Connect to a dedicated server

Last update: October 05 2026Open in Markdown

You can connect to a dedicated server to remotely manage it:

• via the SSH protocol – for servers with the Linux operating system;
• RDP protocol – for servers with the Windows operating system;
• VNC protocol – for servers with macOS;
• via KVM console – for servers with any operating system except Chipcore Line servers;
• IP-KVM — for Chipcore Line servers when ordering the additional service Connecting IP-KVM for 3 hours .

If you ordered a server without an operating system, you can install the OS manually.

View connection parameters

You can view the parameters for connecting to a dedicated server in the Control Panel:

• username (login) and password — in the top menu, click Products and select Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login and Password fields;
• server public IP address — in the top menu, click Products and select Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → IP field.

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

Connect via SSH

The SSH protocol is used to connect to servers running Linux.

To connect to the server, you can enter a login and password or use an SSH key pair. We recommend using SSH keys instead of a login and password — you can connect using keys only from the computer where the private key is stored.

You can store public SSH keys in the Control Panel in the SSH key storage.

From Linux/macOS

1. Optional: create an SSH key pair and add the public SSH key to the 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: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login field;
   • <ip_address> — server public IP address. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → IP field.

4. Enter the password. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Password field.

   If the server runs an OS from a standard image based on Linux, the number of authentication attempts is limited. After 10 failed password attempts from one IP address, that IP address will be blocked for 24 hours. If you have forgotten your server password, you can reset and recover it.

   If you are using SSH keys, you do not need to enter a password.

From Windows

In Windows 10, you can connect to a dedicated 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 add the public key to the server.

2. Install PuTTY and launch it.

3. Go to the Session tab.

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

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

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

7. If you are using an SSH key pair, open the SSH — Auth tab, click Browse, and upload the private key file.

8. Click Open.

9. Confirm the connection and enter the login and password to log in to the server. You can view them in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login and Password fields.

   If the server runs an OS from a standard image based on Linux, the number of authentication attempts is limited. After 10 failed password attempts from one IP address, that IP address will be blocked for 24 hours. If you have forgotten your server password, you can reset and recover it.

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

Connect via RDP

The RDP protocol is used to connect to dedicated servers running Windows.

From Windows

1. Open the Start menu → Remote Desktop Connection.

2. In the Computer field, enter the server public IP address. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → IP field.

3. Click Connect.

4. Enter the username. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login field.

5. Enter the password. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Password field.

6. Click OK.

From Linux

1. Install an RDP client (rdesktop, Remmina, etc.). For more information, see the Selectel blog article Remote Access RDP Clients for Linux.

2. Open the CLI.

3. Connect to the server (example for rdesktop):

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

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — server public IP address. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → IP field;
   • <username> — username (login). You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login field;
   • <password> — password. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Password field.

From macOS

1. Install Microsoft Remote Desktop and launch it.

2. To create a connection, click +.

3. In the PC name field, enter the server public IP address. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → IP field.

4. In the Username field, enter the username. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login field.

5. In the Password field, enter the password. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Password field.

6. Click Save.

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

Connect via VNC

To connect on a local computer, you can use a VNC client. The default connection port is 5900.

The VNC protocol is used for remote access to dedicated servers running Windows, Linux, and macOS:

• to connect to servers with macOS from Windows or Linux, use RealVNC Viewer;
• to connect to servers with Windows and Linux OS from various operating systems, use a suitable client:

	Installed on Windows	Installed on Linux	Installed on macOS
RealVNC Viewer	✓	✓	✗
TigerVNC	✓	✓	✗
UltraVNC	✓	✗	✗
Remote Ripple	✓	✓	✗
Remmina	✗	✓	✗
Finder	✗	✗	✓

From macOS

1. Launch Finder.

2. Open the Go menu → Connect to Server.

3. In the Server Address field, enter:

   vnc://<ip_address>

   Specify <ip_address> — the server public IP address. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → IP field.

4. Click Connect.

5. Enter the username and password. You can view them in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login and Password fields.

6. Click Log In.

From Windows/Linux

The connection process depends on the VNC client.

Example connection for the RealVNC Viewer client:

1. Install RealVNC Viewer.

2. Launch RealVNC Viewer.

3. In the RVNC connect field, enter:

   <ip_address>:<port>

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — server public IP address. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → IP field;
   • <port> — VNC connection port (default is 5900).

4. In the Username field, enter the username. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login field.

5. In the Password field, enter the password. You can view it in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Password field.

6. Click OK.

Connect via KVM console

You can connect via KVM console in the Control Panel to a dedicated server with any operating system.

1. In the Control Panel, in the top menu, click Products and select Dedicated Servers.

2. In the server card, click . The KVM console will open in a new browser tab. If needed, expand the KVM console window.

3. If you have an X8DTU motherboard, synchronize the cursor.

4. If the KVM console asks for permission to run, confirm the permission — click Run.

5. If the KVM console requests authentication, place the cursor sequentially in the Username and Password fields and click username and password in the bottom right corner of the window. The values will be inserted automatically. If you do not see the buttons in the bottom right corner, reconnect to the console.

6. If the KVM console management panel appears, select the Remote control section in the left menu. On the remote access page, click Launch H5Viewer.

7. Log in to the server. You can view the login (username) and password (password) in the Control Panel: in the top menu, click Products → Dedicated Servers → Servers → server page → Operating System tab → Login and Password fields. The password is available for viewing for 24 hours from the start of OS installation or configuration change. If you are connecting to a Windows server, make sure that the English keyboard layout is selected on the server when entering the password.

Connect via IP-KVM

You can connect via IP-KVM only to Chipcore Line servers. To connect to the server via IP-KVM, order the additional service one-time IP-KVM connection.

For more information on working with IP-KVM, see the instruction Connect to a Chipcore Line Server via IP-KVM.