The “connection reset by peer” problem is an issue that could interrupt your SSH sessions. This error often signals the unexpected termination of the connection which is frequently caused by network issues server-side problems or client-side configurations.
In this article, we will cover different solutions to fix SSH connection reset by peer problems enabling you to restore your SSH connectivity and productivity.
Understanding the Error
It is important to understand what kex_exchange_identification: read: connection reset by peer error means. The SSH client is attempting to establish a connection with the server but the server unexpectedly closes the connection before the handshake is complete. This can be caused by various factors including:
Network issues such as packet loss a lot of traffic or firewall restrictions can disrupt the connection.
Server-side problems like resource exhaustion SSH service issues or configuration errors on the server can trigger the error.
Client-side issues for example incorrect SSH configuration software conflicts or network settings on your local machine can also be the problem.
Troubleshooting Steps
Following are the troubleshooting steps to resolving ssh_exchange_identification: read: connection reset by peer error:
Network Connectivity
You can use the
ping command in Linux
to verify network reachability, if the ping is successful proceed to the next step.
ping server_address
Make sure there are no network outages router problems or firewall blocks preventing the connection. If possible, connect to the server from a different network to isolate the issue.
SSH Server Status
Use the following command or equivalent command for your system to verify the SSH service is running:
sudo systemctl status ssh
If the service is not running start it with the following command:
sudo systemctl start ssh
Examine the SSH server logs which are usually located in
/var/log/secure
for any error messages:
tail -f /var/log/secure
Look for lines related to SSH connections and failed attempts.
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SSH Client Configuration
Examine the SSH client logs located
~/.ssh
for any error messages. To check SSH client configuration use
nano
with the following directory:
nano ~/.ssh/config
Another option is to test with a different SSH client to find out client specific issues.
Firewall / Security Settings
You can check the firewall settings for SSH port 22, which is open on both the client and server firewalls. If you have
install UFW on Ubuntu
, enable it with the following command:
sudo ufw allow 22/tcp
Another option to allow SSH, use the following command:
sudo ufw allow ssh
Temporarily disable any intrusion prevention software that might be blocking SSH connections or security software might interfere with SSH connections. Try disabling it temporarily.
SSH Server Settings
If you are experiencing excessive failed login attempts increase the
MaxAuthTries
value in the
sshd_config
file. For this navigate to the file with the following command:
nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Increase the maximum authentication tries in the SSH configuration file:
MaxAuthTries 6
Make sure the
ClientAliveInterval
and
ClientAliveCountMax
settings are appropriate to prevent idle connections from being terminated:
ClientAliveInterval 60
ClientAliveCountMax 3
Check if your IP address is blocked in
hosts.deny
or allowed in
hosts.allow
. If the server is overloaded increase
MaxStartups
and
MaxSessions
in
sshd_config
:
MaxStartups 10:30:100
MaxSessions 100
Restart the SSH service after making changes. You can use the following command:
sudo systemctl restart sshd
Also, Read
How to Fix the SSH Connection Refused Error
.
Advanced Technique
If the above steps are not working then check SSH encryption modes and make sure that the SSH client and server support compatible encryption modes. Use the following option with the SSH client to enable verbose output for debugging:
ssh -v user@server
Lastly, a server reboot can sometimes resolve temporary issues.
Important Notes
Following are some important notes on how to fix a connection reset by peer SSH error:
Using SSH keys instead of passwords can improve security and reduce connection issues.
Update the SSH client and server with the latest patches.
Monitor your system resources and check for CPU, memory, or disk usage issues on the server.
Try logging in with a different user account to find the cause of the problem.
Conclusion
By working through the above steps and carefully considering the potential causes you should be able to effectively troubleshoot and resolve the “connection reset by peer” SSH error. It is important to note that the solutions to your specific environment and error messages are based on security settings on the client and server side.
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What does ‘Connection reset by peer’ mean in SSH?
It means the connection was unexpectedly closed by the remote host.
Why do I get a ‘Connection reset by peer’ error in SSH?
This error can occur due to network issues, server settings, or firewall rules.
How can I fix the ‘Connection reset by peer’ SSH error?
Check your network connection, server settings, and firewall rules to resolve the issue.
Does restarting the SSH server help fix the ‘Connection reset by peer’ error?
