What is SSH?

SSH (short for Secure Shell) is a secure replacement for the telnet and rsh programs. SSH prevents other people on your local network from collecting your information by encrypting all communication between your computer and the computers you log in to. Once you have logged in to the remote computer, SSH should function like a normal telnet or rsh session.

Technical information about SSH

SSH uses a public-key encryption system to authenticate remote hosts. For example, if you were to connect to a remote machine called people.tamu.edu (that is also running SSH), SSH would use this system to verify that the remote system is the real people.tamu.edu and not a computer set up to imitate it.

Why Should I Set Up SSH?

A standard telnet connection is not encrypted, which means other people can possibly "listen in" on data over the network, possibly gathering information such as your password.

Additionally, if you are not directly connected to the Texas A&M network, either through a campus Ethernet connection or a university modem, your connection is restricted by a firewall. This means that if you are home for the summer and using another internet service such as America Online (AOL) or TCA Internet, you will not be able to use telnet to access your on-campus accounts.

This document explains how to configure Tera Term Pro to connect to your Texas A&M accounts through SSH. For example, this allows you to access people.tamu.edu even if you are outside the firewall.

Setting Up SSH

Prerequisites

To set up Tera Term Pro SSH, you must have the following:

• 32-bit Windows system
  Tera Term Pro and TTSSH function under Windows 2000 or later editions.
• TCP/IP connection
  If you are connected via Ethernet in a Texas A&M office or dorm room, or if you are dialed in to a TAMUNet modem, you have a TCP/IP connection.
  If you are not connected to the Texas A&M network and use another ISP such as AOL or TCA Internet, but can use TAMUNet software like EWAN Telnet, you have a TCP/IP connection.
• ZIP utility
  To decompress necessary files, you must have and be familiar with a ZIP utility, such as PowerZIP from http://www.powerzip.lco.net/download.htm.

Downloading Tera Term Pro

Tera Term Pro is available from download in Japan. However, CIS provides a local mirror for Texas A&M students only at ftp://ftp.tamu.edu/pub/win32/ssh/ttermp23.zip.

Click this link. A file downloads to your computer and should expand. If it doesn't, decompress the file into C:\temp\ with PowerZIP or another ZIP utility.

Installing Tera Term Pro

1. Locate the TTERM directory on your hard drive. (Most of the time, it will be located in C:\TEMP\ or wherever your ZIP utility decompresses files.)
2. Double-click SETUP.EXE and press Continue three times.
3. When the Tera Term Pro Setup: Complete dialog box appears (Figure 1), click OK to exit the installer.

Figure 1. Tera Term Pro Setup: Complete dialog box

Downloading and Installing TTSSH

TTSSH gives Tera Term Pro the ability to handle encrypted (SSH) sessions. It is available from Australia. However, CIS provides a local mirror at ftp://ftp.tamu.edu/pub/win32/ssh/ttssh14.zip.

Click this link and use your ZIP utility to decompress the file into C:\Program Files\TTERMPRO\.

Note: If you are prompted to overwrite the existing file README.TXT, click Yes to All or OK.

Setting Up Your Start Menu

1. From the Start menu (Figure 2), choose Settings > Taskbar.



Figure 2. Setting up your Start menu

2. In the Taskbar Properties dialog box (Figure 3), click the Start Menu Programs tab, then select Add.



Figure 3. Taskbar Properties dialog box

3. In the Command line box (Figure 4), enter C:\"PROGRAM FILES"\TTERMPRO\TTSSH.EXE and click Next.



Figure 4. Enter the path for TTSSH

4. Click the folder where you would like the new shortcut to appear (Figure 5). For example, choose the TAMUNet folder or the Tera Term Pro folder. Select Next.



Figure 5. Selecting a Program Folder



5. In the Name field (Figure 6), enter TeraTerm ssh and select Finish.

Figure 6. Choosing a name for your shortcut

That's it! Your computer is now configured for TeraTerm SSH. Close the Taskbar Properties dialog box, Web browser, and Tera Term (if they are still open).

Connecting to Campus Systems Using SSH

To connect to campus systems such as people.tamu.edu while you are not connected to the campus network, follow these steps:

1. Choose TeraTerm ssh from the Start menu.
2. In the New connection dialog box (Figure 7), enter the name of the host (for example, people.tamu.edu) in the Host field, and choose the radio button for SSH, not Telnet.



Figure 7. New connection dialog box

3. Press OK , or Enter on your keyboard.

Note: The first time you connect to a new host, you will receive a Security Warning. Check the Add this machine and its key... box, and press Continue.

4. Enter your userid in the User name field and your password in the Passphrase field (Figure 8) and press OK.

Note: Your log in credentials will be determined by the system that you are accessing.

Figure 8. Enter your user name and password

For More Help

If you need more assistance, please feel free to ask the CIS Support Staff in any Open Access Lab, or call Help Desk Central at (979) 845-8300.