Fix PuTTY “Connection timed out” when noVNC works

Network error: Connection timed out means PuTTY gets no answer on the SSH port. If noVNC Console still shows the server's screen, the server is running. The problem is then the address, the port, a firewall or SSH itself, and you can check each one in this order.

Checking the IP address and the port

Both are on the server's page: go to My servers and click Manage. The IP address is next to Public IP, and the port is next to SSH Port. On a new server, the port is 22.

Information block showing Username root, SSH Port 22 and the hidden Server Password with show and copy icons.

In PuTTY, enter the IP address in Host Name (or IP address) and the port in Port, and set Connection type to SSH.

To test the port, run this in PowerShell on your own computer, with your server's IP address:

Test-NetConnection YOUR.VPS.IP -Port 22

True means the port answers, so check the PuTTY settings again. False means something blocks the port. Try again from another network, such as a phone hotspot. If it works there, your own network blocks the port. If it fails everywhere, check the firewalls next.

Checking the client-area firewall

Open Firewall under Service Management. If the server has rules, add one for SSH: Protocol 6 Transmission Control Protocol, Destination Port 22 and Enable switched on. The full steps are in Check which ports are open on your VPS firewall.

Create Firewall Rule form allowing TCP port 22 from 198.51.100.7, with Enable switched on and the comment SSH from my IP.

Checking SSH inside the server

Open noVNC Console under Service Management and log in as root.

Server menu with noVNC Console highlighted under Service Management.

Check that something listens on port 22:

sudo ss -tlnp 'sport = :22'

If no line shows LISTEN, start SSH for your system:

Ubuntu 24.04 and later: sudo systemctl enable --now ssh.socket
Older Ubuntu and Debian: sudo systemctl enable --now ssh
AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux: sudo systemctl enable --now sshd

If SSH won't start, sudo sshd -t names the line with the error in the configuration.

If SSH is running but PuTTY still times out, the firewall inside the server may block it. Allow SSH in noVNC Console:

ufw: sudo ufw allow 22/tcp
firewalld: sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=ssh, then sudo firewall-cmd --reload
Fail2ban, if your IP address was banned: sudo fail2ban-client set sshd unbanip YOUR.HOME.IP