---
title: SSH
template: docs
taxonomy:
    category: docs
---

## What's SSH?

**SSH** stands for Secure Shell, and refers to a protocol that allows to remotely control and administrate a machine using the command line interface (CLI). It is available by default in any terminal on GNU/Linux and macOS. On Windows, you may want to use [MobaXterm](https://mobaxterm.mobatek.net/download-home-edition.html) (after launching it, click on Session then SSH).

## What address to use to connect to your server?

If you are **installing at home** (e.g. on a Raspberry Pi or OLinuXino or old computer):
   - you should be able to connect to your server using `yunohost.local`. 
   - if `yunohost.local` does not work, your need to [find out the local IP of the server](/finding_the_local_ip).
   - if you installed a server at home but are attempting to connect from outside your local network, make sure port 22 is correctly forwarded to your server.

If you server is a remote server (VPS), your provider should have communicated you the IP address of the machine

In any cases, if you already configured a domain name pointing to the appropriate IP, it's much better to use `yourdomain.tld` instead of the IP address.


## Login credentials

### BEFORE running the post-installation

- If you are **installing at home**, the default credentials are login: `root` and password: `yunohost`
- If you are **installing a remote server (VPS)**, your provider should have communicated you the login and password (or allowed you to configure an SSH key)

### AFTER running the post-installation

During the postinstall, you've been asked to choose an administration password. This password becomes the new password for the `root` and `admin` users. Additionally, **the `root` SSH login becomes disabled after the postinstall and you should log in using the `admin` user !**. The only exception is that you may still be able to login using `root` *from the local network - or from a direct console on the server* (this is to cover the event where the LDAP server is broken and the `admin` user is unusable).


## Connecting

The SSH command typically looks like: 

```bash
# before the postinstall:
ssh root@11.22.33.44

# or after the postinstall:
ssh admin@11.22.33.44
```

Or using the domain name instead of the IP (more convenient): 

```bash
ssh admin@your.domain.tld
# or with the special .local domain:
ssh admin@yunohost.local
```

If you changed the SSH port, you need to add `-p <portnumber>` to the command, e.g.:

```bash
ssh -p 2244 admin@your.domain.tld
```

<div class="alert alert-info">
If you connected as `admin` and would like to become `root` for convenience (e.g. to avoid typing `sudo` in front of every command), you can become `root` using the command `sudo su` or `sudo -i`.
</div>

## Which other users may connect to the server?

By default, only the `admin` user can log in to YunoHost SSH server.

YunoHost's users created via the administration interface are managed by the LDAP directory. By default, they can't connect via SSH for security reasons. If you want some users to have SSH access enabled, use the command:

```bash
yunohost user ssh allow <username>
```

It is also possible to remove SSH access using the following:

```bash
yunohost user ssh disallow <username>
```

Finally, it is possible to add, delete and list SSH keys, to improve SSH access security, using the commands:

```bash
yunohost user ssh add-key <username> <key>
yunohost user ssh remove-key <username> <key>
yunohost user ssh list-keys <username>
```

## Security and SSH

N.B. : `fail2ban` will ban your IP for 10 minutes if you perform 5 failed login attempts. If you need to unban the IP, have a look at the page about [Fail2Ban](/fail2ban)

A more extensive discussion about security & SSH can be found on the [dedicated page](/security).