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Using SSH (Secure Shell) in Windows

SSH (Secure Shell) is a secure version of Telnet. To learn more about SSH and Telnet, please click here.

IC (Instructional Computing) Labs should have TeraTerm (with SSH) installed on all computers. This tutorial will give a brief overview of SSH in IC Labs. You can ask IC lab consultants if you have any questions about SSH software.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
As of August 6, 2008 server changes will require you to follow these steps to allow a connection to your course website on ic.ucsc.edu. Your past application usage will retain obsolete Remote Host Access key information preventing a connection to ic.ucsc.edu. Follow these steps to change the host key.

Note: If you are connecting for the first time, you may proceed to step one of the original tutorial.
  1. Launch SFTP and go to Edit > Settings.

    SFTP Menu

  2. Expand Global Settings > Expand Server Authentication. Click on Host Keys.
  3. Select the entries for www.ic.ucsc.edu and/or ic.ucsc.edu and Delete them. Close the menu by clicking OK.

    4. Finding host keys

  4. Connect to the host. A dialog box will pop up and ask if you want to accept the new host key. Click Yes.
You will now be able to connect normally.

If you should have any questions or need guidance, feel free to contact the FITC staff for help at (831) 459-5506.

Steps to use SFTP on a PC

SSH Programs Available for Windows

Although SSH is not yet a standard on PCs running Windows, there are many SSH programs available from UCSC that you can install if you are not using an IC Lab PC. You will need to either be on campus or dial-in to the campus network to download these programs.

Launching an SSH Application

Click Start > Internet Tools > _Unix - Telnet & SSH > unix.ic - SSH

If you have trouble finding the SSH program (Secure Shell) in an IC lab, please ask an IC consultant for assistance.

Menu screenshot for locating SSH program in IC labs

Connecting to a Remote Computer

Once the program has been launched, you should see a window asking for your user name (as shown on the right). Type in your user name, then press [enter].

If this is the first time that the computer you are using has connected to the server using SSH, you may encounter two dialogues asking if you accept the SSH connection, and offering to save the server's "public key". Click Yes on both of these.

SSH Login window

A new dialogue box will then appear asking you for your password. Type it in and press [enter]. If your password is incorrect, the program will display the same "password" dialogue box again until it is correct.

Note: If your e-mail is sammyslug@ucsc.edu, you will enter "sammyslug" as your user name and enter the same password as your e-mail account. Keep in mind passwords are case-sensitive!

Once you have successfully logged in, you should see some messages and your Unix prompt.

All campus servers use your ITS account to login. If you do not have a ITS account, you can get one using ITS Account Request Page.


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USCS Faculty Instructional Technology Center
2006-2008
Last updated 9/10/2008