Setting up your first SSH connection
This guide walks you through adding your first SSH server to TermAI. Takes about 3 minutes. You'll need: the server's IP or hostname, your username, and either a password or a private key.
Before you start
- A TermAI account (or skip if you don't want to sync)
- Server credentials: hostname/IP, port (usually 22), username, password or key
Step 1 — Open the connection editor
Open the SSH tab, then tap + or Add Connection. The connection editor includes a label, host, port, username, authentication, group and tags.
Step 2 — Fill in the basics
- Label — a friendly name like "prod-web-01"
- Host — the IP address or hostname (192.168.1.100, myserver.example.com)
- Port — defaults to 22
- Username — your SSH username (often root, ubuntu, or your name)
Step 3 — Choose authentication
Enter the password for this server account. Use the correct SSH username, not your TermAI account email. If the server disables password authentication, use a private key instead.
Choose Key. Paste the complete OpenSSH private key, preserving its header, footer and line breaks, and enter its passphrase if encrypted. You can also generate a key in TermAI. Install only the matching public key on the server, in the target user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys.
Keep your existing working server login open while adding a key. Append the complete public key as one line; never copy the private key to authorized_keys or overwrite other users’ keys.
Private key generation →Step 4 — First connect
Connect using the saved entry. TermAI records the host key on first use (TOFU) and warns when it changes. First-use trust is not independent proof of the server’s identity: verify the fingerprint through your administrator or provider console before sending sensitive information. Do not accept a changed key until you understand why it changed.
Troubleshooting
| Error | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Connection refused | SSH not running, wrong port | Check the server is up; verify port |
| Permission denied (publickey) | Wrong key, or server lacks your public key | Re-copy the public key into authorized_keys |
| Host key verification failed | Server's host key changed | Investigate (legit or MITM); update Known Hosts |