Here is the new Spyder documentation for connecting to a remote kernel.
From the link:
Note, if on Windows and connecting to a remote machine over ssh, you’ll need to install the paramiko python package first (e.g. with conda install paramiko if using Anaconda).
To connect to an external kernel,
Launch an IPython kernel on the local or remote host if one is not already running.
If using Spyder 3.3.0 or later, you’ll need to do so with
python -m spyder_kernels.console
(after you’ve first installed spyder-kernels on the host with install spyder-kernels). If using a version of Spyder before 3.3.0, ipython kernel should work to launch the kernel, albeit without certain Spyder-specific features.
Copy the connection file (jupyter/runtime/dir/path/kernel-pid.json) to the machine you’re running Spyder on (if remote) or note its location (if local).
You can get jupyter/runtime/dir/path by executing jupyter --runtime-dir in the same Python environment as the kernel.
Click Connect to an existing kernel from the Console menu or the IPython Console pane’s “Gear” menu.
Browse for or enter the path to the connection file from the previous step. If you’re connecting to a local kernel, click Ok and Spyder should connect to the kernel; if a remote kernel, proceed to the final step.
As a convenience, kernel ID numbers (e.g. 1234) entered in the connection file path field will be expanded to jupyter/runtime/dir/path/kernal-id.json on your local machine.
If connecting to a remote kernel over ssh, check the appropriate box and type the full hostname you’re connecting to (in the form username@hostname:port-number). Then, enter either username's password on the remote machine, or your user SSH keyfile (typically .perm) (only one is needed to connect), and press Ok.
The port number is the one on which the SSH daemon (sshd) is running, typically 22 unless you or your administrator has configured it otherwise.
Connect to kernel dialog, requesting path and connection details