OpenSSH is a free application that allows you to remotely connect into your server, and it will act as if you are logged in locally. It is very similar to telnet, although much greater in the fact that it encrypts data sent over the connection.

The SSH server application, which you will be installing, can easily be installed using the simple apt-get command. Remember that you will need “root” access to install software, and I will be using sudo. At the command line enter the following:

sudo apt-get install openssh-server

This should then automatically install OpenSSH, if you receive any errors such as package not found, then please follow this tutorial to add more software repositories.

The server should automatically have started, and you can connect to it using a client such as PuTTY. To do this download PuTTY and open it, you will then be presented with a screen like this:

In the Host Name box enter the host name of your server, or IP address. If you do not know your hostname type the following at the command line:

hostname

Which will display the hostname of your computer. Once you have done this click Open at the bottom, and you will be presented with a screen asking you to login, enter the details of the account you wish to login with, and then you will be able to login and use the server as if you were sitting in front of it, thus removing the need for a monitor, keyboard, or mouse.