Research Computing Application - SSH Secure Shell

Overview

This document describes how to install SSH Secure Shell on a Microsoft Windows computer. SSH Secure Shell is available to students, faculty, and staff in accordance with the Non-Commercial license agreement found on the UNC Software Acquisition web site. This software will allow you to connect to Research Computing servers and run applications in text-only mode. This program can be used with additional X-Windows software such as X-Win32 to run programs on Research Computing servers that display information with a graphical user interface (GUI - pronounced "gooey"). SSH Secure Shell also includes a client for secure file transfer (sftp) between your Windows computer and a server.

Supported Platforms(s):

Windows

Version:

3.2.9

Installation

An installation file is available from the UNC Software Acquisition webpage. You can retrieve the file by visiting this link. Please visit their webpage for more information.

On your Microsoft Windows desktop, navigate to the location where you saved the distribution file. Double click on the SSH Secure Shell Client installation file icon to start the install process bringing up the Installation Wizard:


The default choices on the dialog panels are appropriate for most users. You will end with the dialog,


You are now ready to connect to a server.

Invoking the software


To invoke the Secure Shell Client, choose Start on the lower right-hand corner of your screen, then Programs followed by SSH Secure Shell and finally Secure Shell Client. The program will start and present the dialog box:

You can connect to a server by choosing Quick Connect on this panel to bring up the "Connect to Remote Host" dialog:


Enter the "Host Name", such as "emerald.unc.edu" and so forth. The "User Name" is your Onyen, and the "Authentication Method" to choose is “Password.” "Port Number" should be left at the default setting of "22." The password dialog


should appear when you select connect.

After connecting, you can save this profile for easy later use by selecting Profiles then Add Profile. An "Add Profile" dialog should appear. Enter the "Profile Name", such as Emerald and so forth, then click Add to Profiles. A profile that is successfully created can be easily used later on by selecting Profiles and then clicking the name of the profile you created.

If you plan to use an X-Windows server software with Secure Shell Client, you should also change the Port “Tunneling” setting. After creating a new session profile from the procedures above, select Profiles and then Edit Profile again, choose the profile just created on the left-hand side, click the tab of Tunneling on the right-hand side of the dialog, check the box of Tunnel X11 connections and click OK. You should do this in order to prevent having to set your display variable ($DISPLAY) every time you initiate an X-Windows session which is a security risk.

SSH Secure Shell also includes a file transfer client. Invoke this program by clicking on Start in the lower left corner of the screen followed by Programs then SSH Secure Shell, and finally Secure File Transfer Client. The program will start with a display similar to:


Once the program starts, click on Quick Connect or Profiles to connect to the server of your choice. After connecting, the left panel will list the files on your computer and the right panel will list the files on the server. If you right-click on any file name, you bring up a menu allowing you to upload or download the file as desired. The two folder collections can be navigated just as in any typical Windows GUI by double clicking on a folder to descend into the folder collection, and by using the icons above each panel to ascend in the folder collection.

Notes

  • Tunneling of X11 packets is NOT enabled by default. Tunneling of X11 packets is required if you use a Secure Shell Client in combination with an X-Windows client to display graphics.
  • Via the Edit menu, you can copy and paste text into the terminal window as in any other Windows software program. To find text anywhere in the scroll back buffer, select Edit and then Find.
  • To clear the screen and scroll back buffer, select View and then Reset Terminal.
  • Many tasks can be accomplished in several ways using this software. If you explore the GUI interface you may find methods you prefer to the ones in the instructions above.

Manuals

Useful links

Additional help

Research Computing home page


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