How can I access my server if I’ve lost access from my external connection?

You can connect to your server without relying on its own network service.  If you have made a software update that has gone wrong, or applied a firewall rule that locked you out, you can use the out-of-band SSH or VNC console.

You can find the login details in the Console tab of your server’s control panel.

Using Out-of-Band SSH

Using the out-of-band SSH console works the same way as a normal SSH connection, where you use the same SSH client you normally use.

If you connect via SSH while your server is turned off, you will be given the option to turn it on and watch it boot.  This lets you see if it gives any errors during the boot, which might be the reason your server is not letting you connect while it is on.

It will also give you the option to boot your server in Rescue Mode, which will give you access to a temporary OS rather than direct access.  This is useful if your server isn’t booting successfully, and you can run a file system check in Rescue Mode.

To run a file system check (fsck):

  1. Find the device name for your hard disk by entering this command:

fdisk -l

  1. The device with the greatest size will be your hard drive
  2. Run the file system check on your hard drive by entering this command:

fsck -y /hard-drive

(replacing /hard-drive with your drive’s name)

You can also access your files in Rescue Mode. If you need to access your files:

  1. Mount your hard drive by entering this command:

mount /hard-drive /sysroot/

(replacing /hard-drive with your drive’s name)

  1. Then change the root directory to your /sysroot/ directory, which will let you work on the command line as if you were logged into your VPS

chroot /sysroot

  1. You can then run some programs and access your files

Using VNC

You can access your Windows server through the VNC console. It is similar to using Remote Desktop, but does not rely on Remote Desktop running on the server.


Article ID: 70
Created On: Tue, Mar 3, 2015 at 5:07 PM
Last Updated On: Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 2:43 PM

Online URL: https://www.heartinternet.uk/support/article/how-can-i-access-my-server-if-i-ve-lost-access-from-my-external-connection.html