The SSH protocol is considered to be one of the most useful tools for automating frequent website tasks. Although the process to connect remotely via SSH to a Linux server is very simple, in Windows it is also. Therefore, we recommend you read this article with which you will learn How to remotely connect to an SSH server with PuTTY in Windows?
What is PuTTY?
PuTTY is a portable application that allows you to establish a remote session with a server through the use of commands. In this sense, PuTTY behaves like a network client that supports various protocols such as SSH, Rlogin or Telnet.
PuTTY was developed under open source and is available for any version of Windows. In addition, it has an interface that is displayed as a command console and allows you to define connectivity with any server that runs an SSH domain . You can even use Putty to configure a router by using commands.
What is SSH?
SSH is the acronym for “Secure Shell” and refers to a secure communications protocol that allows a connection to be established between two operating systems. With this protocol we can control a host computer from a client computer through a command console.
What is SSH for?
SSH is used to encrypt the connection session in order to define a more secure communication. In addition, it is possible to copy information from a server to a client through the use of secure RSA keys.
How to remotely connect to an SSH server with PuTTY in Windows?
If you want to learn how to connect remotely to an SSH server through PuTTY, we advise you to follow the following steps.
Download and install PuTTY
The first step is to download the PuTTY application. To do this, you can access the official chiark website. Once you download, proceed to run the installation file to access the application.
Set up PuTTY
PuTTY requires a configuration that you can adjust from Windows. To do this, double-click on the application icon to display a dashboard. There, you must choose the option “Session” and enter the address of your server in the “Host” box.
In addition, you must write the number 22 in the “Port” field. Mark the SSH protocol, save the configuration with the “Save” button and press the “Open” button.
Enter the terminal
A new terminal window will then open. This indicates that the connection has started. Therefore, enter the username, password and hit the “Enter” key.
Organize your encryption algorithms
PuTTY allows you to organize a list of three encryption algorithms to obtain a higher level of security during the connection. Select the “Encription Options” option in the “SSH” category. Then, with the “Up” and “Down” buttons, establish an order according to your preferences.
Below the security level, you can activate the alerts using the option “warn below here”. In this way, PuTTY will send a notification every time a connection with non-secure encryption is established. If you do not have a Windows system, you can see the failed connection attempts to the SSH server in Linux by using the Secure Shell protocol.
Close the session
When you are done using the remote SSH connection you can log out. To do this, type exit and press the “Enter” key. This will close the command window.
Aspects that you should take into account
The first time the SSH connection occurs, the server sends the server’s public key to the SSH client . The PuTTY application will show you a message in order to accept or reject this key. If you accept the key, it will be saved in the registry and it will be verified with the one sent by the server each time a new connection is established.
On the other hand, if the key changes, PuTTY notifies it in order for you to verify the authenticity of the received key. This way, you will avoid establishing an insecure connection with another server.