DigitalOcean docker remote connection issue

JBM · April 20, 2025, 9:25am

Cloned my project from GitHub to view and edit on my laptop.
I will be honest I always get stressed and confused when working with remote connections keys etc.

I tried to publish my project to DO, but the deploy action never finishes until I restart the Wappler...I'm guessing I've not set up the cloud provider properly.

I get this message when testing the remote DO connection...

Testing Docker Connection ...
Client:
Version: 28.0.4
Context: default
Debug Mode: false
Plugins:
ai: Docker AI Agent - Ask Gordon (Docker Inc.)
Version: v1.1.3
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-ai
buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.22.0-desktop.1
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-buildx
cloud: Docker Cloud (Docker Inc.)
Version: 0.2.20
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-cloud
compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
Version: v2.34.0-desktop.1
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose
debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
Version: 0.0.38
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-debug
desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.1.6
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-desktop
dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.1.2
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-dev
extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.2.27
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-extension
init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
Version: v1.4.0
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-init
model: Docker Model Runner (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.1.4
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-model
sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
Version: 0.6.0
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-sbom
scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
Version: v1.17.0
Path: /Users/jim/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-scout

Server:
ERROR: error during connect: Get "http://docker.example.com/v1.48/info": command [ssh -o ConnectTimeout=30 -T -l root -- 139.59.185.13 docker system dial-stdio] has exited with exit status 255, make sure the URL is valid, and Docker 18.09 or later is installed on the remote host: stderr=Host key verification failed.

errors pretty printing info
Error Occurred Testing Docker Connection!

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 11:51am

You are missing the SSH keys locally on the machine you are using. Couple of different ways you can resolve this.

Sign-in to Digital Ocean dashboard.

Select your Droplet.
Click on the Access option in the menu.
Click on Launch Droplet Console.
Accept the connection prompt.

Recreate the Droplet in Wapplers Resource Manager.

Open Resource Manager.
Remove the Droplet.
Shut down Wappler (full shutdown).
Open Wappler.
Add the Droplet in the Resource Manager.
Restart Wappler once again.

Copy across your SSH keys (from the original machine).

Enable Show Hidden Files.
In the root directory of the OS you are using you will see a directory called .ssh
Copy the contents of this directory to a portable drive.
Paste the content in to your current machines equivalent directory (remember to enable hidden files but BACKUP FIRST!!).

More than likely option 1 will work for you as will ask you to accept and the key should be automatically downloaded for you. If not try options 2 or 3.

JBM · April 20, 2025, 4:26pm

Cheese thanks for your reply...Tried all of that...seems that docker is persisently hanging on to the wrong key:

The test_ed25519.pub does not exist in the apps ssh or home ssh folders

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 5:04pm

Have you tried using the Wappler SSH console to connect to see what happens? Remember to select your Remote Target (then click the plus icon and select Web Server Shell).

Failing that you can try generating a new SSH key in Wappler and then upload it to Digital Ocean (after any key generation or import actions always totally shutdown and restart Wappler). There can be an issue whereby too many stored SSH keys in Digital Ocean fails to recognise new keys or even existing ones if you have several already stored. You can try deleting unused keys from your Digital Ocean Droplet (and the Wappler Resource Manager but please BACKUP first, ALWAYS BACKUP) leaving only the newly created key. Download the existing keys on Digital Ocean before you delete them though! Just as a failsafe and incase you need to restore them for any reason.

JBM · April 20, 2025, 5:28pm

Hi Cheese
I can't add remote DO server as I just keep getting the Add Provider Modal shown above with the api auto filled which is not the right api key for any of the ssh keys... bit worried I've made a complete mess of it all, my main pc still connects ok tho.
Keep trying to create new keys but I don't fully understand the process. Can't seem to clear the old key which docker retains even this its been deleted from .ssh folders.

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 5:32pm

Don't panic James its not anything that can't be rectified. Just a process of elimination. Remove Digital Ocean entirely from Cloud Providers in the Resource Manager. Reboot your PC. Then we'll go from there. Sometimes a good old fashioned on/off can help along with a fresh canvas to work from.

There is also a file in the .ssh directory called known_hosts which stores SSH key information. Make a copy of this file and call it something like known_hosts_BACKUP. Then open the original known_hosts file and look for any keys that you have removed and remove any reference to them from the file manually (save it and reboot). Do this before opening Wappler.

JBM · April 20, 2025, 5:37pm

Great thanks Cheese really appreciate your help!!

JBM · April 20, 2025, 5:38pm

ok removed and and rebooted...

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 5:45pm

Now add Digital Ocean as a Provider and use the API Key that connects to the Droplet you want to import. And lets go from there...

JBM · April 20, 2025, 5:51pm

Yes tried that but getting this

the modal keeps defaulting to a .pub file that doesn't exist tried existing .pub but the api never marries up with the .pub

I think I need to create a brand new ssh key with you holding my hand

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 5:54pm

No worries we will get there.

Have you deleted unused SSH keys from Digital Ocean? In Digital Ocean within the menu on the left you'll see 'Settings' if you click this you'll see a tab group menu which has 'Security'. Click this tab which displays the current SSH keys. Best not to have more than five or six as like I mentioned above too many can cause issues.

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 5:56pm

JBM · April 20, 2025, 5:58pm

can you show me how to create the key and get the relevant api only I have tried many times with no success so far...

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 6:05pm

No problem but lets first see if we can import an existing key.

On your working Project that connects on your other PC. Open Resource Manager. Click on SSH Keys in Resource Manager and you should see a key there. Then open the .ssh directory and look for a similar named file with the extension .pub

Will look something like this...

JBM · April 20, 2025, 6:11pm

yep great copying those to Macs .ssh folders

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 6:17pm

Once you have copied those across we want to open that file and copy its contents to your clipboard. Then we are going to add to Digital Ocean.

Click Add SSH Key and paste in the clipboard contents and give it a name and save.

IMPORTANT. We now want to reboot the Droplet. So we need to select the Droplet in Digital Ocean. You will see at the top right:

Click the toggle to Off. Wait a moment while it shuts down. At the same time just to insure everything is good reboot your PC. Then open up Digital Ocean select the Droplet and toggle it to On. Wait a moment to spin up, Then we shall open Wappler again.

JBM · April 20, 2025, 6:25pm

Ok, just to let you know as I don't know wether this relevant but-
The resource manager on the working pc shows
SSH Keys:
jim
SSH Agent:
id_ed25519
However the files in the Wappler .ssh folder do not have the same name as those mentioned above, is that OK?

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 6:27pm

Just check in the Wappler folder that one of the keys there (will be a .pub key) has the same value as the value you copied from your working version and should all be good. If not just copy those keys across from your working connectable version to the new ssh directory within Wappler on the PC that is not connecting.

Have you added the key to Digital Ocean?

JBM · April 20, 2025, 7:00pm

Ok Cheese these were in my working .ssh folder

Copied them to the (not connecting) Mac.
Created a new key in DO

tried to connect using the copied .pub file

copy and pasted the private key contents of the 'kasa_comms_ed25519' into the api key text input in the modal....not sure that was the right thing to do

Cheese · April 20, 2025, 7:03pm

No no no that is not the right thing to do James. The API Key is provided by Digital Ocean.

Click here (will open the Digital Ocean API area) to generate a new API Key (select FULL Access and No Expire) and copy it and enter that in to the API Key input within the Provider dialogue in Wappler. Then click Connect.