ssh problems

[CaffeineAddict]

With only one user you don't need user@ipaddress, you can use just the hostname. For instance, just "ssh pi", assuming that's the hostname. That's how I do it daily.

Doesn't work here, this auto-uses username from my system instead of target system so permission is denied.

It may work if both machines have same username.

 

[Trml]

The OP used ssh [email protected] earlier, which is correct, pi being the default user they created during flash procedure.

@Thomas W Cotter If you get the PI connected to the monitor, you can test ssh is working by connecting to it locally. So, on the PI open a terminal and execute a ssh@localhost. That must work and is a test you should see in the journal-log.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

ssh@localhost

will not work,ssh localhost

 

[theLegionWithin]

will not work,ssh localhost

yeah, and I agree with the earlier comment to ssh to user@ipaddr as well - that's how I access my headless dns sink.

@Thomas W Cotter - only thing I can think of is that the issue exists on the remote device. if it was me, I'd reinstall the distro & set it back up again.

 

[Trml]

Yeah, re ssh@localhost I make too many typos in commands lately. Too busy fingering mark-up into it, I guess. @CaffeineAddict is top scorer of finding them so far.

@Thomas W Cotter - only thing I can think of is that the issue exists on the remote device. if it was me, I'd reinstall the distro & set it back up again.

Re-installing is probably easier than to go through trial-error changes. If done, I'd choose the 64bit image right away.

 

[Thomas W Cotter]

Have not posted in awhile since I was on a cruise. I have done everything that has been asked here in the thread, and still no luck. Recently bought a new pi device and installed a new operating system (PopOs) I am still getting the same message that I have gotten anytime I try to ssh into my computer. (port 22: Connection refused)
I might have missed a step or done something wrong but as for now I don't know what to do. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

I have done everything that has been asked here in the thread

Sorry but no, you didn't give diagnostic output, see post #19
It's hard to tell what's wrong when you don't follow.

btw. this problem should have been solved in less than 1 hour for my taste, not taking 13 days without results.

 

[Thomas W Cotter]

Ok, yes i did miss that: Here is the current output:

ssh.service - OpenBSD Secure Shell server
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/ssh.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2025-12-08 13:33:28 EST; 8min ago
Docs: man:sshd(8)
man:sshd_config(5)
Main PID: 33791 (sshd)
Tasks: 1 (limit: 37156)
Memory: 1.7M
CPU: 9ms
CGroup: /system.slice/ssh.service
└─33791 "sshd: /usr/sbin/sshd -D [listener] 0 of 10-100 startups"

Dec 08 13:33:28 pop-os systemd[1]: Starting OpenBSD Secure Shell server...
Dec 08 13:33:28 pop-os sshd[33791]: Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22.
Dec 08 13:33:28 pop-os sshd[33791]: Server listening on :: port 22.
Dec 08 13:33:28 pop-os systemd[1]: Started OpenBSD Secure Shell server.

After rereading my previous post (#26) I can see how it probably could come off in a way that was not intended. I appreciate all the help that all of you have given me. I apologize for the misstep

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Here is the current output

If you did exactly as I said, that is, you first ssh from client to server and then immediately run systemctl status ssh on pi (server) to see what happened, it should print why connections was refused or if it was accepted.

In your output it doesn't tell anything and since connections is "refused" I'd say there is some firewall in between so the connection doesn't even reach the server, otherwise you'd see status in the output about most recent connection attempt.

The connection doesn't reach the server so there is nothing recorded, that's my conclusion.

What kind of firewall does your pi system have? that's first thing you need to figure out and then check status of firewalls, whether it blocks inbound and if so try disabling it.

 

[Thomas W Cotter]

If you did exactly as I said, that is, you first ssh from client to server and then immediately run systemctl status ssh on pi (server) to see what happened, it should print why connections was refused or if it was accepted.

I am somewhat confused on how to perform systemctl status ssh command on the rasperrypi. Not sure what is the complete command that I need to use. I don't seem to have any access to the pi through the cli.

 

[Trml]

I am somewhat confused on how to perform systemctl status ssh command on the rasperrypi. Not sure what is the complete command that I need to use. I don't seem to have any access to the pi through the cli.

You seem to be confused what part client and server play in the connection.

Connect the PI to your monitor and keyboard and test ssh login and service works on localhost, see post 22 ff. Only once you have it working on the PI itself, you can rule out the configuration of it is the problem - that is what you imply all the time.

edit: If you want to practice the steps / commands beforehand, you can also start the ssh-server daemon on your desktop machine only and use the local ssh (client) to it from the same machine. This way you can see what to expect in the journal/log for the service.

 

[theLegionWithin]

Recently bought a new pi device and installed a new operating system (PopOs)

which pi did you get? with a pi (or other low resource single board computer) it's typically best to go with their distro (raspbian) or dietpi - i like dietpi as that is what I use on my pihole.

I've got no experience with adguard home, but this is the documentation I followed for setting up the pihole --> starting at this step, https://www.crosstalksolutions.com/...-and-unbound-tutorial-2023/#Boot_your_Pi-hole, as I am not using raspbian. I thought it was a very straightforward process.