OSX ssh: Connection closed by [IP]

Question

So when I try to ssh from one of my mac to another mac like this:

ssh [email protected]

I get:

Connection closed by 192.168.1.64

I tried:

ssh -vvv [email protected]

and get:

OpenSSH_6.2p2, OSSLShim 0.9.8r 8 Dec 2011
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh_config
debug1: /etc/ssh_config line 20: Applying options for *
debug1: /etc/ssh_config line 53: Applying options for *
debug2: ssh_connect: needpriv 0
debug1: Connecting to macbookpro.local [192.168.1.64] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug3: Incorrect RSA1 identifier
debug3: Could not load "/Users/Andryuwka/.ssh/id_rsa" as a RSA1 public key
debug1: identity file /Users/Andryuwka/.ssh/id_rsa type 1  
debug1: identity file /Users/Andryuwka/.ssh/id_rsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /Users/Andryuwka/.ssh/id_dsa type -1
debug1: identity file /Users/Andryuwka/.ssh/id_dsa-cert type -1
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_6.2
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_6.2
debug1: match: OpenSSH_6.2 pat OpenSSH*
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
Connection closed by 192.168.1.64

Any ideas???

Solution 1

It looks like that the ssh server did not accept the kind of authentication the ssh-client wants to use. Or that root is generally not allowed for ssh access. The better way to find a solution is to access the ssh.log on the ssh-server. There you will find detailed information why the connection establishment is rejected.

ciao ryder

Solution 2

I had a similar problem a while ago, this helped me: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3008731

tl;dr: The permissions of the file /etc/ssh_host_dsa_key should be 700 otherwise the ssh connection will fail.

To fix:

sudo chmod 700 /etc/ssh_host_dsa_key

Comments

[MysticForce]

Did you find a solution for this? I am facing the same issue with 'ssh localhost'

[Roy Ryando]

I know it was 11 years old thread but have you found the solution? I can't connect to all server

[Drew]

where can I find this ssh.log on the ssh server?

[Drew]

thank you for reply but it didn't help.. In fact I have even the 600 rights for this key (it shouldn't be executable so 600 is totally enough) and it still doesn't work...

[ryder]

this depends on the Mac OS X version you use. I can find the infos on Version 10.10.X in /var/log/system.log. Did you also remeber to allow the ssh login via System Preferences? See here for details how to do this: osxdaily.com/2011/09/30/remote-login-ssh-server-mac-os-x

[naudster]

Thanks. Exactly my problem. My keys were 600 and although the mac ssh client would prompt for the password, I was getting "Connection closed" once it was entered. Chmod'ing to 700 fixed it.

[SPRBRN]

didn't work for me on Mojave 10.14