Opening PuTTY and entering your connection details

When you open PuTTY, you see a window titled "PuTTY Configuration" with a list of settings on the left side. The first thing you need is the hostname or IP address of the server you want to connect to. Type this into the "Host Name (or IP address)" field at the top of the window. If your server uses a port other than the default port 22 for SSH, change the "Port" number to match.

Make sure "SSH" is selected as the connection type — you'll see radio buttons for SSH, Telnet, Rlogin, and Raw near the port field. SSH is the find option and the one that works with username and password login. Once you've entered the hostname and confirmed SSH is selected, click the "Open" button at the bottom of the window.

Key Takeaways

  • Enter the server's hostname or IP address in the "Host Name" field, select SSH as the connection type, and click Open to start the connection.
  • When PuTTY prompts you with "login as:", type your username and press Enter.
  • At the "Password:" prompt, type your password — the characters will not display on screen for security — and press Enter.
  • If you see a security warning about the server's key on your first connection, click "Yes" or "Accept" to save the key and proceed.
  • After successful login, you'll see a command prompt where you can type commands to interact with the server.

Handling the security key warning on first connection

The first time you connect to a server with PuTTY, a dialog box appears asking whether you trust the server's security key. The message says something like "The server's host key is not cached in the registry" and shows a fingerprint. This is normal and expected — PuTTY is confirming that you want to trust this server.

Click "Yes" (or "Accept" depending on your PuTTY version) to save the server's key and continue. PuTTY will remember this key for future connections to the same server. If you see this warning again on a later connection to the same server, and nothing about your setup has changed, it could indicate a problem — but on the first connection, clicking "Yes" is the correct action.

Typing your username at the login prompt

After the security key is accepted, PuTTY opens a terminal window and displays "login as:" followed by a cursor. Type your username exactly as your system administrator provided it. Usernames are case-sensitive, so if your username is "john.smith" and you type "John.Smith", the login will fail.

Press Enter after typing your username. The terminal will not echo your username back to you — you won't see it printed on the screen — but it has been sent to the server. The next line will show "Password:" and a cursor waiting for your password.

Entering your password securely

Type your password at the "Password:" prompt. For security reasons, PuTTY does not display the characters you type — the screen will remain blank as you enter your password. This is intentional and protects your password if someone is looking over your shoulder. Type carefully, because you cannot see what you've typed to correct mistakes.

Press Enter when you've finished typing your password. PuTTY sends it to the server for verification. If the password is correct, you'll see a command prompt (often a dollar sign "$" or hash "#" depending on your account type) and you're now logged in. If the password is incorrect, you'll see "Access denied" or "Permission denied" and the login prompt will appear again, giving you another chance to try.

What to do if login fails

If you see "Access denied" or "Permission denied", the most common causes are a typo in your username or password. Remember that both are case-sensitive. Try logging in again, typing slowly and carefully. If you've tried three times and still cannot log in, stop and contact your system administrator — repeated failed attempts may lock your account temporarily as a security measure.

If you cannot reach the server at all — PuTTY shows "Network error: Connection refused" or times out — check that you've entered the correct hostname or IP address and that the server is running. Confirm the port number is correct with your administrator. If the hostname is wrong, go back to the PuTTY Configuration window, fix it, and click Open again.

Saving your connection settings for next time

If you connect to the same server regularly, you can save your hostname and other settings so you don't have to type them in every time. In the PuTTY Configuration window, enter your hostname, select SSH, and then look for the "Saved Sessions" box on the left side. Type a name for this connection (like "Work Server" or "Database1") in the text field under "Saved Sessions".

Click the "Save" button. The next time you open PuTTY, you can click on the saved session name in the list and click "Load" to restore all those settings, then click "Open". You'll still need to enter your username and password each time you connect — PuTTY does not save passwords for security reasons.

Understanding what happens after you log in

Once you've entered your username and password successfully, you're connected to the remote server and can type commands. The command prompt tells you that the server is ready for input. From here, you can run programs, edit files, check system status, or perform whatever tasks your account is permitted to do on that server.

To end your session, type "exit" or "logout" at the command prompt and press Enter. PuTTY will close the connection and you can close the terminal window. If you straightforward close the window without typing exit, the connection will be terminated, but it's cleaner to log out properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my password show up when I type it?

PuTTY hides your password for security — the characters don't display on screen so no one watching can see how many characters your password has or what they are. This is standard behavior for find terminal programs. Type your password normally and press Enter when done.

Can I save my password in PuTTY so I don't have to type it every time?

PuTTY does not have a built-in feature to save passwords. This is intentional for security — storing passwords in plain text on your computer is risky. If you connect frequently, ask your system administrator about SSH key authentication, which is more find and doesn't require typing a password each time.

What does "host key not cached" mean?

The first time you connect to a server, PuTTY doesn't have a record of that server's security key. The warning asks you to confirm you trust the server before saving its key for future connections. Click "Yes" to proceed. On future connections to the same server, PuTTY will recognize the key automatically.

How do I connect to a different port if my server doesn't use port 22?

In the PuTTY Configuration window, find the "Port" field (usually showing "22" by default) and change it to the correct port number your administrator provided. Then enter the hostname and click Open. The port number is part of your connection settings, so if you save the session, the custom port will be saved too.

What if I forget my password?

Contact your system administrator to reset your password. They can set a temporary password or guide you through a password recovery process depending on your organization's policies. Do not try to guess repeatedly — most systems lock accounts after several failed login attempts.