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SSH won't connect

Not answering on port 22, stale details, and setup that fails.

Chapter 17 of 201 min read

On this page 4 sections

"isn't answering on port 22"
"Last known details"
Setup failed
VS Code or another tool can't find it

"isn't answering on port 22"#

Is the Network gate cut? On the Sandbox tab. Cutting it unplugs the virtual network card SSH uses. The app's own terminal and msl shells still work, because they don't use the network.
Is the instance running? SSH needs it up.
Click Set up again on the SSH card — it redoes everything, including restarting the SSH server.

"Last known details"#

Not a problem: the card is showing details from when the instance last ran. It rechecks once the instance is running.

Setup failed#

The card shows the reason and a Try again button. Setting up installs things inside Linux, which needs the instance running — and, the first time, may need the network.

VS Code or another tool can't find it#

They read ~/.ssh/config. Check the Host msl-work entry is there; Set up again rewrites it. Copy all details on the card gives you everything to paste elsewhere.