How to connect to your VPS via SSH

SSH is the standard way to work with a Linux server: you type commands in a terminal on your computer and they run on the server. This guide shows how to connect to a new DataPasa VPS and make the first login safe.

Find the IP address and root password

1. Sign in to cloud.datapasa.com and open Cloud Servers.
2. Wait until the server status is ACTIVE.
3. Copy the address from the IP column.
4. In the Root password column reveal the password or copy it with the copy button.

The password is shown only in the panel. It is not sent by email.

Connect from macOS or Linux

Open Terminal and run:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

On the first connection SSH asks you to confirm the server fingerprint. Type yes and press Enter, then paste the root password. The password is not displayed while you type, this is normal.

Connect from Windows

Windows 10 and 11 include an SSH client. Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the same command:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

If you prefer a graphical client, PuTTY works too: enter the IP in Host Name, keep port 22, click Open and log in as root.

Update the system

After the first login install the latest updates. On Ubuntu or Debian:

apt update && apt upgrade -y

On AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux or CentOS:

dnf upgrade -y

Log in with an SSH key instead of a password

Servers on the internet are constantly scanned by bots that try common passwords. A key is much harder to guess.

1. On your computer create a key if you do not have one yet:

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519

2. Copy the public key to the server:

   ssh-copy-id root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

   On Windows, where ssh-copy-id is missing, run:

   type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub | ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

3. Check that ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP now logs you in without asking for the password.

4. Only then disable password login. Open /etc/ssh/sshd_config, set PasswordAuthentication no and restart SSH:

   systemctl restart ssh || systemctl restart sshd

Keep a way back in

Do not close your current SSH session until you have confirmed in a new window that key login works. If you lock yourself out, use the console in VMmanager.

Common connection errors

Error	What to check
Connection timed out	The server is not ACTIVE yet, or it is SUSPENDED because the balance ran out. See hourly billing.
Connection refused	SSH is not running or listens on another port. Open the console in VMmanager and check the SSH service.
Permission denied	Wrong password. Copy it again from the Root password column, without extra spaces.
REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED	The IP previously belonged to another server of yours. Run ssh-keygen -R YOUR_SERVER_IP and connect again.