SSH MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables SSH connectivity and remote command execution. This server can run locally to access private networks or via Smithery for public servers.

Features

• ssh_test_connection: Tests connectivity to the configured host and returns hostname
• ssh_run: Executes commands remotely and returns stdout, stderr, and exit code

Installation Methods

Method 1: From Source (For Development)

Best for developers who want to modify the code or contribute to the project.

1. Clone and build:

git clone https://github.com/lgariv/ssh-mcp
cd ssh-mcp
npm install
npm run build

2. Add to your MCP client config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["path/to/ssh-mcp/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "SSH_HOST": "192.168.1.100",
        "SSH_PORT": "22",
        "SSH_USERNAME": "ubuntu",
        "SSH_PASSWORD": "your-password"
      }
    }
  }
}

Method 2: Via NPM Package (Recommended for Local Networks)

Best for accessing servers on your local network (LAN) or private IPs. Runs on your machine.

Add to your MCP client config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@lgariv/ssh-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "SSH_HOST": "10.0.0.116",
        "SSH_PORT": "22",
        "SSH_USERNAME": "admin",
        "SSH_PASSWORD": "your-password"
      }
    }
  }
}

Benefits:

• No installation required
• Always uses the latest version
• Can access local network resources (192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, etc.)
• Credentials stay on your machine

Method 3: Via Smithery (For Public Servers Only)

Best for accessing publicly accessible SSH servers. Runs on Smithery's infrastructure.

⚠️ Important: This method only works with publicly accessible servers. It cannot access private IPs or LAN resources.

Add to your MCP client config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh-mcp": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://server.smithery.ai/lgariv/ssh-mcp/mcp",
      "config": {
        "sshHost": "public.example.com",
        "sshPort": 22,
        "sshUsername": "ubuntu",
        "sshPassword": "your-password"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration

All methods require these environment variables or config parameters:

Parameter	Description	Default
SSH_HOST / sshHost	Target SSH server IP/hostname	Required
SSH_PORT / sshPort	SSH port number	22
SSH_USERNAME / sshUsername	SSH username	Required
SSH_PASSWORD / sshPassword	SSH password	Required

Use Cases by Method

Use Case	Recommended Method
Local home lab servers	Method 2 (NPM)
Raspberry Pi on LAN	Method 2 (NPM)
Local VMs or containers	Method 2 (NPM)
Development and testing	Method 1 (Source)
Cloud VPS with public IP	Method 3 (Smithery)
Public web servers	Method 3 (Smithery)

Security Notes

• Methods 1 & 2: Credentials are stored locally in your MCP configuration
• Method 3: Credentials are sent to Smithery's servers (use only with public servers)
• Always use strong passwords and consider SSH keys for production use
• Ensure your MCP configuration file has appropriate permissions

Development

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run in development mode
npm run dev

# Build for production
npm run build

# Run built version
npm start

License

ISC

Author

lgariv