--- title: 'Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key | Zomro' description: 'In this article, we will look at how to generate a key pair, and connect via SSH using the Putty program.' image: 'https://cdn.zomro.com/uploads/blog/rostyslav.deichuk%40zomro.org/2026/07/28/1_fO8GEON_q50.jpg' --- ![opened image]() * [Zomro](https://zomro.com/) * [FAQ](https://zomro.com/blog/faq/) * Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key # Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key 15-07-2022 Connecting to the server via SSH using a private key is a good way to secure the connection to your server, and from unnecessary login and password input. SSH public key authentication is based on cryptographic algorithms that generate a pair of separate keys, private and public. The private key that you use to connect to a remote server is stored on your computer. But you can transfer the public key to anyone without jeopardizing the private one. For example, you have already bred a server from your personal account. How to do this is described in this article. Next, in your personal account, copy the access data from the Instructions. ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 1](https://cdn.zomro.com/uploads/blog/rostyslav.deichuk%40zomro.org/2026/07/28/1_fO8GEON_q50.jpg) Next, download the Putty program to connect to the server. Or you can use alternative programs. ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 2](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856614_01.png) In the **Host Name (or IP address)** field, enter the IP of your server. Enter 22 in the **Port** field. To generate a key pair, there is the **ssh-keygen** utility. It is already installed by default. It generates a pair of 2048-bit RSA keys, which suits us. On behalf of the user for whom you want to create keys, execute the command (in this case, this is root): ssh-keygen For questions asked during the generation process, you can simply press Enter. Since our goal is simply to generate a key. And we get an approximate picture: ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 3](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856639_6.png) After that, the contents of the id_rsa.pub file are placed in the **~/.ssh/authorized_keys** file with the following command: cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys For security, set the necessary rights: chmod 700 ~/.ssh chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys Now, in order to authorize using the created key, you need to enable key authentication in the **/etc/ssh/sshd_config** file. To do this, we will edit it. vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config We find the line **PubkeyAuthentication** , uncomment it if it is commented out, and bring it to the form: PubkeyAuthentication yes ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 4](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856821_7.png) We save the changes. Then we restart the service: service sshd reload Now we output the key to the console to copy it to our PC. cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 5](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856884_8.png) Copying from the beginning: -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY----- To end: -----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY----- Add to PuttyGen. This program was installed with Putty. ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 6](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856933_9.png) After that, save the public and private keys. ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 7](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856922_10.png) We can now use the private key to connect via SSH. To connect it for use in authorization, select it as shown in the figure. ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 8](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856926_11.png) After that, we return to the **Session** category, in the **Host Name (or IP address)** field, enter the IP of your server. In the **Port** field, enter 22. In the Saved Sessions field, enter any name, and click Save. Now to connect by key, select your server from the **Saved Sessions** list, and click **Load** and **Open**. ![Connecting to the VPS server via SSH using a key - 9](https://dx86q6oq7ry0e.cloudfront.net/uploads/media/blog/a48@server-panel.net/2022/07/01/1658856950_12.png) Now you can connect in this way without entering a password, and at the same time protect your connection. [In the next article, we will further secure our server and connection to it by disabling password authorization and changing the standard port 22 to a non-standard one.](https://zomro.com/blog/faq/236-kak-izmenit-port-podkljuchenija-po-ssh-i-otkljuchit-avtorizaciju-po-parolju) Similar articles: [How to disable Defender (Microsoft Defender) in Windows 2016 and 2019](https://zomro.com/blog/faq/347-how-to-activate-microsoft-defender-in-windows-2016-and-2019) [Configuring backups in the ISPmanager panel](https://zomro.com/blog/faq/205-nastrojka-bekapov-v-paneli-ispmanager) [How to install Nginx in Docker-Compose](https://zomro.com/blog/faq/317-kak-ustanovit-nginx-v-docker-compose) [FTP protocol: Detailed information about file transfer](https://zomro.com/blog/faq/447-ftp-protokol-podrobno-o-peredache-fajlov) [How to view and filter Ubuntu server logs](https://zomro.com/blog/faq/359-how-to-view-and-filter-ubuntu-server-logs) [ Virtual hosting from €3.98/mon ](/virtual)