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SSH key pairs authenticate connections to Linux Virtual Instances. After generating SSH keys and adding a public key to the Gcore Customer Portal, use the key to connect to the instance. Before proceeding, confirm that:

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Connect from terminal, command prompt, or WSL

Follow these instructions to connect to a Virtual Instance from Linux, macOS, or Windows 10/11 devices:
  1. Open Terminal (Linux, macOS), Windows Subsystem for Linux, or Command Prompt (cmd.exe on Windows).
  2. Connect to the Virtual Instance in one of the following ways:
  • To connect using an SSH key pair, run the following command:
ssh -i ~/path/to/your/private-key username@public-ip-of-your-instance
For example: ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa ubuntu@185.188.146.129
  • To connect with a password (only if configured during instance creation), run the following command and enter the password when prompted:
ssh username@192.168.1.92
To find the instance username and public IP, in the Customer Portal navigate to Cloud > Virtual Instances and open the instance. The SSH credentials appear next to the Access to Console button in the format [login]@[ip-of-your-instance].Typically, the login matches the OS name — for example, ubuntu.
  1. When asked to add the device to the list of known devices, enter yes and press Enter.
  2. The connection is established.
Ubuntu terminal displaying successful SSH connection

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Connect with PuTTY

Follow these instructions to connect to a Virtual Instance from Windows 10/11 devices:
  1. Run the PuTTY app.
  2. Open the Session section and enter the instance IP address in the HostName (or IP address) field.
  3. Confirm that port 22 is set in the Port field. This is the standard port for SSH connections.
PuTTY Session settings with Host Name and Port fields
To find the instance IP address, in the Customer Portal navigate to Cloud > Virtual Instances. The IP address appears in the IP Address column.
  1. Confirm that the Connection type parameter is set to SSH.
  2. From the sidebar, go to Connection > SSH > Auth > Credentials.
  3. Select Browse and locate the private SSH key file.
PuTTY Credentials tab with the Browse button for selecting a private key
  1. Load the private key file in .ppk format.
  2. Select Open to launch the PuTTY terminal.
  3. If connecting to the Virtual Instance for the first time, select Accept when prompted to cache the host key.
PuTTY security alert asking to cache the server host key
  1. Log in using the following credentials:
  • Login: enter the username specified during instance creation.
  • Password (optional): if a password was configured during instance creation, enter it.
To find the instance username and public IP, in the Customer Portal navigate to Cloud > Virtual Instances and open the instance. The SSH credentials appear next to the Access to Console button in the format [login]@[ip-of-your-instance].Typically, the login matches the OS name — for example, ubuntu.
  1. Press Enter.
  2. The connection is established.
PuTTY terminal displaying successful SSH connection

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Connect via OpenSSH

Windows has a built-in OpenSSH client that provides terminal access to a Virtual Instance, similar to Linux. The component is not activated by default. Follow these steps to activate it:
  1. Open Windows Settings.
Windows Settings home page
  1. Navigate to Apps and select Optional features.
Windows Apps and features page showing Optional features link
  1. Find OpenSSH Client, expand it, and select Install.
Windows Optional features page with OpenSSH Client ready to install
  1. After the installation completes, restart the computer to apply the settings. The OpenSSH client becomes available from Command Prompt (cmd.exe).
  2. Open Command Prompt and connect to the Virtual Instance in one of the following ways:
  • To connect using an SSH key pair, run the following command:
ssh -i ~/path/to/your/private-key username@public-ip-of-your-instance
  • To connect with a password (only if configured during instance creation), run the following command and enter the password when prompted:
ssh username@192.168.1.92
To find the instance username and public IP, in the Customer Portal navigate to Cloud > Virtual Instances and open the instance. The SSH credentials appear next to the Access to Console button in the format [login]@[ip-of-your-instance].Typically, the login matches the OS name — for example, ubuntu.
  1. When asked to add the device to the list of known devices, enter yes and press Enter.
  2. The connection is established.
Command Prompt displaying successful SSH connection