Fedora Enable SSH: Install and Configure SSH Server

The tutorial will explain how to fedora enable ssh server and SSH client connections on fedora linux Workstation. By default the SSH server on Fedora Workstation may be installed but not enabled. This will cause a following error message when connecting via SSH client:
ssh: connect to host fedora-workstation port 22: Connection refused

In this tutorial you will learn:

How to fedora enable ssh server
How to enable ssh server
How to start ssh server
How to Connect to SSH server

Check status, enable and start the SSH Server on Fedora Linux

Software Requirements and Conventions Used

Software Requirements and Linux Command Line Conventions
Category	Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used
System	Fedora >= 30
Software	OpenSSH
Other	Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the `sudo` command.
Conventions	# – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of `sudo` command $ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user

Fedora Enable SSH Server Step by Step Instructions

First step is to check whether the openssh-server is installed on your Fedora system. To do so execute the following command which in case the SSH server is install should produce a relevant output. Example:
```
$ rpm -qa | grep openssh-server
openssh-server-7.9p1-5.fc30.x86_64
```
In case the above command did not produced any output use the dnf command install package openssh-server:
```
$ sudo dnf install openssh-server
```
Next step to fedora enable ssh is to enable systemd service sshd to make sure that SSH daemon will start after the reboot. Use the following command to enable sshd:
```
$ sudo systemctl enable sshd
```
Once the sshd service is enable use once again the systemclt command to start sshd:
```
$ sudo systemctl start sshd
```
Once ready check the SSH server status using the following command:
```
$ sudo systemctl status sshd
```
Furthermore, you should now see the port 22 open for a new incoming connections:
```
$ sudo ss -lt
```
Check for SSH server opened port 22 using ss command.

NOTE
In case you are running a firewall you might need to first open the SSH port. Otherwise your incoming SSH connection will be refused.
Now, we are ready to connect to the SSH server on the Fedora Workstation system. Example:
```
$ ssh username@fedora-ip-or-hostname
```

Conclusion

You have successfully learned how to fedora enable ssh server on Fedora Workstation. The SSH service is now configured to start automatically on boot, allowing you to connect remotely to your Fedora system. Remember to keep your SSH server updated and consider implementing additional security measures such as key-based authentication for production environments.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues while connecting to your Fedora SSH server, here are common problems and their solutions:

Fedora SSH Connection Refused

If you receive a “connection refused” error, the SSH service is not running or the port is blocked. Check the following:

Verify the SSH service is running: sudo systemctl status sshd
Ensure the firewall allows SSH traffic: sudo firewall-cmd --list-all
Open port 22 if needed: sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=ssh && sudo firewall-cmd --reload
Confirm SSH is listening on port 22: sudo ss -tlnp | grep :22

Fedora SSH Permission Denied

If you receive a “permission denied” error, this is typically an authentication issue:

Verify you’re using the correct username and password
Check that password authentication is enabled in /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Ensure your user account has the correct permissions
Review SSH logs for details: sudo journalctl -u sshd -n 50
If using SSH keys, verify the key permissions are correct (600 for private key)