{"id":75718,"date":"2023-01-18T14:46:31","date_gmt":"2023-01-18T14:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"\/tutorials\/?p=75718"},"modified":"2026-03-10T10:23:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T10:23:59","slug":"ssh-connection-refused","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/in\/tutorials\/ssh-connection-refused","title":{"rendered":"SSH connection refused: what it is, causes, and 6 effective methods to fix it"},"content":{"rendered":"

When using an SSH (Secure Shell) protocol to access a remote server, you may encounter an SSH “Connection refused” error message. It is a common error indicating that your SSH server fails to accept connections.<\/p>

In this tutorial, we will explain what the SSH “Connection refused” error is and its potential causes. Also, we will walk you through the six effective methods to resolve this SSH connection error.<\/p>

Download ultimate SSH commands cheat sheet<\/a><\/p>

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What is SSH connection refused?<\/h2>\n

SSH “Connection refused” is a network communication protocol failure that occurs when connecting to an SSH server. When the SSH connection fails, you won’t be able to deploy secure encryption on your site and run more advanced tasks such as remote commands. Usually, this error is caused by a wrong SSH port, incorrect credentials, and a disabled SSH service.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p>

What causes the SSH connection refused error<\/h2>

In this section, we will uncover the most common SSH “Connection refused” causes.<\/p>

Error code<\/strong> <\/td>Connection refused<\/td><\/tr>
Error type<\/strong><\/td>Network communication protocol error<\/td><\/tr>
Error causes<\/strong><\/td>Network problem
Incorrect SSH installation
Wrong credentials
Security system configuration<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>

SSH port is wrong<\/h3>

The SSH port grants you access to a remote server. This is why it’s important to ensure you’re pointing at the right one when opening the SSH port. Otherwise, you will get the SSH “Connection refused” message when trying to perform a remote connection.<\/p>

Credentials are incorrect<\/h3>

Typing in the wrong credentials a few times will result in failed login attempts, causing the SSH “Connection refused” error. Make sure you’re entering the correct username, password, hostname, and port to avoid an SSH connection failure.<\/p>

SSH client is not installed<\/h3>

Another common issue that causes the SSH “Connection refused” error is not having SSH client software installed on your localhost. An SSH client enables a secure connection to SSH servers. In short, you won’t be able to initiate a connection request to an SSH server without the SSH client in the first place.<\/p>

SSH Daemon is not installed on the server<\/h3>

Besides the SSH client, you also need to install SSH Daemon to access a remote server from your local device. SSH Daemon will accept authenticated requests made through an SSH Client. An SSH “Connection refused” issue may occur when the SSH Daemon is not properly configured.<\/p>

SSH services are disabled<\/h3>

Traffic surges and DDoS attacks are possible reasons for a disabled SSH service. When your SSH service is down, SSH Daemon won’t be able to accept connections to a remote server. Therefore, you will face an SSH “Connection refused” message.<\/p>

Firewall prevents SSH connection<\/h3>

When a firewall protects your server from unauthorized incoming connections, it may also block SSH connections. You will need to apply specific firewall rules to enable the SSH connection requests and avoid the SSH “Connection refused” error.<\/p>

6 ways to fix the SSH connection refused error<\/h2>

After identifying what has caused the SSH “Connection refused” error, it’s time to fix it.<\/p>

In this section, we will take a closer look at the six proven methods to do so.<\/p>

1. Change the SSH port number<\/h3>

An SSH connection runs on port 22 by default, but the port may be closed when left unused for a while due to security reasons. Therefore, ensure the SSH port is open before connecting to a remote server.<\/p>

Use the following command to check for ports listening to requests:<\/p>

sudo lsof -i -n -P | grep LISTEN<\/pre>
However, the default open port 22 is more vulnerable to cyber attacks. We encourage you to use a different port to reduce security risks.<\/p>
Here at Hostinger, we use the custom SSH Port 65002<\/strong>. Hence, you will see 65002 as the default port number when accessing SSH details on your hPanel.<\/p>
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Suggested Reading<\/h4>\n                    
For Hostinger’s VPS hosting users, we suggest checking out our tutorial on how to change the SSH port on VPS.<\/a><\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p>
2. Double-check the credentials<\/h3>
Make sure you’re using the correct numbers and characters for the following information:<\/p>