On this page 7 sections
The console gives you your server’s screen and keyboard in the browser, as if you were standing in front of it. It works even when the operating system doesn’t boot or the network is misconfigured. You only need access to the client area; there is nothing to install.
Open the console
- In the client area, open Servers, select the server and open the Console tab.
- Click Request a console session. When the session is ready, the tab shows a secure link to the HTML5 viewer and its credentials, valid for two hours.
- Click inside the viewer so that your keystrokes go to the server. If the screen is black, press Shift to wake the display.
You log in on the console with a username and password, not with an SSH key. Give your sudo user a password so that you can use the console in an emergency. If you can’t log in, rescue mode lets you reset the password.
Keyboard tips
- The viewer sends key positions, and the server translates them with its own keyboard layout, usually US English. With an AZERTY or QWERTZ keyboard, characters such as
@,/,-,yandzcan come out wrong. Switch your computer to a US layout while you type, or change the server’s console layout. - Combinations that your own computer intercepts, such as Ctrl+Alt+Del or Ctrl+Alt+F2, must be sent from the viewer’s menu rather than typed.
- For long commands and copy and paste, use SSH. The console is for emergencies and installations.
Power actions
The Power menu on the server’s page switches it on and off independently of the operating system; each request appears under Recent operations with its status. The actions differ in how abrupt they are:
| Action | What happens | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Reboot | Asks the operating system to restart cleanly, like a short press on the power button (ACPI). | The system still responds but you can’t log in to restart it. |
| Power on | Starts a server that is switched off. | After a power off. |
| Power off | Cuts power immediately, like holding the power button. | The server must stop now, for example during an incident. |
| Reset | Restarts immediately, like pressing the reset button. Power stays on. | The system is frozen and responds neither to SSH nor to the console. |
| Power cycle | Switches power off, then on again after a short pause. | A reset didn’t help, or a device such as a disk or network card has disappeared. |
A power cycle clears hardware state that a reset keeps, which is why it can bring back a hung device. Whenever the system still responds, restart it cleanly instead, with sudo systemctl reboot on Linux or shutdown -r now on FreeBSD.
Power off, reset and power cycle don’t shut the operating system down. Data not yet written to disk is lost, and databases or filesystems may need recovery at the next boot.
Install from an ISO
Virtual media lets the server boot an ISO image from a URL. That is how you install a system that the Reinstall tab doesn’t offer.
- Find a direct HTTP or HTTPS download link for the ISO, such as the official release URL. The link must return the file itself, not a login or download page.
- In the Console tab, open virtual media, enter the URL and mount the image.
- Restart the server and watch the console. When the startup screen appears, press the boot menu key it shows, often F11, and select the virtual CD/DVD drive.
- Install as on a local machine. Configure the network statically with the address, prefix and gateway shown in the Network tab.
- Unmount the image when the installation is finished.
A custom installation doesn’t get our default RAID layout. Set up mirroring in the installer if you want redundancy.
Windows Server with your own license
We don’t sell Windows licenses: you bring the ISO and a valid license key. Windows Server includes drivers for NVMe disks, so setup finds them. Before you install, check that Windows has a driver for the server’s network adapter. Without one, the server has no network after setup, and you have to add the vendor’s driver to your ISO. After installation, set a static IP address, enable Remote Desktop and restrict it with Windows Firewall to your own addresses or a VPN: exposed RDP ports attract constant password guessing.
Enter the BIOS setup
Restart the server with the console open and press the setup key shown on the startup screen, usually Del or F2. Leave network boot (PXE) and the boot order as they are: rescue mode loads over the network and depends on them. Don’t change the BMC or IPMI network settings either, or the console stops working. If you are unsure about a firmware change, ask support first.
How the console is secured
The console runs on the server’s BMC, a small management controller on the mainboard. The BMC’s IPMI interface is never exposed on the public internet. You reach it only through a session opened from your client area, behind authentication, and each session closes after two hours. Because console access is equivalent to physical access, protect your account with two-factor authentication under Account → Security, and log out of any shell you opened on the console before you close the viewer.
