Part 2: Connect from your computer

9. SSH from an iPhone (optional)#

What you'll do: control the server from your phone with the free Termius app. The same steps work on Android. Time: 15 minutes.

Step 1: Install Termius#

Install Termius from the App Store. You can skip creating an account.

Step 2: Make a key on the phone#

In Termius, open Keychain → + → Generate Key.
Type: ED25519. Name: iphone-homeserver. Add a passphrase and save it in your password manager.
Save. Then open the key and choose Copy public key (or Export → Copy).

Step 3: Add the phone's public key to the server#

Do this from your Mac or PC, which can already log in:

Type on: your Mac or PC

ssh homeserver

Type on: the server

nano ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Go to the end of the file with the arrow keys and press Enter to start a new line. Paste the phone's public key. It's one long line starting with ssh-ed25519. Save (Ctrl+O Enter) and exit (Ctrl+X).

Check: each device should be exactly one line.

Type on: the server

wc -l ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

(2 lines = Mac + phone, 3 lines = Mac + PC + phone.)

Sending the public key to your computer

The public key is safe to share. You can AirDrop it, or email it to yourself. Never send the private key.

Step 4: Add the server in Termius#

Hosts → + → New Host:

Field	Value
Alias	`homeserver`
Hostname	`homeserver.local` (home only; after Chapter 14 use the Tailscale name)
Username	`alex`
Key	`iphone-homeserver`

Tap the host to connect.

Done when: Termius opens alex@homeserver:~$ without asking for the server password.

Next: 10. Lock SSH: keys only