SSH: What is it and how to use it

Written By Albert Møller Nielsen

Last updated About 8 hours ago

SSH: What It Is and How to Use It

SSH, or Secure Shell, is simply a way to type commands on another device from your computer. Think of it like a text chat with your device — you type a command, it does the thing.

With SSH, you can:

  • Send commands to another computer
  • Access files
  • Troubleshoot issues
  • Set up software and configurations

No coding skills needed — we'll give you the exact commands to copy and paste.

What You Need Before You Start

  1. IP Address: The network address of the device you want to connect to.
  • Important: The IP address must be just the numbers, like 192.168.1.100
  • Do not include http://, https://, slashes, or port numbers
  1. Username and Password: Credentials for the device (e.g., the default for many Raspberry Pi setups is pi / raspberry, or root for some devices).

Windows 10 / 11

Modern Windows has SSH built-in — no extra software needed.

  1. Open Terminal or PowerShell
  • Press Win + X and select "Terminal" or "PowerShell"
  1. Type the SSH command (replace the placeholders):
ssh username@ip-address

Example:

ssh root@192.168.1.42

Press Enter.

  1. First-time connection warning
  • If asked "Are you sure you want to continue connecting?", type yes and press Enter. This is normal for first-time connections.
  1. Enter your password
  • Type your password and press Enter.
  • Note: The password won't show as you type — that's normal! Just type it and press Enter.

You're now connected!

macOS

  1. Open Terminal
  • Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight, type "Terminal", and press Enter.
  1. Type the SSH command (replace the placeholders):
ssh username@ip-address

Example:

ssh root@192.168.1.42

Press Enter.

  1. First-time connection warning
  • If asked "Are you sure you want to continue connecting?", type yes and press Enter.
  1. Enter your password
  • Type your password and press Enter.
  • Note: The password won't show as you type — that's normal! Just type it and press Enter.

You're now connected!

Linux

  1. Open Terminal
  • Usually Ctrl + Alt + T, or find it in your applications menu.
  1. Type the SSH command (replace the placeholders):
ssh username@ip-address

Example:

ssh root@192.168.1.42

Press Enter.

  1. First-time connection warning
  • If asked "Are you sure you want to continue connecting?", type yes and press Enter.
  1. Enter your password
  • Type your password and press Enter.
  • Note: The password won't show as you type — that's normal! Just type it and press Enter.

You're now connected!

Chromebook

First-time setup: You need to enable Linux on your Chromebook (one-time only).

  1. Enable Linux (skip if already done):
  • Open Settings
  • Go to Advanced → Developers
  • Turn on "Linux development environment"
  • Follow the setup wizard (this may take a few minutes)
  1. Open Terminal
  • Open the "Terminal" app from your app launcher.
  1. Type the SSH command (replace the placeholders):
ssh username@ip-address

Example:

ssh root@192.168.1.42

Press Enter.

  1. First-time connection warning
  • If asked "Are you sure you want to continue connecting?", type yes and press Enter.
  1. Enter your password
  • Type your password and press Enter.
  • Note: The password won't show as you type — that's normal! Just type it and press Enter.

You're now connected!

Other Devices (Tablets, Phones)

While there are various unofficial SSH apps available for Android and iOS devices, we recommend using a computer for SSH connections. Computer-based SSH provides:

  • A proper keyboard for typing commands
  • Better visibility of command output
  • More reliable connections
  • Easier copy/paste of commands

If you must use a mobile device, search your app store for "SSH client" — but be aware that support for these apps varies and we cannot provide assistance with them.

Common Issues

"Connection refused"

  • Make sure you're on the same network as the device
  • Verify the IP address is correct
  • Check that SSH is enabled on the device

"Permission denied"

  • Double-check your username and password
  • Remember: passwords are case-sensitive

"Host key verification failed"

  • The device was likely reset or reinstalled
  • Remove the old key by running:
ssh-keygen -R ip-address

Then try connecting again.

No response / timeout

  • Ensure the device is powered on
  • Confirm it's connected to your network
  • Try pinging the IP address first: ping 192.168.1.42

Tips

  • Finding your device's IP address: Check your router's admin panel, or use a network scanning tool like Angry IP Scanner.
  • SSH keys for password-less login: Advanced users can set up SSH keys to avoid entering passwords every time.
  • Keep your credentials safe: Never share your SSH passwords publicly.

Got questions or need help? Reach out to our support team, and we'll be glad to assist you!