Sending Bash Commands thru ssh

[settingsun]

I have 2 computers behind a router. I intend to use the windows xp/ firefox machine to look at the fedora index file on the other machine as I write code.

I thought the next step was to build ssl into apache from the fedora command line.


I think its better to learn to ssh into the fedora command line, from putty running on the xp machine, because when the server is up and running from a remote location, my only option will be to access it remotely.

Its best to learn to do that while the fedora machine is still within arms reach. I know I can use putty to make a pair of keys and send the public key to the fedora user that is sshd. I know that public key is used to verify the matching private key that stays with putty.


I know I could set all of this up sitting at the fedora keyboard, but it seems better to do all installation and configuration of ssh (on fedora) from putty on xp. That is because the machine I use will create the keys. If that machine is xp using putty then only the public key needs to move across the internet to the fedora machine.

If I use the fedora machine then it generates the keys, and the private one needs to move across the internet to putty on my xp machine. That is a security risk.


Saying this another way:

I think the server only needs the public key, and the client only needs the private key. If I build this on the server, then the server generates the keys, keeps the public one and sends the private one to putty.


If I understand all of this correctly, then doing everything from putty is the best way. That means using putty to create directories and files - and setting values in configuration files.


Is this right? If so, I'm asking for help making that initial connection to the fedora command line (I assume it will have to be unencrypted),

and - learning the basic syntax to send bash commands through an encrypted ssh connection.


Thanks!

[Keldorn]

If so, I'm asking for help making that initial connection to the fedora command line (I assume it will have to be unencrypted)

If you are using ssh - you will connect through secure tunnel (ssh - secure shell). You don't need to generate ssl-keys to run encrypted connection.
Just accept with putty key which was generated by the system during initial ssh configuration.
Putting public key onto fedora machine will allow you to connect it without password (or with it, if key was encrypted with passphrase)

[settingsun]

Thank you very much Keldorn. That was enough to get me started.

[pete_1967]

FYI: Putty keys are not compatible with OpenSSH. You need to convert the Putty's public key to OpenSSH before you try to use it on your server, otherwise if you use Putty format public key, enable ssh, and disable password authentication, you will lock yourself out of the system.

[Doug G]

Originally Posted by pete_1967

FYI: Putty keys are not compatible with OpenSSH. You need to convert the Putty's public key to OpenSSH before you try to use it on your server, otherwise if you use Putty format public key, enable ssh, and disable password authentication, you will lock yourself out of the system.

Hmm, I use putty generated keys on fedora servers without any problems. I install the key manually from the windows machine by copying the putty key to the clipboard, open a ssh connection to the fedora machine in putty, open ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file in a cli editor (vim for me) and paste the key. This process always works for me.

I PuttyGen I select ssh2-RSA key type.