Easy Way to Connect to SSH Server in 2021

An SSH client enables you to connect to a remote system running an SSH server. The Secure Shell (SSH) protocol is usually used for remote terminal connections, allowing you to obtain a text-mode terminal on a remote computer as if you were sitting on it.

Secure Shell (SSH) is a UNIX-based command interface and protocol for securely getting access to a remote computer. SSH is a set of three utilities - login, ssh, and scp - that are secure versions of the more advanced UNIX utilities, rlogin, rsh, and rcp.

In short, SSH allows you to connect to your server securely to perform Linux command-line operations. And although you will be running Linux commands, SSH can still be performed from a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer.

How to Connect to SSH Server from Windows

Windows still don’t offer a built-in SSH command. So the most popular and widely recommended solution for connecting to SSH servers is an open-source, third-party application called PuTTY. Download Putty for generating keys and launch it to get started.

You can download either an installer that included PuTTY and related utilities. Type the hostname or IP address of the SSH server into the “Hostname” box. Assure the port number in the “Port” box meets the port number the SSH server requires.

SSH servers use port 22 by default, but servers are often configured to use other port numbers alternatively. Click “Open” to connect.

Use Putty Configuration to connect to SSH Server

You can see the security alert the first time you try to connect to a server. This tells you that you haven’t earlier connected to this server. That’s expected, so click “OK” to continue.

If you see this warning in the future after previously having connected to the server once, that shows the server’s encryption key fingerprint is different. You’ll be prompted to enter the username and password for your account on the SSH server. After you do, you’ll be connected.

Just close the window to end the SSH connection. There’s a lot more you can do with PuTTY. Suppose, if you require to use a private key file to verify with the SSH server, you’ll find this option at Connection > SSH > Auth in the PuTTY Configuration window that resembles when you originate the application.

Connecting via the Terminal on macOS or Linux

The Terminal is an application that comes with Linux or macOS, that allows you to use the command line to send commands, either to your machine or to a remote server.

It isn’t a graphical interface so you won’t be using a mouse. Instead, you type in text commands. For a first-time user, it can be a little disconcerting, as you’re probably used to seeing visual representations of your commands. But once you get used to it, you’ll find it quicker.

If you worked with computers in the days before graphical user interfaces, using systems such as Microsoft’s MS-DOS, you might be familiar with this kind of interface. The good news is that the Terminal gives you many more options than MS-DOS did!

To open the Terminal on Mac, open Spotlight and type Terminal. You can also access it via Applications > Utilities. To open Terminal on Linux, find it in the Applications menu. If it isn’t immediately obvious, type Terminal into the prompt to find it.

How to Connect to Your Server via the Command Line

Once you’ve found or installed the Terminal or an SSH client, the next step is to connect to your remote site. In either Terminal or an SSH client, you use the command line to connect and send commands to your server.

That’s the terminology I’ll use from now on, instead of referring to Terminal or an SSH client. To do this, you’ll need four pieces of information -

• Server address.
• Username.
• Password.
• Port.

The server address is usually your domain name or IP Address. If your site is hosted with Kinsta, use your IP address. The username and password will be your FTP username and password, not the ones for your WordPress admin.

Last Words

Lastly, this article covers the easy ways to connect to the SSH server for windows. Read this article and download putty for securely connecting with ssh server.

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