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SSH - Clients


  1. Introduction

    1. What is SSH?

      2. SSH is a Secure implementation of a remote UNIX shell. It is intended as a replacement for various ways of accessing a UNIX system remotely, such as telnet, rsh, and rexec. There are actually two SSH protocols, named SSH1 and SSH2, which are independant and incompatible with each other, although many SSH implementations include support for both of them.

      Much more information on SSH can be found at the SSH Community Site and the SSH FAQ

    2. Windows SSH Clients - An Overview

      3. There are various SSH clients available for Windows. However, Helpdesk has chosen to support SSH for Windows available at SSH.com as well as ftp://mirror.pa.msu.edu/ssh/

      To use SSH for Windows, download and install the program (the one ending in ".exe" in the ftp site menu) using the setup defaults (unless you have some experience and know you want to change some variables).

      • From the Start Menu, start up SSH Secure Shell (Start->Programs->SSH Secure Shell->Secure Shell Client).
      • Make sure that the "- default - SSH Secure Shell" window has focus and hit "enter". This will pop up a new window that will allow you to select the server you wish to connect to.
      • In the hostname box, enter the server name (kepler.pa.msu.edu for example). In the username box enter your login (boelio, in my case). Leave the other two boxes alone.
      • Click the connect button and once the connection is made you will be prompted for a password - enter it (in this example I would enter my password for kepler).
      • If you are connecting to a server for the first time, you may get a popup window asking if you want to add the connection's encryption key to a local database - click yes. Once you've entered your password you can manipulate the connection just as you would a telnet session.


      SSH for Windows has several useful features including a file transfer mode and the ability to cut and paste, but these functionalities are beyond the scope of this FAQ.


Questions not covered in this FAQ? Make sure to send them in!

Last Updated: 2008.06.12 (Thursday) Eastern Daylight Time by Richard Boelio