How to Use SSH in Terminal?

If you need to remotely access a computer or server securely, SSH (Secure Shell) is the way to go. SSH encrypts your communications and protects your data from prying eyes. In this article, we'll cover the basics of using SSH in Terminal on a Mac.

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• Connect to a Remote Server using SSH
• SSH Options
• Copy Files using SCP

Prerequisites:

Before we begin, ensure that you have the following:

• A remote server to connect to
• SSH installed on your Mac (most versions of macOS come with SSH pre-installed)
• Your remote server's IP address or domain name
• Your username and password for the remote server

Connect to a Remote Server using SSH:

1. Open the Terminal app on your Mac (located in Applications > Utilities).
2. In the Terminal window, type the following command:
   ssh username@remote_server_ip_address
   Replace "username" with your username and "remote_server_ip_address" with the IP address of your remote server.
3. Press enter.
4. If it's your first time connecting to the remote server, you'll be prompted to confirm the remote server's authenticity. Type "yes" and press enter to continue.
5. Next, enter your password when prompted. Note that your password will not appear on the screen as you type it.
6. You should now be logged in to the remote server via SSH. You can execute commands on the remote server just as if you were sitting in front of it.

SSH Options:

Here are some additional options you can use with the ssh command:

• -p port_number: Use a different port number for the SSH connection (default is port 22).
• -i identity_file: Use a different private key file for authentication (default is ~/.ssh/id_rsa).
• -N: Do not execute a remote command. This is useful for setting up port forwarding or tunneling.
• -v: Verbose mode. Provides additional information about the SSH connection.

Copy Files using SCP:

SCP (Secure Copy) is a utility that allows you to securely copy files between your local machine and a remote server over an SSH connection. Here's how to use SCP:

1. Open the Terminal app on your Mac.
2. In the Terminal window, type the following command:
   scp local_file_path username@remote_server_ip_address:remote_path
   Replace "local_file_path" with the path to the file you want to copy, "username" with your username, "remote_server_ip_address" with the IP address of the remote server, and "remote_path" with the path to the directory on the remote server where you want to copy the file.
3. Press enter.
4. If it's your first time connecting to the remote server, you'll be prompted to confirm the remote server's authenticity. Type "yes" and press enter to continue.
5. Next, enter your password when prompted.
6. The file should now be copied to the remote server.

In this article, we've covered the basics of using SSH in Terminal on a Mac. With SSH, you can securely connect to a remote server and execute commands on it as if you were sitting in front of it. Additionally, SCP allows you to securely copy files between your local machine and a remote server over an SSH connection. With these tools, you can efficiently manage your remote servers and keep your data secure.

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That's it for this post. Keep practicing and have fun. Leave your comments if any.