How to Connect to SSH Using Linux/Ubuntu Desktop

Connect to SSH Using Ubuntu Desktop

SSH (Secure Shell) is a secure protocol for accessing remote servers. It allows administrators to manage and control servers remotely. Three methods for connecting to SSH from a desktop Linux or Ubuntu computer will be examined in this tutorial:

  • leaving out port 22, which is the SSH port by default.
  • using a special SSH port.
  • combining files in.ppk or.pem formats with a custom port.
  • How to add a Configuration file for SSH Connections

1. Create an SSH connection without selecting a port.

If port 22, the default SSH port, is being used by the server, no additional configuration is required.
How to Establish a Connection: How to Get in Touch

  • Open the Terminal on the desktop of Ubuntu or Linux.
  • Use the following command:
    SSH username@server_ip

Replace username with the SSH username and server_ip with the IP address of the remote server.

For example, ssh root@192.168.1.100

What Takes Place:

  • The SSH client uses port 22 by default.
  • The user’s password must be entered.

2. Connect to SSH Using a Custom Port

If the server is configured to use the non-default SSH port, you need to include it in the command.
How to Establish a Connection: How to Get in Touch

  • Locate the server’s configured custom port number, such as 2232.
  • Use the -p option of the SSH command to specify the port:

ssh -p <port_number> <username>@<hostname_or_ip_address>

For example, ssh -p 2222 user@192.168.1.100

  • The SSH client connects to the specified custom port.
  • Enter the password when prompted.

3. Connect to SSH using a use.ppk or.pem files.

Private keys (.ppk or.pem) are commonly used for passwordless SSH authentication.
Make sure the permissions are set correctly and that the.pem file is on your local computer:

  • chmod 600 keyfile.pem
  • Use the SSH command with the -i option to set the private key ppk or pem
  • SSH -i /path/to/keyfile.pem -p port_number username@server_ip
  • For instance, ssh -i ~/keys/TokyoKey.pem -p 2222 ubuntu@192.168.1.100

Linux SSH clients frequently use.pem files. To use A.ppk files, convert them to the.pem format using

(How to Convert PEM to PPK Format on Linux and Windows)

4. For Windows, you can use any third-party software.

  1. PuTTY (Download)
  2. MobaXterm (Download)
  3. mRemoteNG (Download) 

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