Connecting to a server

This page covers the different ways to connect to a server in Termius, including SSH, Mosh, Telnet, Serial, SFTP, and the Local Terminal.

Termius provides users with a variety of options to connect to servers. It includes a built-in Local terminal and supports SSH, Mosh, Telnet, Serial, and SFTP.

SSH with a password

Desktop

To connect using a password on the desktop:

1. Open the Vault tab, then Hosts screen

2. Click New Host

   
3. Enter the IP address, port, username, and password. Termius auto-saves your host

   
4. Click Connect

   

Mobile

SSH with an SSH key

Desktop

To connect to a server using an SSH key on the desktop:

1. Open the Vault tab, then Hosts screen

2. Click New Host

   
3. Enter the IP address, port, and username

   
4. To add an SSH Key, click + SSH ID, Key, Certificate, FIDO2 section and choose Key

   
5. Enter the key name/label

   
6. Import or paste your private key, then click Save . Termius auto-saves your host

   
7. Click Connect

   

Mobile

See Keychain to explore all Termius Keychain capabilities.

Connect through jump hosts

Jump hosts provide secure access to a target machine that is not directly reachable. Termius makes it easy to configure multiple jump hosts in a sequence called a host chain. This lets you connect to the target machine in one click, automatically hopping through the chain of your hosts. To set up a host chain, follow the steps below.

Desktop

1. Create a host or edit an existing one. This host is a target host

2. In the Host details screen, scroll down and click Show more

   
3. Click Host Chaining field

   
4. Select an intermediate host from the list or create a new one. You can select multiple intermediate hosts, reflecting your network configuration and use case.

   
5. Click Save. Then Termius auto-saves your host configuration

   
6. Click Connect. Termius sets up SSH tunnels to the target host through all the chained hosts

   

Mobile

Pro tip: If you need the same host chain for multiple hosts, configure it on a group instead of setting it on each host.

Every host placed in this group inherits the host chaining settings from that group.

Connect through a proxy

Termius supports SSH connections through HTTP or SOCKS5 proxies.

Desktop

To connect through a proxy on the desktop:

1. Open the Vault tab, then Hosts screen

2. Click New Host or edit an existing one

3. In the Host details screen, scroll down, and click Show more if you don't see the extra options

   
4. Click the Proxy field

   
5. In the Type drop-down, select the proxy server protocol: SOCKS5 or HTTP

   
6. Enter the hostname or address, port, and credentials of your proxy server

   
7. Click Save. Then Termius auto-saves your host configuration

   
8. Click Connect

Mobile

Mosh (Mobile Shell)

Mosh is a companion protocol to SSH that maintains sessions when TCP connections are interrupted. It employs a parallel UDP session to keep the session alive. That also enables Mosh to maintain its own terminal buffer that intelligently echoes your input, even if the server is slow or the network lags.

The enhancements provided by Mosh are really important for reliable mobile connectivity. If your device changes networks or loses connection, Mosh can keep your session alive until the connection is re-established.

The Mosh service is distinct from SSH and must be installed and configured separately on your host system. Once the service is up and running, you can use it on your hosts in Termius.

Termius uses its own library for Mosh compatibility. Mosh 1.3.0 and newer versions are supported.

Desktop

To connect via Mosh on the desktop:

1. Open the Vault tab, then the Hosts screen

2. Click New Host or edit an existing one

3. In the Host Details screen, scroll down, and click Show more if you don't see the extra options

   
4. Enable Mosh

   
5. If your Mosh server is running on non-default ports, specify it accordingly:

   1. Default command for starting the mosh session: mosh-server new -s -l LANG=en_US.UTF-8

   2. In case you need to specify the custom port range: mosh-server new -s -l LANG=en_US.UTF-8 -p [port from]:[port to]

6. Termius auto-saves your host

7. Click Connect

Mobile

Telnet

Desktop

1. Open the Vault tab, then the Hosts screen

2. Click New Host or edit an existing one

3. In the Host details screen, scroll down and click + Add Telnet

   
4. Enter the port, username, and password. Termius auto-saves your host

   
5. Click Connect

Mobile

Telnet transmits data in plaintext, so avoid using it for sensitive information.

Serial

Termius lets you connect to switches and routers over a serial port using a single cable: Redpark's USB-C Serial Cable (C4-RJ45V) or Redpark's Lightning Console Cable (L2RJ45V3).

Desktop

1. Open the Vault tab, then the Hosts screen

2. Click the Serial button, or use the hotkey Cmd+Option+S/CTRL+Alt+S

   
3. Choose the serial port you want to connect to

   
4. e the required configuration: baud rate, data bits, stop bits, flow control, and parity

   
5. Click Connect

If you experience issues with serial connections in Termius downloaded from the Microsoft Windows Store, install Termius from our website instead - Download Windows

Mobile

Local Terminal

To open a local terminal:

1. Open the Vault tab, then the Hosts screen

2. Click the Terminal button or use the hotkey CTRL/Cmd+L

   

By default, the local terminal uses a shell specified in the system's settings. You can choose a different shell in settings:

1. Open Termius > Settings > Terminal

2. Scroll down to the Local Terminal Path section. Choose the preferred shell:

   

Termius from the Mac App Store and Snap Store do not include the Local Terminal feature due to sandbox limitations. Download Termius from the website for macOS, Windows, or Linux to use Local Terminal.