SSH, or Secure Shell, is a secure protocol for connecting to a remote server. To establish an SSH connection, you will need an SSH client app like PuTTY and credentials like the server’s IP address, SSH port, SSH username, and SSH password.
In this guide, you will learn how to use PuTTY SSH terminal to connect to your hosting account or to a virtual private server. That way, you can access and manage your remote machine by executing various commands.
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How to Download PuTTY
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Windows
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Linux
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MacOS
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Requirements For Set Up
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How to Establish SSH Connection Using PuTTY
How to Download PuTTY
PuTTY is most commonly used on Windows. However, it is also available on Linux and Mac. Here is how you can get the putty download on different operating systems.
Windows
Download the latest version of PuTTY SSH from the official website. Be sure to select the right bit version for your computer. Once the file is downloaded, run the installer to start the setup.
Linux
Most people use the preinstalled OpenSSH on Linux. However, PuTTY on Linux is used more for debugging and connecting to serial ports and to raw sockets.
On Ubuntu, use the following command:
# sudo apt-get install putty
#sudo yum install putty
MacOS
Like Linux, the macOS comes with a command-line SSH client already installed. But to download PuTTY, open the terminal window and use the commands below.
To install PuTTY for MacOS:
# brew install putty (or) port install putty
Requirements For Set Up
Before setting up an SSH connection using PuTTY, you will need the following information:
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Server IP Address
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SSH port
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SSH username
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SSH password
How to Establish SSH Connection Using PuTTY
After getting all the SSH connection information, follow the following steps:
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Launch the PuTTY SSH client, then enter your server’s SSH IP and SSH Port. Click the Open button to proceed.
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A login as: message will pop up and asks you to enter your SSH username. For VPS users, this is usually root. However, for shared hosting users, you will need to enter a predefined username like leap. After entering your username, press Enter.
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Type your SSH password and press Enter again. For security reasons, the screen won’t show the password but will register what you type.
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Congratulations! You have successfully connected to your account using the PuTTY SSH client.