content/authentication/connecting-to-github-with-ssh/testing-your-ssh-connection.md

metadata

title: Testing your SSH connection
intro: >-
  After you've set up your SSH key and added it to {% data
  variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, you can test your connection.
redirect_from:
  - /articles/testing-your-ssh-connection
  - /github/authenticating-to-github/testing-your-ssh-connection
  - >-
    /github/authenticating-to-github/connecting-to-github-with-ssh/testing-your-ssh-connection
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghes: '*'
  ghec: '*'
topics:
  - SSH
shortTitle: Test your SSH connection

Before testing your SSH connection, you should have already:

• Checked for existing SSH keys
• Generated a new SSH key
• Added a new SSH key to your GitHub account

You'll need to authenticate this action using your password, which is the SSH key passphrase you created earlier. See AUTOTITLE.

{% ifversion ghec %}

{% data reusables.enterprise-data-residency.access-domain %}

{% endif %}

{% data reusables.command_line.open_the_multi_os_terminal %}

1. Enter the following:

   ssh -T git@{% data variables.product.product_url %}
   # Attempts to ssh to {% data variables.product.github %}
   

   You may see a warning like this:

   > The authenticity of host '{% data variables.product.product_url %} (IP ADDRESS)' can't be established.
   > ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:+DiY3wvvV6TuJJhbpZisF/zLDA0zPMSvHdkr4UvCOqU.
   > Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?
   

2. Verify that the fingerprint in the message you see matches {% ifversion fpt or ghec %}{% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}'s public key fingerprint{% else %} your enterprise's public key fingerprint{% endif %}. If it does, then type yes:

   > Hi USERNAME! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not
   > provide shell access.
   

   {% linux %}

   You may see this error message:

   ...
   Agent admitted failure to sign using the key.
   debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
   Permission denied (publickey).
   

   This is a known problem with certain Linux distributions. For more information, see AUTOTITLE.

   {% endlinux %}

   The remote command should exit with code 1.

3. Verify that the resulting message contains your username. If you receive a "permission denied" message, see AUTOTITLE.