How to Enable SSH Access for a New and Existing cPanel Account?

SSH Access (Secure Shell) is a method to securely access a remote system over the Internet. Thus, it helps you log in to another computer. Also, it uses strong encryption to protect the data and ensure privacy and integrity. It also supports various authentication options that help verify the identity of the user and the system they are trying to connect to. Moreover, it is very useful for people who manage websites and servers.

Further, SSH access can help you handle many tasks more quickly using cPanel. Also, it gives you more control over your hosting space. You can use it for both new and old cPanel accounts. But first, you must turn on the SSH option. Only then can you start using it safely and properly.

Let’s discuss the steps to enable SSH access on both new and existing cPanel accounts.

SSH access for a New cPanel Account

You have the option to enable SSH access right from the start in a new cPanel account. If you manage multiple cPanel accounts, this process can be done from the root WHM (WebHost Manager) account. You get full control over your hosting environment with the same. Check the steps below –

1. Log in to the WHM Root Account. This is the administrative control panel. You can manage various cPanel accounts through it.
2. In the WHM dashboard, find the left-hand navigation menu. From there, select ‘Account Functions’ to open the related options.
3. Then, click on ‘Create a New Account’. This will bring up a form where you need to enter the details for the new account, such as the domain name, username, and password.
4. In the Package section, ensure that the ‘Select Options Manually’ checkbox is ticked. This gives you the flexibility to choose between different types of shell access. You will see three options. Choose the appropriate shell option based on your requirements –

• Normal Shell – Full SSH access
• Jailed Shell – Restricted SSH access (limiting the user to their directory)
• Disabled Shell – No SSH access

5. In the ‘Settings’ section, make sure to check the ‘SSH Access’ box. This enables SSH access for the new account.
6. Finally, click on the ‘Create’ button at the bottom of the page to finalise the creation of the new cPanel account with SSH access enabled.

Once the process is complete, your new cPanel account will have SSH access based on the settings you have selected.

Enabling SSH for an Existing cPanel Account

With the steps below, you can easily enable or modify SSH access for any existing cPanel account on your server.

1. Log in to the WHM Root Account
2. In the left navigation menu, go to ‘Account Functions’ and then select ‘Manage Shell Access’. With this, you can modify the SSH settings for existing accounts.
3. Now, choose the specific cPanel account for which you want to enable SSH access. You will see a list of the accounts hosted on your server. Find and click on the account you need to modify.
4. Once the account is selected, you can choose the type of SSH access. The options available are –

• Normal Shell – Gives full access to SSH.
• Jailed Shell – Provides limited SSH access, restricted to the user’s own directories.
• Disabled Shell – No SSH access.

Select the option that best fits the user’s needs.

5. After selecting the desired SSH access option, WHM will automatically save the changes and update the account’s SSH access settings.

Follow the above simple steps to enable SSH access for new and existing accounts. This allows secure and efficient management of your hosting environment.