SSH is the abbreviation for Secure Shell, which provides an encrypted connectivity tool to establish a remote connection between the server and the client. The SSH can encrypt and control all traffic when connected remotely.
Furthermore, SSH provides a safe and secure way to remotely access your machine from another computer system. Therefore, after installing the SSH package, you will also need to enable the SSH service to utilize its functionalities.
Through this guide, you will improve your skills on how to enable SSH on the Ubuntu 24.04 system.
How to Enable SSH on Ubuntu 24.04 System?
You will explore the following topic through this comprehensive post:
Step 1: Update Ubuntu’s Cache Files
Always keep your Ubuntu machine up to date with the latest system files. To do this, you can execute the command:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
This process will improve your system’s functionality, speed, and performance.
Step 2: Install SSH Package
To utilize the SSH services, install the OpenSSH server and client on your Ubuntu 24.04 system:
sudo apt install openssh-server openssh-client -y
After installing the SSH server and client, you will find a similar message, as mentioned above, on your terminal screen.
Step 3: Confirm SSH Version
To ensure the SSH has been installed on your Ubuntu 24.04 system, run the command:
ssh -V
The release number of SSH varies from time to time. For instance, the current latest stable version of SSH is 9.6.
Step 4: Enable SSH Service
It is necessary to enable the SSH services to avail the complete services of SSH on your Ubuntu 24.04 machine. The following command is provided for your reference:
sudo systemctl enable ssh --now
The “–now” option is optional. It enables and starts the SSH service immediately.
Step 5: Verify the Running Status of SSH
You can use the “status” option to check if the SSH service is running correctly on your Ubuntu 24.04 system:
sudo systemctl status ssh
If you see the same status mentioned above, it shows that you have successfully installed and enabled the SSH services on your system.
Step 6: Enable Firewall
To enable the Firewall specifically for SSH, execute the command:
sudo ufw enable
This command configures and manages a firewall on your Ubuntu 24.04 system.
Step 7: Allow SSH on the Default Port
After enabling the firewall, you need to allow SSH traffic on the default Port 22 using the command:
sudo ufw allow 22
This command ensures remote access to the server on a specific port, such as Port 22.
Step 8: Reload Firewall
Once you have enabled SSH and allowed traffic on Port 22, run the below reload command to apply the changes:
sudo ufw reload
As shown above, the Firewall on your Ubuntu 24.04 is now reloaded.
This process enhances the security of your Ubuntu 24.04 system by controlling and managing network traffic.
How to Make a Remote Connection after Enabling SSH on Ubuntu 24.04?
This section provides detailed steps to establish a remote connection using SSH.
Step 1: Make a Remote Connection
After successfully configuring the SSH on your Ubuntu machine, utilize the command to make a remote connection between the Server and Client systems:
ssh ubuntu@192.168.102.213
In this example, we established a connection from the local machine (client) to a remote server (host) with the username “ubuntu” and the IP address 192.168.102.213.
Note: Use the syntax username@IPAddress when connecting to a remote server.
Step 2: Check the Remote System’s Version
You can now operate the remote server from your local machine. For example, run the command to check the currently running release version or Linux distribution of the remote server:
lsb_release -a
The snapshot above shows that the operating system running on the remote server is Ubuntu 22.04.4 (Jammy).
Step 3: Exit from the Remote System
You can exit from the remote system at any time using the following simple command:
exit
As mentioned above the “exit” command successfully closed the remote server.
How to Disable SSH on Ubuntu 24.04?
The following commands will be utilized to disable SSH on the Ubuntu 24.04 system.
Step 1: Stop the SSH Service
Run the command to stop both the SSH service and the socket on your machine:
sudo systemctl stop ssh.service ssh.socket
This step is essential to temporarily suspend or stop the SSH service and the socket on your system.
Step 2: Disable the SSH Service
After stopping the SSH services, you also need to disable the SSH service from starting automatically on the system boot:
sudo systemctl disable ssh.service ssh.socket
This simple command disables both the SSH service and the SSH socket.
Step 3: Verify the Current SSH Status
Use the command to verify the current status of the SSH service to ensure it is stopped and disabled on your system:
sudo systemctl status ssh
According to the screenshot above, the SSH services on your Ubuntu 24.04 are successfully stopped and disabled.
How to Remove SSH from Ubuntu 24.04?
You can use the following commands to remove the SSH package and its configuration files from the Ubuntu 24.04 system.
Step 1: Remove SSH Package
The following purging command is a useful command to uninstall and completely remove the packages, such as SSH, from your Ubuntu systems:
sudo apt purge openssh-server openssh-client -y
This command ensures the complete removal of packages and associated configuration files of the SSH package.
Step 2: Verify the SSH Removal
Let’s verify that SSH has been completely removed from your machine:
ssh -V
If the command returns that SSH is not found, it shows that SSH has been successfully removed from your Ubuntu 24.04 system.
FAQs
What is SSH?
SSH is the abbreviation of Secure Shell. It is an encrypted connectivity tool to establish a remote link between the host/server and the guest/client.
How can I install the SSH on Ubuntu 24.04 system, if not installed?
If the SSH package is installed on your system, you can install it through this simple command:
“sudo apt install openssh-server openssh-client”
Can I enable SSH services on my Ubuntu 24.04 system using the terminal?
Yes, you can use your Ubuntu 24.04 terminal to enable the SSH services: “sudo systemctl enable ssh –now”.
How to connect to a remote server after enabling SSH on Ubuntu 24.04?
To connect to a remote server, follow this simple syntax:
“ssh username@IPAddress_of_remote_server”.
What is the command to disable the SSH on Ubuntu 24.04 system?
To disable the active status of SSH on your Ubuntu 24.04 system, utilize the command:
“sudo systemctl disable ssh.service ssh.socket”
Conclusion
You can enable or disable the SSH services on your Ubuntu 24.04 system using simple commands. First, ensure you have installed the SSH package (i.e. sudo apt install openssh-server openssh-client). Then, use the command “sudo systemctl enable ssh –now” to enable the SSH services.
For some reason, you can disable and uninstall the SSH using the command “sudo apt purge openssh-server openssh-client” from your Ubuntu 24.04 system.
