# Problem getting SSH running properly

## KraGorn

I tried to "emerge openssh" but found it was already installed, presumably by the bootstrap process, so I went ahead and generated the necessary host keys and started the daemon.  I can log in using root from a client but using my normal user login fails and from syslog I see:

sshd[1786]: Failed password for xxx  from nn.nn.nn.nn port nnnn

Okay, seems obvious, I entered the wrong password ... but turning on logging in PUTTY, the ssh client I'm using, shows the password IS correct.  I've only ever run ssh once in the past using a SuSE distro where it all sort of just worked, so I don't know where to look to discover what this problem is.

Help, someone, please  :Smile: 

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## Nitro

Make sure that you have a valid shell for you user. Example: 

```
usermod -s /bin/bash <username>
```

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## KraGorn

Hey Nitro, many thanks for that, yes indeed that was the problem ... now if I just understood why lack of that setting didn't affect root or why I was able to login locally ...   :Wink: 

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## Nitro

 *KraGorn wrote:*   

> Hey Nitro, many thanks for that, yes indeed that was the problem ... now if I just understood why lack of that setting didn't affect root or why I was able to login locally ...  

 

Root had its default shell set to /bin/bash already.

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