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If you cannot connect to your VPS via SSH, the cause is typically a wrong password, SSH service not running, a firewall blocking port 22, or a network configuration issue. The VNC console is your primary recovery tool in all cases.

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Diagnose the Problem

Run SSH with verbose output to see where the connection fails: 
ssh -v root@YOUR_SERVER_IP
ErrorLikely Cause
Connection refusedSSH is not running or firewall is blocking port 22
Connection timed outFirewall dropping packets or server is down
Permission deniedWrong password or SSH key mismatch
No route to hostNetwork issue or server is down

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Recovering via VNC

Open the VNC Console from your service page and log in with your root credentials.

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Wrong Password

Reset your root password from the Client Portal, then try SSH again. Alternatively, log in via VNC and run: 
passwd

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SSH Service Not Running

# Check status
systemctl status sshd

# Start if stopped
systemctl start sshd

# Enable on boot
systemctl enable sshd

# Check for config errors if it won't start
sshd -t
Fix any errors reported in /etc/ssh/sshd_config, then start the service again.

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Firewall Blocking SSH

iptables -I INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT

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SSH Key Lockout

If you disabled password authentication and your key no longer works:
1

Log In via VNC

Open the VNC Console and log in with your root password.
2

Re-enable Password Authentication Temporarily

nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Set PasswordAuthentication yes, then restart SSH:
systemctl restart sshd
3

Fix Your SSH Key

Connect via SSH using your password, resolve your key configuration, then re-disable password authentication once key access is confirmed.

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Network Configuration Broken

If the server has no network connectivity: 
# Check if the interface has an IP
ip addr show

# Check the default route
ip route show

# Restart networking
systemctl restart networking       # Debian / Ubuntu
systemctl restart NetworkManager   # RHEL-based
If the configuration is beyond repair, restore from a backup.

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Prevention

  • Always test SSH after making firewall or SSH configuration changes — do this before closing your existing session
  • Keep password authentication enabled as a fallback until key-based login is confirmed working
  • Maintain a recent backup before making network or SSH configuration changes