Table of Contents

SSH Connection Issues

Cannot SSH into server.

Symptom

Connection refused or permission denied when attempting SSH.

Cause

SSH service not running, SSH configuration incorrect, public key not in authorized_keys, or firewall blocking.

Fix

Steps:

1. Verify SSH service running: `sudo systemctl status ssh`
2. Check SSH config: `sudo cat /etc/ssh/sshd_config`
3. Ensure your public key is in `~/.ssh/authorized_keys`
4. Check firewall: `sudo ufw status`

Prevention

Test SSH configuration changes before applying. Keep backup of working SSH config.

See Also

Last updated: 2026-06-19