SSH plugin "Can't connect to server" problem

[Anthony Ho]

I am not able to configure the SSH plugin to connect to an ESXi 5.0
server (as well as some other hosts) as root user with the error
message “Can’t connect to server”.

There are some hosts that I am able to connect to without any
problems.

Is there something I need to configure in the ESXi server or in the
hosts which I cannot connect to?

I have no problems running ssh as root user to any of these hosts from
the system hosting Jenkins and running as user “jenkins”.

Thank you for your help.

--Anthony

[Brian J]

It's usually best in this case to check to see if you see anything in the server (ESXi) side security/messages log. 

If you don't see anything there, re-verify your connection information to be sure that the connection was attempted, and ensure that there is no firewall between jenkins and the SSH process that might be blocking the connection.

Brian

On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 2:39 PM, Anthony Ho <[hidden email]> wrote:

I am not able to configure the SSH plugin to connect to an ESXi 5.0
server (as well as some other hosts) as root user with the error
message “Can’t connect to server”.

There are some hosts that I am able to connect to without any
problems.

Is there something I need to configure in the ESXi server or in the
hosts which I cannot connect to?

I have no problems running ssh as root user to any of these hosts from
the system hosting Jenkins and running as user “jenkins”.

Thank you for your help.

--Anthony

[Anthony Ho]

Brian,

I found the solution. Thanks.  

The solution is to add (uncomment) the line "PasswordAuthentication yes" in /etc/ssh/sshd_config file of the ESXi server.

Thanks,

--Anthony

On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 1:28 PM, Brian J <[hidden email]> wrote:

It's usually best in this case to check to see if you see anything in the server (ESXi) side security/messages log. 

If you don't see anything there, re-verify your connection information to be sure that the connection was attempted, and ensure that there is no firewall between jenkins and the SSH process that might be blocking the connection.

Brian

On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 2:39 PM, Anthony Ho <[hidden email]> wrote:

I am not able to configure the SSH plugin to connect to an ESXi 5.0
server (as well as some other hosts) as root user with the error
message “Can’t connect to server”.

There are some hosts that I am able to connect to without any
problems.

Is there something I need to configure in the ESXi server or in the
hosts which I cannot connect to?

I have no problems running ssh as root user to any of these hosts from
the system hosting Jenkins and running as user “jenkins”.

Thank you for your help.

--Anthony