Logging in to boros

Set up a config file (optional)

In order to speed up log in, it is a good idea to have a config file in a hidden folder called .ssh on your home drive.

Create a plain text file called ‘config’ with the following format (indent with four spaces):

Host boros
    HostName boros.otago.ac.nz
    Port 22
    User hugh

Change the text after User to your username.

Then check if you have a folder called .ssh on your home drive:

ls -a

if needed, create the directory:

mkdir .ssh

Then put the config file there:

mv config .ssh/

Logging in to boros from campus computer:

With config file:

ssh boros

Without config:

ssh user@boros.otago.ac.nz

Logging in to boros from off campus:

First you have to set up VPN access. See this webpage for help:

Uni Otago VPN help

Once you have VPN access set up, then you can log in as above.

Passwordless SSH login (OSX/macOS & GNU/Linux)

1. Generate a key pair

On your local machine in a command prompt, as your regular user enter the following command:

ssh-keygen

Just hit Return to all of the prompts to accept the defaults. (Alternatively you can specify a passphrase that will need to be entered each time this key is used.). If you already have a keypair, ssh-keygen will complain that the id_dsa already exists, in which case you can cancel the process, and proceed to step 2.

    Generating public/private rsa key pair.
    Enter file in which to save the key (/home/user/.ssh/id_rsa):
    Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
    Enter same passphrase again:
    Your identification has been saved in /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa.
    Your public key has been saved in /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.
    ...

2. Copy the generated public key to remote host

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub username@boros.otago.ac.nz

The ssh-copy-id command will install the public key into your home directory on Boros (creating ~/.ssh and~/.ssh/authorized_keys with the right permissions if necessary). That’s it, you’re done!

If the ssh-copy-id command is not available, you’ll have to manually transfer the contents of the id_rsa.pub file to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys. Here is a way to do it from your local machine:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh user@boros.otago.ac.nz "cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

You should now be able to login to Boros without password.

If it isn’t working yet, login (with password) on Boros and make sure the ~/.ssh folder has permissions set to 700 (drwx——–), and ~/.ssh/authorized_keys is set to 600 (-rw——–)

  boros:~$ chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
  boros:~$ chmod 700 ~/.ssh