My.VPSLink.com Control Center Root SSH Key Guide

The root SSH key feature will allow you to use an OpenSSH key pair to authenticate with your VPS when you connect with an SSH client.

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While it is possible manually configure a public/private key pair, use of the My.VPSLink.com control center is recommended as your public key will be stored and ready for use should you need to rebuild your VPS.

Contents 1 Set Root SSH Key 2 Generate a Local Key Pair 2.1 Linux/Unix 2.2 Mac 2.3 Windows with PuTTY

Set Root SSH Key

• Log in at My.VPSLink.com
• Navigate to the VPS you wish to manage
• Copy-paste your OpenSSH-compatible public key into the Root SSH Key field and click Set
• Once your key has been entered and the page has reloaded, enter your root password in the Root Password field and click Set to set your VPS root password and activate the key

Generate a Local Key Pair

You will need an OpenSSH-compatible public key stored on your VPS (and at the My.VPSLink.com Control Center) and a private key stored on your local machine.

Your SSH client (or your operating system) will include functionality to generate the keys which you will need. We have provided instructions for Linux/Unix users, Mac users, and Windows users with PuTTY for your convenience, however, you should check the documentation for your SSH client to ensure the process is followed correctly or if you have any questions.

Linux/Unix

1. Open a bash terminal
2. Enter cd ~/.ssh
3. Enter ls -hal and check for existing public key files (files that end in .pub)
   • If you have an existing public key, (i.e. id_rsa.pub) you can copy the contents from the file directly into the Root SSH Key field
   • If you do not have an existing public key:
     1. Enter ssh-keygen -t rsa
     2. Accept the default location (i.e. ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub)
     3. Enter a passphrase (a complex passphrase is recommended for better security)
     4. Copy the contents of the public key file for use in the Root SSH Key field

Mac

1. Navigate to Applications > Utilities > Terminal*
2. Enter cd ~/.ssh
3. Enter ls -hal and check for existing public key files (files that end in .pub)
   • If you have an existing public key, (i.e. id_rsa.pub) you can copy the contents from the file directly into the Root SSH Key field
   • If you do not have an existing public key:
     1. Enter ssh-keygen -t rsa
     2. Accept the default location (i.e. ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub)
     3. Enter a passphrase (a complex passphrase is recommended for better security)
     4. Copy the contents of the public key file for use in the Root SSH Key field

Windows with PuTTY

1. From the Start Menu navigate to All Programs > PuTTY > PuTTYgen
2. Click Generate
3. Enter and confirm your passphrase
4. Copy the contents of the Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized keys file text area into the Root SSH Key field (you may also want to copy this OpenSSH-compatible key into a text document for safe keeping)
5. Click Save private key and save your private key
   Important: You must have the private key stored on your machine to use key pair authentication
6. When connecting with PuTTY, navigate to Connection > SSH > Auth in the Category pane to load your private key