{"id":116,"date":"2025-07-25T11:55:40","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T06:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/?p=116"},"modified":"2025-07-25T11:55:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T06:25:42","slug":"how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Connect a Server Using PuTTY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Whether you are managing a <strong>VPS<\/strong>, <strong>dedicated server<\/strong>, or any <strong>Linux-based remote machine<\/strong>, PuTTY is one of the most popular tools for establishing SSH (Secure Shell) connections from Windows systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, we\u2019ll walk you through <strong>how to use PuTTY to connect to your server<\/strong>, including downloading the tool, configuring it, and troubleshooting common issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%93%A6_What_is_PuTTY\" >\ud83d\udce6 What is PuTTY?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%E2%9C%85_Prerequisites_Before_You_Begin\" >\u2705 Prerequisites Before You Begin<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%94%BD_Step_1_Download_and_Install_PuTTY\" >\ud83d\udd3d Step 1: Download and Install PuTTY<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%94%8C_Step_2_Open_PuTTY_and_Enter_Server_Details\" >\ud83d\udd0c Step 2: Open PuTTY and Enter Server Details<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%92%BE_Step_3_Save_the_Session_Optional_but_Recommended\" >\ud83d\udcbe Step 3: Save the Session (Optional but Recommended)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%94%90_Step_4_Connect_and_Authenticate\" >\ud83d\udd10 Step 4: Connect and Authenticate<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%94%91_Using_SSH_Key_Instead_of_Password_Advanced\" >\ud83d\udd11 Using SSH Key Instead of Password (Advanced)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%9B%A0%EF%B8%8F_Common_PuTTY_Errors_and_Fixes\" >\ud83d\udee0\ufe0f Common PuTTY Errors and Fixes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%F0%9F%A7%A0_PuTTY_Tips_and_Tricks\" >\ud83e\udde0 PuTTY Tips and Tricks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/how-to-connect-a-server-using-putty\/#%E2%9C%85_Final_Thoughts\" >\u2705 Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%93%A6_What_is_PuTTY\"><\/span>\ud83d\udce6 What is PuTTY?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PuTTY<\/strong> is a free and open-source terminal emulator that supports SSH, Telnet, and serial console connections. It is most commonly used to connect to Linux servers securely using SSH from a Windows PC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%9C%85_Prerequisites_Before_You_Begin\"><\/span>\u2705 Prerequisites Before You Begin<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To connect to a server using PuTTY, you\u2019ll need the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2705 <strong>PuTTY installed<\/strong> on your local machine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2705 <strong>Server IP address or hostname<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2705 <strong>Port number<\/strong> (default is <code>22<\/code> for SSH)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2705 <strong>SSH credentials<\/strong> (username, usually <code>root<\/code>, and password or private key)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%94%BD_Step_1_Download_and_Install_PuTTY\"><\/span>\ud83d\udd3d Step 1: Download and Install PuTTY<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit the official PuTTY website:<br>\ud83d\udc49 <a>https:\/\/www.putty.org\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download the appropriate version for your system (<code>64-bit<\/code> or <code>32-bit<\/code>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the installer and follow the instructions to install PuTTY on your PC.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%94%8C_Step_2_Open_PuTTY_and_Enter_Server_Details\"><\/span>\ud83d\udd0c Step 2: Open PuTTY and Enter Server Details<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open <strong>PuTTY<\/strong> from the Start menu.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the <strong>Host Name (or IP address)<\/strong> field, enter your server&#8217;s IP (e.g., <code>192.168.1.10<\/code>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Port<\/strong>: Leave it as <code>22<\/code> (default for SSH).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Connection Type<\/strong>: Ensure <strong>SSH<\/strong> is selected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(Optional) In the left sidebar, go to <strong>Connection \u2192 Data<\/strong>, and enter your <strong>Auto-login username<\/strong> (e.g., <code>root<\/code>) to save time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%92%BE_Step_3_Save_the_Session_Optional_but_Recommended\"><\/span>\ud83d\udcbe Step 3: Save the Session (Optional but Recommended)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid retyping the information every time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the <strong>Saved Sessions<\/strong> field, type a name (e.g., <code>My VPS Server<\/code>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Save<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Next time, just double-click the saved session to connect.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%94%90_Step_4_Connect_and_Authenticate\"><\/span>\ud83d\udd10 Step 4: Connect and Authenticate<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click <strong>Open<\/strong> to start the connection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If it\u2019s your first time connecting, PuTTY will ask to <strong>trust the server\u2019s SSH key<\/strong>. Click <strong>Yes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A terminal window will open asking for a <strong>username<\/strong> (e.g., <code>root<\/code>), if not auto-filled.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enter the <strong>password<\/strong> and press Enter. Note: The password will not be visible as you type (for security).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2705 You are now logged into your server!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%94%91_Using_SSH_Key_Instead_of_Password_Advanced\"><\/span>\ud83d\udd11 Using SSH Key Instead of Password (Advanced)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your server requires <strong>SSH key authentication<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Convert your private key to <code>.ppk<\/code> format using <strong>PuTTYgen<\/strong> (bundled with PuTTY).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In PuTTY, go to:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Connection &gt; SSH &gt; Auth<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Browse<\/strong> and select your <code>.ppk<\/code> file<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then connect as usual.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%9B%A0%EF%B8%8F_Common_PuTTY_Errors_and_Fixes\"><\/span>\ud83d\udee0\ufe0f Common PuTTY Errors and Fixes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Error<\/th><th>Solution<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><em>Network error: Connection timed out<\/em><\/td><td>Server might be offline or IP\/firewall blocked. Check port 22 access.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>Access denied<\/em><\/td><td>Incorrect username or password. Double-check credentials.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>Server unexpectedly closed network connection<\/em><\/td><td>Could be due to key mismatch, firewall, or wrong login method.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%A7%A0_PuTTY_Tips_and_Tricks\"><\/span>\ud83e\udde0 PuTTY Tips and Tricks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\ud83d\udcbe <strong>Always save your sessions<\/strong> for faster access.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\ud83d\udd10 <strong>Use key-based authentication<\/strong> for improved security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u2699\ufe0f <strong>Enable keep-alive settings<\/strong> under Connection \u2192 Seconds between keepalives to prevent timeout.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%9C%85_Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>\u2705 Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Using PuTTY is a simple and secure way to manage your remote Linux server from a Windows PC. Whether you&#8217;re installing software, running scripts, or checking logs, PuTTY gives you full control over your server via SSH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Need a reliable Linux VPS or RDP server?<\/strong><br>\ud83d\udc49 <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/nivohost.com\">Nivohost<\/a> offers high-performance VPS with full root access and 24\/7 support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you are managing a VPS, dedicated server, or any Linux-based remote machine, PuTTY is one of the most popular tools for establishing SSH (Secure Shell) connections from Windows systems. In this guide, we\u2019ll walk you through how to use PuTTY to connect to your server, including downloading the tool, configuring it, and troubleshooting common [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorial"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118,"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116\/revisions\/118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nivohost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}