# Access the System via SSH

SSH (Secure Shell) gives you an encrypted command-line connection to your Cloud Voice phone system, which you use for debugging and low-level diagnostics. Access is turned off by default. You enable it from the web portal, note the connection details, then sign in with any SSH client. The steps below use PuTTY (a free SSH client for Windows) as the example, but the same details work with any SSH tool, including the built-in `ssh` command on macOS and Linux.

:::caution
An SSH session is a full command-line login to the system, so treat it as sensitive. Only enable SSH while you actively need it, turn it back off when you are finished, and never share the credentials. Leaving SSH open is a security and toll-fraud exposure.
:::

## Enable SSH access

1. Sign in to the web portal and go to **Security > Security Settings > Console/SSH Access**.
2. Switch **SSH Access** on, then click **OK**.

   ![The Console/SSH Access page with the SSH Access toggle enabled](/images/pbx/turnon-ssh-pce.png)

3. Choose a session length from the **Timeout** drop-down list, then click **Save**. SSH access is now active, and the remaining connection time counts down on the page.

   ![The Timeout drop-down for setting how long SSH access stays open](/images/pbx/pce-ssh-timeout.png)

   :::caution
   When the countdown reaches zero, SSH access turns off automatically and any open session is dropped, so choose a timeout long enough to finish your task. To keep working, click **Reset Timeout** before the timer runs out to restart the countdown.

   ![The Reset Timeout control restarting the SSH access countdown](/images/pbx/reset-ssh-access-time-countdown-ce.png)
   :::

4. Note down the SSH credentials shown on the page. You need the SSH address and port to connect, plus the password for signing in.

   ![The connection panel listing the SSH address, port, and login details](/images/pbx/pce-ssh-credential.png)

## Configure the SSH client

1. Set **Connection type** to **SSH**.
2. In **Host Name (or IP address)**, enter the system's SSH address.
3. In **Port**, enter the system's SSH port.
4. Optional: open **Window > Lines of scrollback** in the left navigation and raise the scrollback line count.

   :::tip
   The default scrollback buffer is small. Raising it keeps more log output on screen so earlier errors do not scroll away during a debug session.
   :::

5. Click **Open**.

   
   ![Cloud Voice, PuTTY session settings with the SSH address and port entered](/images/pbx/ssh-configure-ce.png)

## Sign in

1. At the **login as** prompt, enter `support`.
2. At the password prompt, enter the password from the credentials page (step 4 above).

   :::note
   `support` is the SSH login account for the system. The matching password is the one shown on the Console/SSH Access page when you enabled access.
   :::

## Result

Once you are signed in, the terminal is ready for you to run diagnostics and debug the system.

![Cloud Voice, terminal session connected and ready for commands](/images/pbx/ssh-success-ce.png)