SSH Setup for Alex

To use Alex fully on your VPS server, you need to set up SSH access. Without SSH, Alex cannot execute commands, install software, or perform diagnostics.

Overview

How to Set Up SSH

Step 1 — Open SSH Settings

1. Open the chat with Alex for your VPS server
2. In the chat header, click the settings icon (gear)
3. Select “Manage SSH credentials”
4. A modal with a form will appear

Step 2 — Fill in Your Credentials

You need to know:

Step 3 — Choose Authentication Method

Option A: Password (recommended for beginners)

1. Select “Password” as the authentication method
2. Fill in your SSH password
3. Click “Save SSH credentials”

Option B: Private Key (advanced)

1. Select “Private Key” as the authentication method
2. Paste the contents of your .pem or OpenSSH key (entire content including -----BEGIN...-----)
3. If the key is encrypted, fill in the Passphrase
4. Click “Save SSH credentials”

Note: Supported formats: OpenSSH, PEM. Key must start with -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY----- or -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----.

Security

Credential Storage

• Stored in database encrypted with AES-256-CBC
• Only your account + Alex for that specific server has access
• Cannot be viewed backwards (only overwritten or deleted)
• CoreSynth administrators have no access to decrypted credentials

Validity

• Permanent — until you delete them
• Survive server restart and cache clear
• No need to re-enter after each session

Deleting Credentials

1. Open SSH settings (gear icon → Manage SSH credentials)
2. Click “Forget SSH credentials”
3. Confirm deletion
4. Credentials are immediately deleted

Troubleshooting

Alex Cannot Connect

Cause: Incorrect credentials or firewall.

Solution:

# Verify SSH credentials manually
ssh username@your-server-ip -p 22
 
# Check firewall
ufw status
# or
iptables -L

Wrong Username

Cause: Default user varies by OS.

Solution: Check your provider’s or distribution’s documentation:

Wrong Key Format

Cause: Key is not in the correct format.

Solution: Make sure the key:

• Starts with -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY----- or -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
• Contains the entire key including -----END...-----
• Has no extra spaces or newlines at the beginning/end

Tips for Power Users

Custom SSH Port

If you changed the SSH port from the default 22:

1. In the “Port” field, enter your custom port (e.g., 2222)
2. Make sure the firewall allows this port

Dedicated User for Alex

For higher security, create a dedicated user:

# Create new user
sudo adduser alex-bot
 
# Add to sudo group
sudo usermod -aG sudo alex-bot

Then in SSH settings, use username alex-bot instead of root.

Generate SSH Key

# Generate new SSH key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "alex-bot@coresynth"
 
# Copy public key to server
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub root@your-server-ip

Next Steps

• Alex AI — Introduction to Alex
• Alex Models and Limits — AI models and message limits
• FAQ — Frequently asked questions

Need help? Open a support ticket  or ask Alex in your panel.