University of Cincinnati SSH for Mac: A Comprehensive Guide

As a University of Cincinnati student or faculty member using a Mac, you may have encountered issues with the standard SSH client provided by Apple. While it's possible to use OpenSSL to provide additional features not available in the standard version, I prefer to use OpenSSL directly to generate keys. In this article, we'll explore the steps to install OpenSSH and use its advanced features for secure remote sessions.

Installing OpenSSH

To get started, you'll need to install Homebrew on your Mac if you haven't already. Once installed, follow these steps:

1. Install OpenSSH using Homebrew by running the command `brew install openssh`.

2. Start the OpenSSH server by running the command `sudo brew services start sshd`.

Using OpenSSL for Key Generation

OpenSSL provides more options than the standard SSH client, allowing you to generate keys with additional features such as auto-reconnecting and saving credentials. To use OpenSSL, follow these steps:

1. Install OpenSSL using Homebrew by running the command `brew install openssl`.

2. Generate a key pair using the following command: `openssl genrsa -out ~/.ssh/id_rsa 2048`

3. Convert the generated key to an SSH format using the following command: `openssl rsa -in ~/.ssh/id_rsa -out ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub`

Tips and Tricks

Keep in mind that some terminals may not display correctly due to limitations in their truecolor support. Recommended alternatives include iTerm2, which can be run as superuser for additional features.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter issues with your SSH connection, double-check your passphrase and ensure that CAPS LOCK is off. Additionally, verify that any security appliances or routers don't support other methods.

Legacy Options Still Supported

OpenSSH has deprecated a number of methods and algorithms in version 7.0, but they are still supported and can be enabled by default. For more information on legacy options, check out OpenSSH's documentation on Legacy Options.

In this article, we've explored the steps to install OpenSSH and use its advanced features for secure remote sessions on a Mac. By using OpenSSL directly to generate keys and taking advantage of OpenSSH's capabilities, you can improve your overall SSH experience and ensure maximum security.

University of cincinnati ssh for mac