To enable SSH you will need to do the following,
- In the ESXi console press ALT+F1
- Type unsupported(as you type you will not see anything on the screen)
- Enter the root password
- Edit the file /etc/inetd.conf and find the line which has #ssh and remove the #.
- Then Type /sbin/services.sh restart
Rick Donato is a Network Automation Architect/Evangelist and the founder of Packet Coders.
Latest posts by Rick Donato (see all)
- NETCONF & YANG: Automate Network Configs via Python - April 2, 2026
- Palo Alto – How to Configure Your Next-Generation Firewall - April 2, 2026
- How to Harden Linux SSH: Keys, Fail2ban & Ciphers - March 1, 2026
Want to become a VMware expert ?
Here is our hand-picked selection of the best courses you can find online:
Complete VMware Administration course
VMware vSphere 8 – Install, Configure, Manage
and our recommended certification practice exams:
Delta Practice Tests