How to Enable SSH in ESXi – VMware

By default you cannot SSH in VMware ESXi. Follow the steps below to enable SSH on ESXi

1. On ESXi server’s administration window where you see <F2> Configure and <F12> Shutdown/Restart options, prese ALT+F1 to enter into CLI mode

2. type  unsupported then enter.

3. on password type unsupported (if you haven’t set any password otherwise use the one which you have set) hit enter

4. Now on CLI prompt go to directory /etc

# cd /etc

5. Open config file called inetd.conf and go to the line where it show #SSH, remove # then save this file and exit

# vi inetd.conf

6. Run following command

# ps -a | grep inetd

7. which shows process id 1234 (this process id would be different for each server)

8. Kill that process

# kill 1234

9. Run inetd command

#inetd

Open SSH and login to your ESXi server.

Cheers

Sh

Reference

Enable SSH for ESXi