Turn On SSH for Your VPS Using WHM

What is SSH?

SSH stands for Secure Shell. It is a safe way to type commands on a server from far away. Think of it as a private phone line to your server. Nobody can listen in.

WHM is the admin screen of a cPanel server. In WHM you decide which accounts may use SSH. This is called shell access.

Give an account shell access

1. Log in to WHM. Use your server IP or hostname followed by :2087. Your welcome email has the details.
2. Type Modify an Account in the search box on the left.
3. Click Modify an Account.
4. Choose the account from the list and click Modify.
5. Tick the box named Shell Access, or choose a shell such as /bin/bash from the list.
6. Click Save at the bottom.

You can also use Manage Shell Access in WHM, if it appears in your menu. It lets you change this for many accounts at once.

Log in with SSH

1. On Windows 10 or 11, Mac or Linux, open a terminal. On Windows you can use PowerShell. You may also use a free program called PuTTY.
2. Type this, using your own user name and server address:

   ssh username@your-server-ip

3. The first time, the computer asks if you trust the server. Type yes.
4. Type your password. The screen shows nothing while you type. This is normal.
5. When you see a prompt, you are in.

The standard SSH port is 22. Some servers use another port. Your welcome email or Hostvento support can tell you which one.

If it does not work

• Check the user name and password.
• Make sure the firewall allows the SSH port.
• Check that cPHulk or another tool has not blocked your IP address.

Warning: only give shell access to people you trust. A user with a shell can run many commands and may cause harm to the server.

Quick recap

• SSH lets you type commands on your server in a secure way.
• In WHM, open Modify an Account and enable Shell Access.
• Connect with ssh username@your-server-ip.
• Give shell access only to trusted people.