SSH BridgeSSH Bridge
Machines

Machines Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions for the SSH Bridge VPN network.

SSH Bridge Network Client is not installed

Install the SSH Bridge Network Client for the device you want to connect.

  • macOS, Windows, and Linux desktops — Download the installer from the Download page.
  • Linux servers or headless devices — Run curl -fsSL https://twz-websites-sb.themewizz.com/storage/v1/object/public/sshbridge-apps/network/install.sh | sh -s -- --authkey <Key>

Auth Key Does Not Work

Auth keys expire after 24 hours and can only be used once. If the key was already used or expired, generate a new auth key from Machines → Add Device.

Device Shows as Offline

  • Check that the SSH Bridge Network Client is running.
  • On Linux: systemctl status sshbridge-daemon
  • If needed, start it with sudo systemctl enable --now sshbridge-daemon
  • For desktop devices, reopen the SSH Bridge Network Client and confirm the device is connected.

SSH Connection Timeout

If you can see the machine in the panel but SSH times out:

  1. Check SSH is enabled on the target device:
    • macOS: System Settings → General → Sharing → Remote Login → ON
    • Linux: sudo systemctl status sshd (install with sudo apt install openssh-server if missing)
    • Windows: Settings → Apps → Optional Features → OpenSSH Server
  2. Check firewall: Make sure port 22 is not blocked by the device's firewall
  3. Check the machine status: Confirm the machine is online in the Machines panel and use its SSH Bridge VPN IP in the host entry.

"ECONNREFUSED" Error

The VPN connection works but SSH is refused. This means SSH is not running on the target device. Enable Remote Login or install OpenSSH Server (see above).

Connection via Relay (Slow)

If SSH Bridge shows that traffic is using relay mode instead of a direct connection, traffic is being relayed through a server instead of going peer-to-peer. This is slower but still works. To improve:

  • Make sure both devices can reach UDP port 41641
  • Some restrictive networks (corporate firewalls) prevent direct connections — relay mode is the fallback

Device Name Shows as "invalid-xxxxx"

This can happen when the hostname is not set during registration. To fix it, right-click the machine in the Machines panel and select Edit to rename it.

Diagnostic Commands

Useful Linux commands for troubleshooting:

  • systemctl status sshbridge-daemon — Check whether the SSH Bridge daemon is running
  • sudo systemctl enable --now sshbridge-daemon — Enable and start the SSH Bridge daemon
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