How to Connect to an SSH Server on Mac

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

Connecting to an SSH Server on Mac

Connecting to an SSH server on a Mac allows you to remotely access and manage another computer or server securely. Here's how to do it:

Using Terminal:

Open the Terminal application on your Mac. You can find it in the "Utilities" folder within the "Applications" folder, or use Spotlight (Cmd + Space) to search for it.

In the Terminal window, you can use the ssh command to connect to the SSH server. The basic syntax is:

ssh username@hostname

Replace "username" with your SSH username and "hostname" with the IP address or domain name of the SSH server.

After entering the command, you'll be prompted to enter your SSH password. If it's your first time connecting to the server, you might see a security warning. Type "yes" to confirm and continue.

Once you enter the correct password, you will be connected to the SSH server, and you can start running commands remotely.

Using SSH Keys:

If you prefer a more secure and passwordless way to connect to an SSH server, you can set up SSH keys.

First, generate an SSH key pair on your Mac if you don't have one. Open Terminal and use the following command:

ssh-keygen -t rsa

Follow the prompts to generate the key pair. By default, your keys will be stored in the ~/.ssh directory.

Once your keys are generated, you can copy your public key to the remote server. Use the following command, replacing "username" with your SSH username and "hostname" with the server's IP address or domain name:

ssh-copy-id username@hostname

You'll need to enter your SSH password one last time.

After copying your public key, you can connect to the server without a password using this command:

ssh username@hostname

Your SSH key will be used for authentication.

Connecting to an SSH server on your Mac provides a secure way to manage remote systems or transfer files. You can use Terminal and SSH keys for a more efficient and secure connection.

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