ll be asked for the password the first time. Type it (nothing shows on screen — that’s normal) and press Enter.
3. Do these three security steps immediately
A public VPS is scanned for weak SSH passwords within minutes of going online. Do this first:
Add a non-root user:
adduser deploy
usermod -aG sudo deploy
Set up SSH key auth (from your local machine):
ssh-copy-id deploy@YOUR_IP
Disable password login in /etc/ssh/sshd_config:
PasswordAuthentication no
PermitRootLogin no
Then sudo systemctl restart ssh.
Which VPS to start with
If this is your first VPS, Hostinger’s panel makes the initial connection painless. If you want the cheapest sandbox to practice on, RackNerd’s $11/year plan is perfect — and you’ll get root access to a real KVM box.
Start with an easy VPS: Hostinger Or grab RackNerd's $22/yr sandbox