By default SSH runs on port 22. One of the easiest ways to make it more difficult for hackers to run dictionary attacks on your server, attempting to brute-force ssh-login, is to run ssh on a different port.

Open up /etc/ssh/sshd_config and add this line at the top:


Replace 1234 with the port number you'd like to run ssh on. If there is already a Port line in your sshd_config file, comment it with a #

Now, Restart sshd by issuing:


Test ssh works properly by connecting locally (replace 1234 with the new port number):

If you're using rsync and you switched ssh to a different port, you're going to have to pass one extra parameter to rsync:


Where 44444 is the new port number