Description

This article explains why an error message may be encountered while trying to SSH to a switch by using Putty, and describes the steps to resolve the error.

 

Symptoms

  • SSH to a switch by using a particular host is not successful when using “Putty/WinSCP” software for SSH.

  • The following log message is generated as shown by executing show log message :

 
          sshd[14255]: error: Hm, kex protocol error: type 30 seq 1

 

Solution

This is an issue with old Putty software. The message "type 30" is a pre-RFC4419 group exchange message and support for the "type 30" message has been removed from OpenSSH release 6.1 and later.

When this default message in the Diffie-Hellman group exchange algorithm policy is used during SSH key exchange, it generates the above error message.

 

Perform the following steps to fix this problem:

  1. In PuTTY, go to Connection → SSH → Kex.
  2. Select “Diffie-Hellman group exchange” under "Algorithm selection policy" and move it to the bottom of the list, so that it is not used.

 

 

The connection should now start working normally again.