How to Connect to a Remote Server via SSH from macOS

SSH (Secure Shell) is a protocol that allows secure connections between systems. macOS includes a built-in SSH client that you can use from the Terminal to connect to remote servers.

Step 1: Open the Terminal

To start an SSH connection, you will need to use the Terminal app:

1. Open Finder
2. Go to Applications Utilities
3. Double-click on Terminal

You can also use Spotlight (⌘ + Space) and type "Terminal" to find it quickly.

Step 2: Connect to the Server

The basic command to connect via SSH is:

ssh root@server-ip-address -p 22

Note: If the server uses the standard port (22 TCP), you can omit the -p parameter:

ssh root@server-ip-address

Step 3: Authentication

When running the SSH command, one of these situations will occur:

Password Authentication

If it's your first time connecting to the server, you'll see a message like this:

The authenticity of host 'X-X-X.clouding.host (79.X.X.X)' can't be established. 
RSA key fingerprint is SHA256:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. 
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?

Type yes and press Enter. Then enter your password when prompted.

SSH Key Authentication

If you've set up SSH key authentication, the process will be automatic. If you need to specify a different private key than the default, use:

ssh -i /path/to/your/private_key root@server-ip-address

chmod 600 /path/to/your/private_key

Step 4: Work in the Remote Session

Once connected, you can run commands on the remote server as if you were working locally. The prompt will change to indicate that you're on the remote machine.

Step 5: Close the Connection

To disconnect from the remote server, simply type:

exit

or press Ctrl + D.

Advanced Tips

Set Up Aliases for Frequent Connections

You can add aliases in your ~/.ssh/config file to simplify frequent connections:

Host my-server
 HostName server-ip-address
 User root
 Port 22
 IdentityFile ~/.ssh/my_private_key

Then you can connect simply by typing:

ssh my-server

Transfer Files with SCP

From macOS, you can also use SCP (based on SSH) to transfer files:

scp local_file root@server-ip-address:/remote/path

To copy from the server to your Mac:

scp root@server-ip-address:/remote/path/file /local/path

Use Persistent SSH Connections

To prevent disconnections during long sessions, add this to your ~/.ssh/config:

Host * ServerAliveInterval 60 ServerAliveCountMax 5

Troubleshooting

• Connection refused: Check that the server is accessible and the port is correct.
• Authentication failed: Review your username and password, or your SSH key configuration.
• Key issues: If you changed the server keys, delete the corresponding entry in ~/.ssh/known_hosts.

With these steps, you should be able to connect to remote servers without any issues from your Mac using SSH.

We hope this article has helped you. If you have any questions about this or any other matter related to your servers on Clouding, write to us at support@clouding.io. We're here to help! 😉