Install PuTTY for SSH

Post date: Oct 13, 2010 12:15:47 AM

PuTTY is a Telnet, SSH, and serial console client for Windows. Use it to connect to remote servers running a telnet or SSH daemon process. If you are inside MSYS, connect with the "ssh" command instead. PuTTY runs outside of MSYS.

The official PuTTY home page is http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

Download putty.exe

Putty is a self-contained Windows executable. There is no zip file to extract.

• • Download it from a mirror: Version 0.60

  • Create a putty directory in Program Files (%PROGRAMFILES%/putty/)

  • Move putty.exe to your putty folder.

  • Create a shortcut to putty.exe

Create a new PuTTY session

• • Start PuTTY.

  • Enter the host name or IP address.

  • Select the "Connection type", usually SSH.

  • If you aren't connecting to the default port, change "Port" number.

  • Enter a name or description for this host, then click "Save".

Download snapshot version of puttygen.exe

PuTTYgen is used to generate and import SSH keys.

• • Download the latest build (unstable) from the main site: PuTTYgen Development snapshot

  • Move puttygen.exe to your putty folder.

Convert SSH private key to PuTTY PPK format

• • Run puttygen.exe .

  • Click "Conversions" menu > "Import Key".

  • Open your private key file. If you generated in MSYS, check $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa .

  • Enter your key's passphrase.

  • Change the "Key comment" to "your_id@hostname openssh key".

  • Click "Save private key".

  • Save the key as "id_rsa.ppk" in your private $HOME/.ssh/ directory.

Use SSH private key in PuTTY

• • Open PuTTY again.

    • If you want to use the key for a saved session, select it and click "Load" first.

    • If this is a new session, enter the host name/IP address and new "Saved Sessions" name.

  • Click "Connection" category > "SSH" > "Auth".

  • Check "Allow agent forwarding"

  • Click "Browse" for "Private key file for authentication".

  • Open the "id_rsa.ppk" file you saved from PuTTYgen.

  • Select "Session" category

  • Click "Save".

Now, when you load this session and click "Open", PuTTY will attempt to use public key authentication. If that fails, the server may fall back to password authentication.

Download Pageant SSH agent

Pageant will remember your passphrase while it is running, so that you don't need to enter it multiple times per day.

• • Download it from a mirror: Version 0.60.

  • Move pageant.exe to your putty folder.

Create new public/private key pair in PuTTYgen

• • Run puttygen.exe .

  • Click "Generate"

  • Move the mouse around to add randomness for the key

  • Enter a key passphrase

  • Click "Save private key", and save id_rsa.ppk to a private directory.

  • Click "Save public key", and save id_rsa_puttygen_your_id.pub to a private directory.

  • If you want to export to OpenSSH or ssh.com format, use the "Conversions" menu