2. Client software to access the Linux service

There are various ways in which you can access the Linux Service securely. These are outlined below and each method links to further information on how to setup and configure clients.

SSH Secure Shell Clients for Windows
There are several clients available for you to connect to the Linux Service:

N.B. Putty is a command line program that can be used to to access the Linux service on computers running Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP and Vista. You can download this from: http://mirror.ox.ac.uk/sites/www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/. For details on how to install and configure the program see: PuTTY command line client

The University has a site license for a commercial SSH Windows client, called SSH Secure Shell, which is available free of charge to members of the University. This can be downloaded from the OUCS registration service. The SSH Secure Shell client is particularly useful if you need to be able to transfer files and want a Windows-style program.

SSH Secure Shell Clients for MacIntosh
Mac OSX users have a choice of using the built-in Unix commands. For more information type man sftp from the Terminal screen. For more user-friendly interfaces there is:
  • Nifty Telnet: Free, but you need to use the 'classic' environment.

Where you just need to transfer files securely then the following programs are currently recommended:

Secure FTP Programs with guides available:

Other Programs

  • Transmit: Commercial software.
  • Interarchy: Commercial software. This is more of a webmaster tool than a quick end-user client.
.
Exceed
If you wish to use Exceed (an X terminal emulator) to access the service, again you will only be able to connect using secure methods. The most straight-forward way to do this is to obtain the Hummingbird Connectivity Security Pack, which is available on CD from the Computing Services Shop. To install the Hummingbird Connectivity Security Pack, Exceed version 7.1, 7.1.1 or 8.0 must already be installed on your computer. Note that the Security pack does not install any programs itself, but adds the ability to connect securely to some components of the Exceed suite of programs. Once you have installed the Security Pack, you can then configure Exceed.

See Exceed Configuration for more details.

Access from machines where you cannot install software
If you cannot find SSH software installed, it is possible to run PuTTY in situations where you cannot install programs, eg in an internet cafe. Start Internet Explorer or Opera (It doesn't work from Netcape) and visit putty.exe directly. If prompted, choose Open rather than download; putty should then start. Select ssh, type in linux.ox.ac.uk press Open and you are in.

A detailed catalogue of other implementations can be found at http://linuxmafia.com/ssh/.

Up: Contents Previous: 1. Security and the Linux service Next: 3. Web filestore