SSH Access and SSH Keys Management on Your WordPress Hosting

SSH (Secure Shell) provides a secure way to connect to your server and manage your WordPress installation using command-line tools like WP-CLI. This guide will walk you through how to enable SSH access, create and add SSH keys, and connect to your site securely.

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What is SSH and Why Use It? #

SSH allows advanced users to:

• Run WP-CLI commands for:
  • Plugin and theme management
  • Import/export data, clear caches, and update configurations
  • Manage files directly via the terminal.

⚠️ SSH is recommended for users familiar with the command line. Always proceed with caution when executing commands.

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Step 1: Create Your SSH Key #

SSH access on our platform only supports key-based authentication — no passwords are used for extra security.

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On macOS  #

If you use Mac, the first thing you need to do is to open a terminal. Once your terminal is open, you can copy and paste the following command:

ssh-keygen -trsa

Hit enter for all the options, you don’t need to create a password. It should look like this(on Mac terminal is usually white instead of black, but should be the same):

Once your key is created, you can copy it to your clipboard:

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

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 On Linux: #

1. Open the Terminal.
2. Generate your SSH key:bashCopyEditssh-keygen -t rsaPress Enter to accept all defaults.
3. Copy your public key to your clipboard:bashCopyEditpbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub # macOS cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | xclip -sel clip # Linux (requires xclip)

On Ubuntu:

sudo apt install xclip

On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S xclip

On Fedora/CentOS:

sudo yum -y install xclip

On Windows: #

1. Open PowerShell.
2. Generate your SSH key:powershellCopyEditssh-keygen.exe -t rsaPress Enter through all prompts.
3. Copy the public key:powershellCopyEditGet-Content .ssh\\id_rsa.pub | Set-Clipboard

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Step 2: Add Your SSH Key to the Hosting Dashboard #

1. Log in to your hosting dashboard.
2. Go to the Advanced Setting –> Server Settings tab of your site
3. Enable SSH Access (toggle on if not already).
4. Scroll to SSH Keys Manager.
5. Click Import New Key.
   • Paste your public key.
   • Add a name (e.g., “John’s MacBook”).
   • Leave the passphrase field blank unless you used one.
6. Click Import, then the system will Authorize the imported key.

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Step 3: Connect to Your Server via SSH #

1. Return to the Server settings tab to get your connection details:
   • Host/IP Address
   • Username
2. Open your terminal and run:bashCopyEditssh yourusername@yourhostipReplace yourusername and yourhostip with your actual values.
3. The first time, you may see a warning prompt. Type yes and hit Enter.
4. Once connected, switch to your site’s directory:bashCopyEditcd public_html

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✅ Common Commands via WP-CLI (once connected) #

• List installed plugins:bashCopyEditwp plugin list
• Clear WordPress cache:bashCopyEditwp cache flush
• Purge CDN cache:bashCopyEditwp cdn purge

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Managing SSH Keys #

• Delete Key: Remove unused keys at any time from the SSH Keys Manager.
• Import Additional Keys: Repeat the process for other devices or team members.

Tip: Regularly rotate your keys for improved security.

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Troubleshooting Tips #

• Can’t connect? Double-check your key is authorized and the username/IP are correct.
• Issues on Linux? Install xclip if clipboard commands fail.
• Use ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa if you’re using a passphrase-protected key.

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Need further help? Reach out to your Agency for assistance.