How to Securely Log In to Plesk Using All Access Methods Make it Rain Paper

Prerequisites

• A Plesk account with valid credentials.
• Server hostname or IP address.
• SSH client for Linux/macOS or PuTTY for Windows (if accessing via SSH).
• Port 8443 must be open for HTTPS access.

Method 1: Log In Using Plesk Account Credentials

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open your browser and type the following URL: https://$Server hostname or IP address:8443
2. If you encounter an SSL warning, it's safe to skip this as it indicates the SSL certificate isn’t yet installed.
3. Enter your Plesk username and password.
4. Click Log In.

Gotchas to Avoid

• Ensure that port 8443 is open in your firewall, or you'll be unable to access the Plesk login page.
• If you use an outdated browser, you may experience SSL errors.

Method 2: Log In Using Linux Server Root Account Password

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open your browser and enter the URL: https://$Server hostname or IP address:8443
2. Skip the SSL warning if prompted.
3. Input root as the username and your root password.
4. Click Log In.

Gotchas to Avoid

• Make sure Plesk access is enabled for the root user. Otherwise, this method won't work.
• If you can't access with the root credentials, verify that the root account is still active on the server.

Method 3: Log In Using SSH Key (Linux Server Root Account)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Connect to your Plesk server using an SSH client:
   • Linux/macOS: Use an SSH client of your choice, ensuring you configure your SSH key permissions correctly.
   • Windows: Use PuTTY and convert your SSH key to the appropriate PuTTY format if needed.
2. After connecting, run the following command to generate a one-time login link:

   plesk login

3. Copy the generated URL. It will look like:
   • https://$server hostname/login?secret=$session_token
   • https://$server IP address/login?secret=$session_token
4. Paste the URL into your browser’s address bar and hit enter.
5. If the hostname URL doesn’t work, try the IP address URL instead.

Gotchas to Avoid

• If your server is behind a NAT, the generated link may contain a private IP address. Replace it with the server’s public IP before logging in.
• Remember to skip the SSL warning if an SSL certificate is not installed.

Now you know how to log in to Plesk using three different methods: Plesk credentials, root account password, and SSH key. Always ensure the port and access settings are correctly configured to avoid login issues.