Make the first SSH connection

Confirm what was delivered

Before connecting, compare the server name, region, configuration, operating system, and address with your order record. The Servers page can display the state, primary IPv4 address, paid-through time, and configured port speed when those values have been populated. A PROVISIONING state or a Pending address is not a connection failure; it means delivery information is incomplete.

Ask the operator for the SSH host-key fingerprint independently of the server connection. The fingerprint authenticates the machine you reached. It is different from your user public-key fingerprint, which authenticates you to the machine.

Protect the private key

Use the private key file locally with the ssh client. Do not paste that file into the account, into the remote shell, or into a ticket. The corresponding .pub file is the shareable public key. OpenSSH ignores a private key that is accessible too broadly on common Unix systems, so keep its permissions restricted and keep an encrypted backup outside the server you are about to administer.

chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 root@SERVER_IP

Connect and run read-only checks

The expected result is an authenticated shell on the ordered operating system, with addresses and routes consistent with the allocation. Device names are not guaranteed to be eth0 or /dev/sda; use the discovered names in later procedures.

1. Run the ssh command using the delivered address and the expected login name. Replace root if the image uses an unprivileged initial account.
2. Compare the presented host fingerprint before answering the trust prompt.
3. After login, identify the operating system, addresses, routes, and block devices without changing them.
4. Record the actual interface names and disk layout before applying automation or partitioning.
5. Open a second SSH session before changing firewall, SSH, or network configuration so you have a recovery path.

cat /etc/os-release
ip -brief address
ip route show
ip -6 route show
lsblk --fs

Troubleshoot without weakening verification

The dashboard currently cannot open a console URL or turn a powered-off machine back on. If SSH is unavailable because of a boot, firewall, or network mistake, follow the KVM or recovery procedure and expect operator assistance.

• Timeout or no route: confirm the address, server state, local egress policy, and whether the operator has completed networking.
• Permission denied: confirm the login name and that the private key matches the public key supplied on the order. The site does not expose a root password fallback.
• Host-key mismatch: stop. If a reinstall was intentionally completed, obtain the new fingerprint through the trusted channel before changing known_hosts.
• Unexpected OS or disk layout: avoid writing data and contact the operator with the order and server references.