How to connect to your LWS VPS with an SSH key

Procédure

To connect to your LWS VPS with an SSH key, all you need to do is generate a key pair on your computer and associate it with your server when reinstalling it. SSH key authentication usefully replaces traditional passwords by offering a much higher level of security against brute-force attacks. In this tutorial, you will see how to create your key, save it in your LWS Panel KVM customer area, reinstall your machine under Debian 13, and connect to it instantly.

Creating the SSH key

1. Generate your SSH key pair on your computer

   Open your local terminal to generate your cryptographic key pair. Run the generation command by specifying the ed25519 algorithm, which is more modern and secure, along with a comment to identify your computer. Then validate each prompt with Enter to accept the default paths and options without setting a passphrase.

   ⌨ On your computerCopy

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "mon-ordinateur"

   Expected result

   Generating public/private ed25519 key pair.
   Enter file in which to save the key (/home/tuto/.ssh/id_ed25519):
   Enter passphrase for "/home/tuto/.ssh/id_ed25519" (empty for no passphrase):
   Enter same passphrase again:
   Your identification has been saved in /home/tuto/.ssh/id_ed25519
   Your public key has been saved in /home/tuto/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

   

2. Display and copy the contents of the public key

   Display the contents of your public key file in the terminal with the dedicated command. Select the entire displayed line, starting with ssh-ed25519 and ending with your comment, then copy it to your clipboard.

   ⌨ On your computerCopy

   cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

   Expected result

   ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIKmJbEU1zEwC+gWR5lEhOr9pYfvE1Kls75AmgoZkq2i8 mon-ordinateur

Configuration in the KVM panel

1. Access the panel's SSH key management

   Switch to your web browser and open your LWS Panel KVM area. In the left-hand side menu, click on the SSH Keys section to open the key configuration page.

   

2. Add your new SSH key

   On the SSH keys page, click the red + Add an SSH key button. In the window that opens, paste the full contents of your previously copied public key, then confirm to save it. Your key will automatically be labeled Auto-installed.

   

Server reinstallation

1. Return to the server dashboard

   Once the key is saved and visible in the list, go back up to the left-hand menu and click Dashboard. This takes you back to the overall list of your available virtual machines.

   

2. Select your virtual server

   In the list of your servers, find your VPS and click directly on its name to display the machine's detailed management page.

   

3. Open the reinstallation menu

   In the left-hand menu for your machine, click Reinstallation. Take note of the warning displayed at the top of the page reminding you that data will be deleted.

   

4. Choose Debian 13 and verify the key

   Open the Select the template to install list and choose the Debian 13 (Trixie) option. Check underneath the box that your mon-ordinateur key is indeed selected to be injected into the system.

   

5. Start and confirm the reinstallation

   Click the Reinstall the server button at the bottom right of the screen. A pop-up window will ask you to type the requested confirmation to permanently start the erase and system installation.

   

SSH connection

1. Return to your terminal window

   Wait a few moments until the reinstallation is reported as complete on the dashboard. Then switch back to your local terminal window to prepare the connection.

   

2. Connect to the server via SSH and validate the fingerprint

   Run the SSH command to the root user followed by your server's IP address (replace 203.0.113.10 with the actual IP address of your VPS, available in your customer area). On the very first connection, confirm the server's security fingerprint by typing 'yes' and then validate.

   ⌨ On your computerCopy

   ssh root@203.0.113.10

   Expected result

   The authenticity of host '203.0.113.10 (203.0.113.10)' can't be established.
   ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:wYmks+xkf8arSnDfWEvqR7zsgZs86OD0P3vMAX59p3I.
   This key is not known by any other names.
   Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])? yes
   Warning: Permanently added '203.0.113.10' (ED25519) to the list of known hosts.

3. Check the system version and disconnect

   You are now connected with root privileges. Verify that the installed system is Debian 13 by displaying the version information, then exit the SSH session by typing 'exit'.

   ⌨ On the serverCopy

   cat /etc/os-release
   exit

   Expected result

   PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie)"
   NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
   VERSION_ID="13"
   VERSION="13 (trixie)"
   VERSION_CODENAME=trixie
   DEBIAN_VERSION_FULL=13.4
   ID=debian
   HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
   SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
   BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"

Glossary

SSH key

Authentication method based on a pair of cryptographic keys that provides a secure connection without transmitting a password.

Private key

Confidential file stored on your personal machine, used to prove your identity to remote servers.

Public key

Shared file placed on the remote server, allowing it to verify the authenticity of your private key.

ed25519

Modern and efficient cryptographic algorithm recommended for generating secure, compact SSH keys.

KVM Panel

Web-based administration interface provided by LWS to manage, restart, and reinstall your virtual servers.

known_hosts

Local file storing the fingerprints of remote servers you have already connected to in order to verify their identity.

Frequently asked questions