Raspberry Pi SSH Connection Refused? Here Are Some Solutions to Fix the Connection Refused Error photo 4
Hardware

Raspberry Pi SSH Connection Refused? Here Are Some Solutions to Fix the Connection Refused Error

Why Am I Getting an SSH Connection Refused Error on My Raspberry Pi?

If you’re like me, nothing is more frustrating than setting up remote access to your Raspberry Pi only to be greeted with an ‘SSH connection refused’ error. From my experience tinkering with Pis over the years, here are some of the most common reasons you might encounter this and how to troubleshoot it.

Checking the Basics

  1. Make sure SSH is actually enabled on your Pi. By default, it is not. You’ll need to enable it by running ‘sudo raspi-config’ from the command line and selecting Interfacing Options > SSH.
  2. Double check that you’re using the right IP address or hostname to connect. An easy way to find the IP is to run ‘ifconfig’ on the Pi itself.
  3. Verify that your firewall (on both the Pi and your local machine) allows inbound SSH traffic on port 22. Sometimes installing a new firewall can inadvertently block sshd.

If those basic checks look okay, there may be a few other culprits to investigate.

Checking User Credentials

One possibility is that you’re using the wrong username/password combo to connect. By default, SSH access on a Pi is given to the ‘pi’ user with the password ‘raspberry’. But this is easily changed. Make sure to use the right creds! You can also try simplifying to just username/no password to rule that out.

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Checking Process Status

Run ‘sudo systemctl status ssh’ on the Pi. If it’s active and running, you’ll see ‘active (running)’ in the output. If not, sshd may have been stopped or crashed for some reason. Try restarting it with ‘sudo systemctl restart ssh’.

You can also check if sshd is listening on port 22 for connections. Run ‘sudo netstat -tulpn’ and look for ‘:22’ in the LISTEN rows – this confirms sshd is up and ready to accept links.

Checking Firewall Rules

As a double check, you may want to inspect your firewall configuration more closely. On a Pi, use ‘sudo ufw status’ to list enabled rules. SSH should show as ALLOW. If not, or if a different firewall is in use, make sure port 22 traffic is permitted inbound. Sometimes overzealous firewalls get in the way!

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Checking Connectivity

It’s also worth verifying basic network connectivity between your local machine and the Pi. Try pinging the Pi from your computer to check for response. If pings fail, there may be a more fundamental network issue preventing the ssh connection. Things like incorrect subnet config,duplicate IP addresses, or physically disconnected ethernet cables come to mind.

Last Resorts

If all else fails, there are a couple Hail Mary passes to try:

  1. Reboot both your local machine and the Pi to clear any stuck processes.
  2. Try connecting from another device on the same network, to rule out any local configuration issues.
  3. Reset the Pi completely and perform a fresh Raspbian install – sometimes corrupted system files can cause weird behavior.

Hopefully one of the suggestions here helps uncover what was tripping up your ssh connection! From my experience, 99% of refused errors boil down to one of these common suspects. Let me know if anything here helps or if you have any other questions!

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Troubleshooting Raspberry Pi SSH Connection Refused

Issue Possible Cause Solution
Connection refused error SSH not enabled Enable SSH on Raspberry Pi
Host key verification failed Known host file outdated Delete known_hosts file on client machine
Permission denied error Incorrect SSH username or password Double check username and password
Network connectivity issue Raspberry Pi not connected to network Check network cable and connectivity
Firewall blocking port 22 Port 22 blocked on client or server Open port 22 on firewall
SSH daemon not running SSH service stopped on Raspberry Pi Restart SSH service

FAQ

  1. Why does my raspberry pi say “connection refused” when I try to SSH into it?

    There are a few basic reasons why you could be getting an SSH connection refused message. Basically, it means that the SSH service isn’t running on the Pi or it’s blocked somehow. First, double check that SSH is enabled in the Pi’s configuration. You also want to ensure the IP address and port are correct. Perhaps the firewall is preventing connections – you may need to allow SSH traffic. On the other hand, it could just be a simple typo in the address!

  2. My SSH was working before but now it says connection refused. What happened?

    If SSH suddenly stopped working, it’s possible the service crashed or got uninstalled somehow. Weird, right? At the same time, the Pi may have lost power or gotten reset. The IP address could have changed too. You may want to restart the SSH service or even reboot the Pi altogether – that seems to fix it sometimes. Nevertheless, check the network connection as well because issues there could cause refused connections.

  3. I reinstalled SSH but it’s still not working. What else can I try?

    Don’t lose hope – there are still some things to check. First, verify that SSH is listening on the right port number. Occasionally it can get configured incorrectly. You should also make sure the firewall rules allow connections to the Pi. Perhaps try connecting from another device just to rule out any issues with your local machine. As a last resort, you might look at the system logs for clues. They may reveal what’s actually refusing the connection.

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  4. How can I tell if SSH is enabled and running?

    To check SSH’s status, you can use a few different commands. The “systemctl status ssh” command will show if the SSH service is active and running. You can also use “netstat -ant | grep 22” to see if it’s listening on the standard port 22. Another option is to use “sudo systemctl enable ssh” to enable the SSH daemon to start on boot. Then reboot and see if that was the problem. With any luck, those checks will reveal what’s going on with your SSH connection!

Hopefully this helps shed some light on why you might be getting “connection refused” errors when trying to SSH into a Raspberry Pi. As you can see, there are several possible reasons – it could be a configuration issue, a firewall rule blocking traffic or just a simple typo somewhere. If the basic steps don’t work, you may have to dig deeper in the system logs to track down the root cause. Still stumped? Maybe try rebooting everything – it’s astonishing how often that solves frustrating tech problems! Let me know if any other questions come up.