Connect to a VDS server

Last update: September 07 2026Open in Markdown

You can connect to a VDS server:

• via SSH protocol — for servers with the Linux operating system;
• RDP protocol — for servers with the Windows operating system; ;
• via the console in the control panel — for servers with any operating system.

Viewing connection settings

You can view the settings for connecting to a VDS server in the control panel:

• public IP address — from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server row; ;
• username (login) and password — from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → tab Console → Login and Password fields.

If you have forgotten your server password, you can reset it. To do this, rebuild the server.

Connecting via SSH

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

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

Public SSH keys can be stored in the control panel; to do this, add public SSH keys to your user profile.

From Linux/macOS

1. Optional: add an SSH key when creating a VDS 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 → VDS servers → server page → tab Console → field Login;
   • <ip_address> — public IP address of the server. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page.

4. Enter the password. If the password is lost, you can generate a new one in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Password field, click Generate new.

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 the server just like in Linux and macOS — via the command line cmd.exe.

For older versions of Windows, use PuTTY.

1. Optional: add an SSH key when creating a VDS.

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. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page.

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 the private key:

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

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

   7.3. Upload the file with the private key.

8. Click Open.

9. Confirm the connection:

   9.1. Enter the login. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → Login.

   9.2. Enter the password to access the server. If you have lost your password, you can generate a new one in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console → in the Password field, click Generate new.

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

Fixing an error during reconnection

If you use SSH keys to connect, the SSH key is saved to the ~/.ssh/known_hosts file the first time you authorize on the server. If you reconnect, the REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED. error may appear.

1. Open the CLI on your local computer.

2. To fix the error:

   • delete host information by 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>

   Specify <ip_address> — the public IP address of the server. You can view it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page.

Connecting via RDP

The RDP protocol is used for connecting to VDS servers running Windows.

From Linux

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

2. Open the CLI.

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

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

   Specify:

   • <ip_address> — the public IP address of the server. You can copy it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → in the server row, click next to the IP address;
   • <username> — the username (login). You can copy it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Login field, click ;
   • <password> — the password you saved when creating the server. If you have lost your password, you can generate a new one in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Password field, click Generate new.

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 copy it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → in the server row, click next to the IP address.

4. In the Username field, enter the username. You can copy it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Login field, click .

5. In the Password field, enter the password you saved when creating the server. If you have lost your password, you can generate a new one in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Password field, click Generate new.

6. Click Save.

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

From Windows

1. Open the Start menu → Remote Desktop Connection.

2. In the Computer field, enter the public IP address of the server. You can copy it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → in the server row, click next to the IP address.

3. Click Connect.

4. Enter the username. You can copy it in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Login field, click .

5. Enter the password you saved when creating the server. If you have lost your password, you can generate a new one in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Password field, click Generate new.

6. Click OK.

Connect via the console in the control panel

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

The console is a browser-based VNC client. We recommend using it only in cases where it is impossible to connect to the server via SSH or RDP. You cannot copy text from the console, but you can paste text using the Ctrl+V.

1. In the control panel, from the top menu, click Products and select VDS servers.

2. Open the server page → Console.

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

4. Enter the password. If you have lost your password, you can generate a new one in the control panel: from the top menu, click Products → VDS servers → server page → Console tab → in the Password field, click Generate new.