Connect to a cloud server

Last update: September 07 2026Open in Markdown

You can connect to a cloud server:

• via SSH — to a server with the Linux operating system;
• via RDP — to a server with the Windows operating system;
• via the console in the control panel — to servers with any operating system.

To be able to connect to a cloud server via SSH or RDP, the server must have internet access:

• via a public floating IP address and cloud router;
• via a direct public IP address;
• via a public subnet.

View connection settings

The settings for connecting to a cloud server can be viewed in the control panel:

• public IP address — from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Ports tab → in the port card, click next to the public IP address;
• username (login) and password — from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Login and Password.

If you have forgotten your server password, you can reset and recover it.

Connect via SSH

The SSH protocol is used to connect to Linux-based cloud servers.

You can use an SSH key pair to connect to the server. We recommend using SSH keys instead of a username and password — you can only connect with keys from the computer where the private key is stored.

You can store public SSH keys in the control panel; to do this, add public SSH keys to your user profile.

From Linux/macOS

1. Optional: create an SSH key pair and place the public SSH key when creating a cloud server or on an existing server.

2. Open the CLI.

3. Connect to the server:

   ssh <username>@<ip_address>

   Specify:

   • <username> — username (login). You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Login;
   • <ip_address> — public IP address of the server. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Ports tab → in the port card, click next to the public IP address.

4. Enter the password. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Password.

   If you are using an SSH key pair, you do not need to enter a password.

From Windows

In Windows 10, you can connect to a cloud server in the same way as in Linux and macOS — via the command line (cmd.exe).

In earlier versions of Windows, use PuTTY.

1. Optional: create an SSH key pair and place the public SSH key on the cloud server: when creating a server or on an existing server.

2. Install PuTTY and launch it.

3. Open the Session tab.

4. In the Host Name field, enter the public IP address of the server.

5. In the Port field, specify the port for the SSH connection (default is 22).

6. In the Connection type field, select the SSH connection type.

7. If you are using an SSH key pair, upload the file with your private key.

   7.1. Open the Connection → SSH → Auth → Credentials tab.

   7.2. In the Private key file for authentication field, click Browse.

   7.3. Upload the file with your private key.

8. Click Open.

9. Confirm the connection and enter the login and password to access the server. You can view the login and password in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Login and Password.

   If you are using an SSH key pair, you do not need to enter a password.

Error during reconnection

If you use SSH keys for connection, the SSH key is saved to the ~/.ssh/known_hosts file when you first authorize on the server. When connecting again, the following error may appear: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED.

To fix this error:

• remove the host information for that IP address:

  ssh-keygen -f "/home/root/.ssh/known_hosts" -R "<ip_address>"

• or connect to the server using the command:

  ssh -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null root@<ip_address>

Connect via RDP

The RDP protocol is used to connect to Windows-based cloud servers.

From Linux

1. Install an RDP client — for example, rdesktop or Remmina. See more in the Selectel blog article RDP remote access clients for Linux.

2. Open the CLI.

3. Connect to the server using the RDP client. Example command for rdesktop:

   rdesktop <ip_address> -u <username> -p <password>

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — public IP address of the server. You can copy it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Ports tab → in the port card, click next to the public IP address;
   • <username> — username (login). You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Login;
   • <password> — password. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Password.

From macOS

1. Install Microsoft Remote Desktop and launch it.

2. To create a connection, click +.

3. In the PC name field, enter the public IP address of the server. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Ports tab → in the port card, click next to the public IP address.

4. In the Username field, enter the username. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Login.

5. In the Password field, enter the password. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Password.

6. Click Save.

7. Double-click the created connection in the list.

From Windows

1. Open the Start → Remote Desktop Connection menu.

2. In the Computer field, enter the public IP address of the server. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Ports tab → in the port card, click next to the public IP address.

3. Click Connect.

4. Enter the username. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Login.

5. Enter the password. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → Cloud Servers → Server page → Console tab → Password.

6. Click OK.

Connect via the console in the control panel

You can connect via the console in the control panel to a cloud server with any operating system.

The console is a browser-based VNC client; we recommend using it only when it is impossible to connect to the server via SSH or RDP. Copying text from the console is not available, but you can paste text using the Ctrl+V shortcut.

1. In the control panel, from the top menu, click Products and select Cloud Servers.

2. In the server row, click .

3. Enter the username (login). You can view it in the Login field.

4. Enter the password. You can view it in the Password field.