To log in to a Linux server using SSH, follow these steps:
1. **Open a Terminal:**
- On Linux or macOS, you can use the terminal directly.
- On Windows, you can use an SSH client like PuTTY or the built-in OpenSSH in Windows 10. Alternatively, you can use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and access the terminal there.
2. **Use the SSH Command:**
- The basic syntax of the SSH command is:
```bash
ssh username@server_ip_or_domain
```
Replace `username` with your actual username on the server, and `server_ip_or_domain` with the IP address or domain name of your Linux server.
3. **Enter Your Password:**
- After running the `ssh` command, you'll be prompted to enter your password. Type it carefully, as you won't see any characters on the screen while typing.
4. **(Optional: Use SSH Key Pair):**
- For enhanced security, you can use SSH key pairs for authentication. This involves generating a public-private key pair, where the public key is stored on the server, and the private key is kept secure on your local machine. This eliminates the need to enter a password every time you log in.
- Generate SSH Key Pair (if you don't have one):
```bash
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048
```
- Copy the public key to the server:
```bash
ssh-copy-id username@server_ip_or_domain
```
After setting up the key pair, you can log in without entering a password.
5. **Successful Login:**
- If the login is successful, you'll see the command prompt of the remote server, indicating that you are now logged in.
Remember to replace `username` and `server_ip_or_domain` with your actual credentials. Additionally, ensure that the SSH service is running on the server, and the firewall allows SSH connections on the specified port (default is 22).
