As an example we have provided instructions below for setting up SecureCRT to access
an account.
SSH Settings:
Protocol: SSH
Port: 22
Cipher: 3DES
Authentication: RSA
Here are the Basic Steps to set up SSH on your domain.
1. E-Mail us to request SSH access. (Include your domain and username) Allow
sufficient time for us to add SSH access to your domain. Generally, this takes
8 hours to
process and test.
2. Launch your SSH Software and set up per the program instructions. We have provided
instructions for Secure CRT and PengiNet on this site.
3. Create an RSA Key per the program instructions.
4. Go to your control panel, click on SSH and paste your RSA key in the box
indicated.
5. You will then need your access addresses. This is the IP number from which you are
accessing the server. (not the IP address for your hosting account) If you cannot determine the IP
address you are accessing from, you may be able to input your ISP "from" address using this form:
*.aol.com
*.earthlink.net
IMPORTANT: after submitting new information, wait about 10 minutes until the server
updates
6. Log in with your software, using the passphrase used when you created your RSA
Key.
Setting Up SecureCRT Software
First you must Create an RSA Key with Secure CRT:
1. Launch the Secure CRT application. The application displays typically with the Connect dialog box
open to the Session List tab.
2. Select the New button to create a new session. The Session Preferences , new dialog box displays.
3. In the Name field, enter name of the session you are creating.
4. In the Protocol field, select ssh from the drop-down list.
5. In the Hostname or IP field, enter your domain name or the IP number for your domain.
6. Complete the rest of the fields on this screen with the appropriate information. Make sure to enter
your domain user name in the Username field and to select RSA from the Authentication field’s drop-down
list.
7. Select the Advanced button. The Advanced SSH Options dialog box displays.
8. On the General tab, select the Create Identity File button from the Identity Filename section of the
dialog box. The SecureCRT – RSA Key Generation Wizard displays.
9. Click on the Next> button to proceed with the next step of the Wizard.
10. If you wish to use a passphrase as an added layer of security, enter the passphrase in the
Passphrase and Confirm Passphrase fields. Be sure to enter it into both fields in exactly the same way.
Don’t forget to keep your passphrase handy. You will need it when establishing a connection to the
server.
11. In the Comment field, either accept the default value or enter a new one. The comment will be your
way of knowing when the application is prompting you for your passphrase.
12. Click on the Next> button to proceed to the next step.
(Note: the Back button can be used throughout this wizard to move back to the previous step and make
changes if necessary.)
13. You need to determine the length of your RSA key pair needs to be determined. It is recommended
that you choose a value between 1024 and 2048 bits. 512 bits is the absolute minimum and is not
recommended.
Once you have entered a number, select 'Next' to proceed.
14. As the instructions in the wizard indicate, you need to move your mouse around on the screen for
the application to generate the key. The application uses a complex set of formulas to create the key
out of your mouse’s movements. When you have moved your mouse around sufficiently, the screen
automatically changes and the key pair is generated. This is shown in the image below. You do not need
to move your mouse around for this second part of the step.
15. When both progress bars are “full”, the Next button becomes enabled. Select it to proceed.
16. Select the folder on your hard drive in which to store the key. You can accept the default, which
is usually the identity sub-folder of the SecureCRT folder, located wherever you installed the
application originally.
17. To complete the wizard, select the Finish button. The Advanced SSH Options dialog box reappears.
18. From there, select the OK button to close the dialog box. The Session Preferences – new dialog box
reappears.
19. Select OK to apply the changes and end the procedure. Your newly created session will now appear at
the bottom of the Session List.
How To Place the RSA Key on the Server:
1. (If you left the SSH Manager open from earlier sections in this manual, you may skip this step.)
From the Control Panel, select the SSH icon. Once again, the SSH Manager displays.
Place your key in the text box that is provided in the SSH Manager and submit it. (To
do this, you must open the key in another application, copy it, and then paste it into this text box.)
2. Launch any text-editor. On a Windows-based PC, Notepad will suffice. (This is available from the
Start menu, under Programs, then Accessories.)
3. From the Notepad File menu, select Open. The Open dialog box displays.
4. Find the key file by switching the Files of type field to All Files (*.*). Then, move through the
directory structure to the location of your file, identity.pub. (The application stated where the file
would be stored in the previous procedure.) When you located the file, double-click on it to open it in
Notepad. (Note, the image below has been altered, so the key will not actually work.)
5. Once the key is displayed in Notepad, highlight the entire key with your mouse. From the Edit menu,
select Copy.
6. Switch back to the SSH Manager and paste the key into the text box. You can do this by placing the
cursor in the dialog box and either selecting Edit and then Paste from your browser’s main menu or by
using the key combination [Ctrl] + [V]. (Note: the image below has been altered. It is not a real key.)
7. Select the Submit button. A new screen displays.
8. Enter the IP address for any computers from which you will be accessing the server. You can get this
information from your ISP (Internet Service Provider). Or, if you are currently at the computer you
will be regularly using, you can find the IP address by opening a DOS prompt and typing the command,
ipconfig.
9. After you have entered a number in at least one of the spaces provided, click on the Next button. A
new screen displays.
10.Make sure that the IP address listed is correct. Then select the Submit button. A message appears
indicating that you will be able to access the server, via your SSH software (Secure CRT), from one of
the addresses you listed within the next ten minutes.
Once these steps have been performed, use the Secure CRT software as usual to establish a connection to
your site on the server. You will be prompted for your passphrase when the connection is made. Once the
connection is made, Secure CRT works similarly to other telnet utilities.
SSH Telnet is a secure
form of Telnet, using an RSA key. Telnet is a more powerful means of access than FTP, and as such there
are more possibilities for error, and actions which may cause harm to the server. Please note
that SSH Telnet access to an account is a privilege which can be revoked if we determine that the
user's activities or the access program are detrimental to the health of the server.
FTP is a more preferred method to access your server for changing
and posting files.