Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : what is SSH login?

[khoking]

I am new to dedicated server. Just purchased one and I have received password from LayeredTech for the SSH login.

What is SSH Login? Do I need a program for that? I only have experience to login via FTP and web browser...

Sorry for this silly question...

[avythe]

Hire someone to manage your server...and quickly! Google for putty and download that. Also search for a tutorial including basic commands...

[nicedream]

Putty is a good Windows SSH client.
But I would have to agree with the last reply....If you don't know what SSH is, you probably have no business running a server.

[khoking]

thanks for the reply.

I have managed to login using SSH and retrieve my root password and deleted the file.

Now, when I go to WHM on my server, they asked about username and password.

I know the password is the root password that I retrieve earlier, but what is the username?

(I hope to learn managing this server myself...if I can't do it, then only I will ask someone to manage it for me...but I hope to try it out myself first...thanks...)

[khoking]

thanks, I have managed to login as root and with the password

[layer0]

Originally Posted by khoking

thanks for the reply.

I have managed to login using SSH and retrieve my root password and deleted the file.

Now, when I go to WHM on my server, they asked about username and password.

I know the password is the root password that I retrieve earlier, but what is the username?

(I hope to learn managing this server myself...if I can't do it, then only I will ask someone to manage it for me...but I hope to try it out myself first...thanks...)

The username for WHM is 'root'.

[avythe]

Username is probably root. I hope you're good at reading documentation, but if this is any indication of such, I hate to say that you're probably doomed.

[dm_fw]

You might want to switch to a managed server, a VPS, or even Windows. Win 2003 has issues, but I think it is easier if you have less experience.

Or, learn for a few months before you place any critical files on your new "toy"

[quid246]

I'll agree with my brothers and sisters... a live server is no place to be learning about Linux. Before you can say "hacked server"... you'll have a hacked server.

Hire one of the good management companies out there.

[2notch]

As above, hire someone to manage it...or leave the power button in the "off" position. (jk)

Then get yourself an old PC. Get a copy of CentOS linux and load it on that old PC. Learn on that. If you crash it you can just re-install again.

[orlando_myers]

yeah u should either hire someone or do like i do take a course. Then get a few certificates. Still doing my course and waiting to go and write my first certificate exam A+ then my network+. Thanks to WHT community these guys help me a lot.

[dm_fw]

This brings up the question. Is there a good online resource or book(s) that would teach someone 75+% of how to set up a linux server with a CPanel or Plesk and reduce hacking issues?

I know that root/edited file access is harder.

I guess there is a crying need for shared host ease of use on a VPS or dedicated box.

[khoking]

Hi Guys,

Thanks very much for the reply

I have managed to setup the server running fine now. I must admit that I do not have much any experience in dedicated server management before, and I don't really understand the different between a managed server and an unmanaged server... :p

I know Servstra offer managed server and LayeredTech offer unmanaged server, but what are the main different that I will get from them?

Spent the whole of yesterday testing and playing with the configuration of the server via WHM, and managed to setup my site working fine now. Made a big mistake yesterday by changing the host name and end up having to use SSH to change and edit one of the file via SSH (but learnt a few extra things again). Internet has a huge knowledge and managed to find almost every question and answer that I faced.

Another question...what should I do to secure my server? What are the basic security that I should do to assure that my server will not be hacked?

I access mainly WHM and cPanel now, so is hacking means they steal my password or randomly try and error to get into my admin?

I hope to learn...and hope not to pay money to solve the problem but to learn myself at least...thanks

[F430]

http://www.webhostgear.com/

http://www.dedicated-resources.com/

[coax]

khoking you sound like a smart guy, one who if in the face of a problem does not just run around headless, but rather takes the time to google and find a solution.

While a managed solution would probably be better for you, I'm not sure that's even the case.
CentOS out of the box is pretty damn secure, especially if you don't give out shells(aka you let others SSH into your server.)

If you are the only one sshing into the server, then all you have to worry about is the applications running a service to the internet.
Do an nmap scan of yourself and take a look at what ports are open, then google to see what it does.

You want the minimal amount of ports open while still keeping all services needed running.

Keep up to date on apache/sshd/ftpd exploits and hacks, and always keep the daemons up to date.

There are other measures one can take like grsecurity, but I don't think that's needed in your case.