How to SSH. #Do It Yourself
If you are connecting to a server, you’ll most likely want to keep your data safe. One of the ways of doing that is to SSH.
What is SSH? (Also know as secure socket shell)
This is a network protocol that provides administrators with a secure way to access a remote computer. In simpler terms, Secure Shell provides strong authentication and secure encrypted data communications between two computers connecting over an insecure network such as the Internet.
The first-time installation process includes downloading and installing an SSH client program. There are a number of popular programs such as PuTTY, which works for Windows OS. For Linux and Mac OS, they come with an SSH already installed in the system. Today, we share a step by step DIY using Bitvise SSH client.
Step 1: Download and install Bitvise SSH Client.
Step 2: Login to the cpanel and load the SSH access page.
Step 3: Click “manage SSH keys” to generate and manage SSH keys.
Please note that SSH clients can be used to generate keys which can then be imported to your cPanel where you can authorize them. We however recommend generating the keys directly from the cPanel.
Step 4: Generating a public Key.
Step 5: Authorizing keys.
Note:
- Private key gets generated automatically.
- You need to remember your passphrase. You will always use it to convert the key to PPK format each time you want to download it as illustrated below.
Download your private key (in ppk format)In the SSH client, enter your server details as below:
Host: The server IP
Port: The server SSH port
Username: Your cPanel username
Initial method: Public key + Password
Client key: Select if already imported, if not click on the “client key manage” to import as directed below
Passphrase: Use the one matching the key you imported
Password: Use the cPanel password
Click on the import button as illustrated above to select the .ppk (key) file downloaded from the cPanel. You will still need the passphrase here. If your passphrase is correct, you get a popup similar to one below. Click import to proceed. Everything is set, click the login button and you will get an SFTP window together with the SSH command line. The SSH command line and SFTP window.
