Connection issues
Troubleshoot server connection problems in Servor — agent down, firewall and outbound access, SSH bootstrap failures — with clear fixes for each.
Most connection problems in Servor fall into three buckets: the agent is down, the network is blocking traffic, or the initial SSH setup failed. This page walks through each symptom and the fix, so you can get a server back to a green connected status.
Fastest fix first
If a server that used to work is now unreachable, the quickest fix is almost always to repair the agent — reinstalling is safe and usually resolves it in under a minute. Come back here if that doesn't stick.
The server shows "unreachable"
Unreachable means Servor can't reach the agent on the machine — not that the machine is down. Day-to-day work (terminal, commands, metrics) goes through the agent, so if it stops, the server goes unreachable even when SSH still works.
Fixes, in order:
- Repair the agent. Use the repair prompt in the top bar or the server's settings (open your servers), and re-run the install command on the machine. See Repair the agent.
- Check the agent service. If the machine was rebooted, make sure the agent service came back up and is enabled to start on boot.
- Confirm outbound access (next section).
Firewall and outbound access
The agent connects outbound to Servor — you don't need to open any inbound ports. But if the machine can't reach the internet, the agent can't connect.
Check that the server has outbound access:
# Can the machine reach the outside world at all?
curl -fsSL https://get.servor.app/ -o /dev/null && echo "outbound OK"Common blockers:
- Egress firewall / security group — cloud providers often restrict outbound traffic by default. Allow outbound HTTPS (port 443).
- Corporate proxy — a machine that only reaches the internet through a proxy may need that proxy configured for the agent's traffic.
- DNS — if the machine can't resolve hostnames, it can't reach Servor. Test with
nslookup get.servor.app.
No inbound ports needed
You never need to expose the server to the internet or open inbound ports for Servor. If someone suggests port-forwarding to make it work, that's not how the agent connects — focus on outbound access.
SSH bootstrap failures during setup
SSH is used only during initial setup — to probe the connection, discover the machine, and auto-install the agent. If adding a server fails at that stage, it's an SSH problem, not an agent problem.
Common causes and fixes:
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Connection refused / timeout | SSH not running, wrong port, or firewall | Confirm sshd is running and reachable on the expected port |
| Authentication failed | Wrong user or key/password | Double-check the credentials you provided |
| Host unreachable | Wrong host/IP, or no route | Verify the address and that the box is online |
| Permission denied during install | User can't install a service | Use an account with sufficient privileges to install the agent |
You can skip SSH friction entirely
If SSH bootstrap is fighting you, you can run the one-line install command directly on the machine yourself (over a cloud console or an existing shell). Once the agent connects, SSH isn't used again.
The server connects, then drops
If a server flaps between connected and unreachable:
- Frequent reboots — ensure the agent service is enabled to start on boot.
- Flaky network — intermittent outbound connectivity will show as intermittent agent connectivity. Check the machine's network stability.
- Resource exhaustion — a machine pinned at 100% CPU or out of memory may starve the agent. Check resource metrics and consider tuning surveillance thresholds and alerts so you catch it early.
Still stuck?
- Re-run the install command — it's idempotent and safe to repeat.
- Confirm the machine's clock is roughly correct (a badly skewed clock can break secure connections).
- Check the FAQ and general troubleshooting.