SSH: connect to host port 22: Connection timed out

What the message looks like

ssh: connect to host 203.0.113.10 port 22: Connection timed out

Common causes

• A firewall or cloud security group drops port 22.
• Wrong IP address or hostname, or DNS points to an old server.
• The server is down, frozen or has lost its network.
• SSH listens on another port, or only on a different interface.
• Your IP was banned by fail2ban or a similar tool, or your network blocks outgoing port 22.

Check

1. See where the connection stops
   ssh -v user@server.example.comCopy
2. Is the port reachable? (5 second timeout)
   nc -vz -w 5 server.example.com 22Copy
3. Does the name resolve to the address you expect?
   dig +short server.example.comCopy
4. On the server (via console): is SSH listening?
   ss -ltnp | grep sshdCopy

Fix

• Open the port in the firewall: ufw allow 22/tcp, or in the cloud provider's security group.
• Use the right port if you changed it: ssh -p 2222 user@host.
• If fail2ban banned you, unban the address: fail2ban-client set sshd unbanip 198.51.100.7.
• Check the server in the provider's console: is it running, does it have network?
• Try from another network (a mobile hotspot) to rule out a block on your side.

FAQ

What is the difference between timed out and refused?

Timed out means no answer came back, typically a firewall that silently drops the traffic, or a machine that is down. Refused means the machine answered and said nothing is listening on that port.

Could this be a brute-force protection?

Yes. After several failed logins, tools like fail2ban block your address. Check the jail status from the server console.