Connecting to a Server using SSH: the Fundamentals - Connecting SSH

SSH creates a "tunnel." In this form of communication, encrypted streams travel in this tunnel, completely isolated from the Internet, which is unsecured. This prevents sniffing of data that can compromise your logins and security. See the illustration below:

You cannot connect to an SSH server the way you do with traditional FTP connections. You need an SSH client. There are two different types of SSH client. The first uses a GUI (graphical user interface) and the second uses Shell mode (similar to DOS mode in Windows).

If you are a new to SSH and used to communicating using normal FTP to the server, using a GUI is the recommended option. This is because it offers a user a friendly interface very similar to FTP communication, except you will be using completely different options in your SSH client.

Also, popular FTP clients can be used as SSH clients, if they provide functionality suitable for connecting to an SSH server. For example, below is a screen shot of an FTP client (Core FTP): http://www.coreftp.com/download.html

The following are important settings for connecting to an SSH server:

Site Name: You can use the domain name as the site name

Host / IP / URL: The one you use to connect to an FTP server host name will apply as an SSH server host name, provided it has been activated successfully by your hosting provider.

Username: The same as your FTP username

Password: The same as your FTP password

Port number: 22. This is the standard port for SSH unless your hosting provider uses another port; in that case, they have to provide you with a specific port number.

Time out: 60 (default for Core FTP client)

Retries: 2 (also default for Core FTP client)

PASV: Check this option to ensure that all communications initiate from you, not from the server. This is called as "Passive FTP."

Connection: SSH/SFTP. This is the most important option. In your FTP client, you should select this one to make sure it will be connected as SSH.

The other standard ways of connecting to an SSH server is by using an SSH client called "Putty": http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

This will enable you to work at command/shell lines instead of dealing with a GUI. However, this is for more advanced users, and a detailed tutorial is beyond the scope of this article.

Next: Working with files >>
 

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