Connection Timed Out

If the host does not respond to connection attempts, you might see the following message:

		

			
				
			
		
		ssh: connect to host 203.0.113.12 port 22: Connection timed out
	

This indicates that the OpenSSH client did not receive a response from the host within the set time frame. The causes can be security settings, software issues, or infrastructure problems. However, a timeout is most often related to host unavailability and network issues.

To identify the problem, you can use the details and results of each of the connection steps that are displayed when you add the -v parameter to the ssh command.

The SSH command in this case might look like this:

		

			
				
			
		
		ssh -v <username>@<IP-address>
	

Possible Causes and Solutions:

Incorrect IP Address or DNS Name:

Possible solution: Verify the correctness of the specified IP address or DNS name. Correct any errors if necessary.

The IP address for connecting to a Peerobyte virtual machine is specified in the Main IP Address field in the “Public Network IPv4” section of the Peerobyte control panel. The IP address of the virtual machine or server is also provided in the email confirming its readiness for use.

Host is Powered Off

Possible solution: Ensure that the server or virtual machine is powered on and running. Start the virtual machine or server if needed.

Instructions on how to start the virtual machine are provided in the "Virtual Machine Control Panel" section.

Firewall or Network Rules Blocking Connection

Possible solution: Ensure that the firewall settings allow connections to the host through the specified network port (port 22 by default). Make changes to the firewall settings if necessary

Instructions on how to configure some firewalls to allow connections are described in the “Connection Refused” section.

Network Issues

Possible solution: Check the network connections and routing on the path to the host

For example, check the host's availability, identify network delays, and packet loss with the following command:

		

			
				
			
		
		ping <IP-address>
	

To view the network route, use:

• Windows via PowerShell:

		

			
				
			
		
		tracert <IP-address>
	

• Linux and macOS:

		

			
				
			
		
		traceroute <IP-address>
	

In some distributions, you may need to install the traceroute utility using your OS's package manager.

If during the route check a particular hop (network segment between two nodes) shows Request timed out, the issue causing the Connection Timed Out error might be located there.

One specific network issue might be improperly configured NAT or port forwarding. This is especially important when connecting to hosts behind routers in private networks. In such cases, configure port forwarding on the router to ensure correct traffic redirection to the host.