Connecting to your dedicated server

Once your dedicated server is activated, you can connect using three main methods:

• SSH — for Linux/Unix-like systems
• RDP — for Windows Server
• IPMI — hardware-level console access (BIOS, bootloader, OS recovery)

Connection details (IP address, username, password) are provided in your personal account → Dedicated Servers → Overview tab.

1. SSH Connection (Linux/Unix-like systems)

SSH is the standard way to manage Linux-based servers remotely.

SSH details in Fornex dashboard

From Linux or macOS:

1. Open a terminal.
2. Run the command:

   ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP
   

3. Enter the password when prompted. On first connection, accept the host key fingerprint.

After successful login, you'll see the command prompt, for example:

root@hostname:~#

Detailed guide for macOS: Connecting to VPS or dedicated server via SSH on macOS ➪

On Windows:
Use PuTTY or Windows Terminal (with OpenSSH built-in).
Step-by-step guide: Connecting to VPS or dedicated server via SSH on Windows ➪

2. RDP Connection (Windows Server)

RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) provides full graphical access to Windows Server. Guides for different devices:

• RDP to Windows Server from macOS
• RDP to Windows Server from Ubuntu
• RDP to Windows Server from Windows
• RDP to Windows Server from Android/iOS

3. IPMI Connection (Hardware Console Access)

IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) gives you out-of-band access to the server console — independent of the OS. Use it for BIOS/UEFI access, boot loader, OS reinstallation, power control, and hardware monitoring.

Requirements:

• Any modern browser
• Java Runtime Environment (JRE) — download from official site

Steps to connect:

1. Log in to your account → Dedicated Servers → iKVM/IPMI section.
2. Activate the IPMI web interface if not already active.
3. Click Go to — this opens the IPMI web console.

Activating the IPMI web interface

4. Log in using the username and password provided during activation.
5. Go to Remote Control → Console Redirection.

Launching the Java console

6. Click Launch Console — a Java file will download.
7. Open the file and log in with your system credentials (usually root).

IPMI console capabilities:

• Full BIOS/UEFI and bootloader access
• Remote power on/off and reboot
• ISO image mounting for OS installation
• Hardware monitoring (temperature, fans, power supply)

Alternative to Java console: use IPMIView software.
More about IPMI: What is IPMI?

Useful Notes

• SSH and RDP work only after the OS has booted. Use IPMI if the server fails to boot.
• Change the root/admin password immediately after first login.
• For better security: enable 2FA in your personal account and use SSH keys instead of passwords.