Using the VirtFusion Console

The VirtFusion console gives you browser-based terminal access to your VPS, even if SSH is broken or you have locked yourself out. It connects directly to the server's virtual display rather than over the network, so firewall rules and SSH configuration do not affect it.

When to Use the Console

• You have locked yourself out of SSH (wrong firewall rule, failed SSH config, broken key)
• The server is not responding to network connections
• You need to edit boot configuration or recover from a failed update
• You want to access the server before SSH is set up

Opening the Console

1. Log in to control.teklanhosting.co.uk.
2. Click your VPS.
3. Click the Options tab.
4. Click the VNC sub-tab.
5. Click Enable VNC Access.
6. A browser-based terminal opens connected directly to your server.

Log in with your root credentials (or another user account if root login is disabled).

Console vs SSH

The console is for emergency access and troubleshooting. For normal day-to-day work, SSH is faster, supports file transfers, and allows copy-pasting more reliably. Use SSH when the server is accessible - use the console when it is not.

Fixing a Locked-Out SSH Config

If you edited /etc/ssh/sshd_config and can no longer connect via SSH, use the console to:

1. Open the console and log in as root.
2. Edit the config: nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
3. Fix the problem (for example, re-enable PasswordAuthentication yes or correct a syntax error).
4. Restart SSH: systemctl restart sshd
5. Test SSH access from your machine before closing the console.

Fixing a Locked-Out Firewall

If a firewall rule has blocked SSH access:

# UFW (Ubuntu/Debian)
ufw allow OpenSSH
ufw reload

# firewalld (RHEL-based)
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=ssh
firewall-cmd --reload