Cannot Connect

Start with the exact error. A timeout, a rejected password and a server that won’t start need different fixes. Reinstalling erases your data and is rarely the answer.

1. Check the server in the console

Select the right team and server, and copy the current IP from the header.
Wait for any installation, restore or upgrade to finish.
If the server is stopped, click Start. If the start fails, note the error and open a ticket.
If it’s suspended, see Suspended Server.
Check network status for an incident or maintenance.

A server with a new primary IP or a move to another city may no longer answer on its old address.

2. Open VNC

Click VNC in the server header. VNC shows the operating system even when SSH, RDP or networking is broken.

What VNC shows	Next step
A normal login screen	Sign in locally and check the service and network settings.
Windows updates or installation	Let it finish, then try RDP again.
A boot or disk error	Write down the exact message. Don’t reinstall over data you need.
A mounted installer starting again	Unmount the ISO and check Boot Order.
VNC won’t open	Try once more, then report the console error.

3. Match the error

Error	Likely cause	Next step
`Permission denied` or wrong credentials	The service answered but rejected the login.	Check the username, password or SSH key. See Lost a password or key.
`Connection refused`	The port is closed or rejected.	Check the service, port and firewall through VNC.
Connection timed out	Nothing is replying.	Check the IP, server state, firewalls and route.
Name can’t be resolved	DNS can’t find the hostname.	Use the IP directly, then fix DNS.
SSH host identification changed	The saved key differs from the server’s current one.	Verify the server, especially after a reinstall or IP change.

See Connect to Your Server for usernames and login methods. Resetting the root password again and again won’t fix an SSH key error.

4. Test the port

On Windows, test SSH from PowerShell, replacing the IP:

Test-NetConnection 203.0.113.10 -Port 22

For RDP, use your configured port, normally 3389. A successful test means the port is reachable, not that your credentials are right. On Linux or macOS, ssh -v root@203.0.113.10 shows where SSH fails. Remove sensitive details before sharing the output. A server can drop ping and still accept SSH or RDP, so don’t rely on ping alone.

5. Check both firewalls and the guest network

Rules can exist in the panel’s Firewall Groups and in the operating system. Allow your port in both where needed. Don’t disable all protection just to test. If VNC works, compare the IP, prefix and gateway inside the server with “Networking” in the console. Custom images and changes made inside the guest may need manual configuration. Don’t copy network settings from another server. If only one ISP or country has trouble, test from another connection and follow Network Problems. If IPv4 fails but IPv6 works, tell us.

Lost a password or key

Your console account, the server’s operating system and an SSH private key are separate credentials. Reinstalling isn’t needed for a password reset.

What you lost	What to do
Console password	Click `Forgot your password?` on the sign-in page.
Authenticator or email sign-in code	Use a recovery method from Account Security.
Server root or Administrator password	Reset it from the server’s settings.
SSH private key	Make a new key and add its public key through a local login (below).

Recover a server password

Reset the password

Select the server, open “Settings” > “Reset Password” and save a new password.

Apply it

Wait for it to apply. If it can’t apply live, restart the server when it’s safe to.

Test it in VNC

Click VNC and sign in as root (Linux) or Administrator (Windows).

We don’t supply a separate VNC password. VNC shows the operating system’s own login screen, and custom images can use different users or password handling. For Windows, then try Remote Desktop with the current IP, Administrator and the new password. If it fails in VNC too, note the exact message and contact support.

Recover from a lost SSH private key

We store public keys, not your private key, so a saved public key can’t recreate a lost private one.

Create a new key

On your computer, run ssh-keygen -t ed25519. Choose a new filename if you need to keep an existing key. The .pub file is the public key.

If you don’t know the root password, reset it first. A new password may allow a VNC login even when SSH accepts only keys.

Add the public key

Edit the login user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys (for root, /root/.ssh/authorized_keys) and append the full public key on one line. Keep other keys you still use.If the file or directory is missing, create it. .ssh should be 700 and authorized_keys 600, owned by the login user. See the OpenSSH reference.

Test a new SSH session

Keep VNC open and connect with the new private key. Remove an old key only after the new one works.

Saving a key in the console’s “SSH Keys” library doesn’t update a running server. See SSH Keys. Never paste a private key into VNC, the public-key field or a ticket.

Lost access to your console email

If you’re still signed in and can complete the password or passkey confirmation, use Change Email to switch to an inbox you control. If you can’t sign in or complete recovery, contact support for an ownership check. Knowing a service IP isn’t enough to get account details, and we can’t guarantee recovery when we can’t verify ownership. Keep your account email reachable independently of the server it manages, and save your recovery codes.

What to send support

Open a ticket with:

The server name and affected IP
The exact error, plus the start time and timezone
Whether VNC works
A port test or MTR, if you have one
What changed just before it broke

Don’t include passwords, private keys or payment details. Tell us if your data must be preserved, and don’t ask for a reinstall when you only need access back.

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