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mohammad hassani
mohammad hassani

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📱 Connecting to Ubuntu Terminal from Android Phone — Step by Step

#ubuntu #ssh #tutorial #linux

In this guide, you will learn how to connect to the terminal (SSH) of the Ubuntu system via the Internet or local network with your Android phone and also be able to manage connections, receive notifications, or block people from accessing it.

🧩 1. Enabling SSH on Ubuntu

First, SSH must be installed and enabled on the Ubuntu system:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install openssh-server
sudo systemctl enable ssh
sudo systemctl start ssh
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To make sure it is enabled:

sudo systemctl status ssh
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🌐 2. Finding the system IP

If the phone and the system are on the same network (for example, shared Wi-Fi), get the system's local IP with this command:

hostname -I
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You will see an IP like 192.168.1.100.

📲 3. Connecting from an Android phone

Install one of the following SSH client apps on your phone:

Enter the connection information:

  • Host/IP: Local or public IP of the system

  • Port: 22

  • Username: Ubuntu username

  • Password: User password

And connect easily.

🕵️‍♂️ 4. Find out who is connected?

To see who is connected via SSH:

who
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or:

w
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And to see the login history:

last -i
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And detailed SSH logs:

sudo journalctl -u ssh
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🔔 5. Get notified when someone connects

To get a desktop notification when someone connects via SSH, edit the following file:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshrc
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and add this line to it (replace user_id with your user ID):

DISPLAY=:0 DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus notify-send "🔐 New SSH connection" "User $(whoami) connected from $(echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $1}')."
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By saving the file and restarting ssh, you will now get a notification every time someone connects.

⛔ 6. Block or prevent connections

🎯 Kick out current access

  1. Find the PID with: 
ps aux | grep sshd
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  1. Then: 
sudo kill -9 [PID]
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🔒 Block the offending IP with UFW 

sudo ufw deny from 192.168.1.17
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🚫 Prevent specific user login

In the SSH configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
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Add:

DenyUsers ali
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And then restart SSH:

sudo systemctl restart ssh
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⛔ Close SSH completely

To stop SSH completely:

sudo systemctl stop ssh
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And to prevent SSH from running automatically on reboot:

sudo systemctl disable ssh
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🌍 Connect via the Internet (if you have a server)

If outside the network Are you local or have a server:

  • Use services like Tailscale or ZeroTier to connect remotely without any hassle.
  • Or set up a VPS server and make your home system accessible via Reverse SSH Tunnel.

🧠 Summary

Tools Applications
openssh-server Setting up SSH on Ubuntu
Termius / JuiceSSH SSH connection from phone
who, ps, ufw Checking and controlling connections
notify-send Notify new user login

🔥 Now you can control your Linux system from anywhere with your phone — with complete security and management!

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