Setting up your first SSH connection

This guide walks you through adding your first SSH server to TermAI. Takes about 3 minutes. You'll need: the server's IP or hostname, your username, and either a password or a private key.

⏱ 3 min read · Updated June 5, 2026

Before you start

A TermAI account (or skip if you don't want to sync)
Server credentials: hostname/IP, port (usually 22), username, password or key

Step 1 — Open the connection editor

From the home screen, tap the + button in the top-right corner. The new connection form appears.

Step 2 — Fill in the basics

Label — a friendly name like "prod-web-01"
Host — the IP address or hostname (192.168.1.100, myserver.example.com)
Port — defaults to 22
Username — your SSH username (often root, ubuntu, or your name)

Step 3 — Choose authentication

Enter the SSH password in the Password field. TermAI stores it in your device's hardware-encrypted keystore. Save and connect.

Step 4 — First connect

Save the connection, then tap it from the home screen. The first time you connect, TermAI shows the server's host-key fingerprint and asks you to confirm it.

ℹ️ What's a host-key fingerprint? It's a unique identifier for the server. Verifying it the first time prevents man-in-the-middle attacks. TermAI remembers the fingerprint and warns you if it ever changes.

Troubleshooting

Error	Likely cause	Fix
Connection refused	SSH not running, wrong port	Check the server is up; verify port
Permission denied (publickey)	Wrong key, or server lacks your public key	Re-copy the public key into authorized_keys
Host key verification failed	Server's host key changed	Investigate (legit or MITM); update Known Hosts

Next steps

Add more servers & organize with tags → Try the AI command helper → Set up cloud sync →

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