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Parsa Roshani
Parsa Roshani

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How to Generate an SSH Key on macOS for Accessing a VPS Ubuntu

#ssh #ubuntu #vps #accessing

Step 1: Generate an SSH Key

  1. Open the Terminal on your macOS.
  2. Run the following command to generate a new SSH key: 
   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"
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  • -t rsa: Specifies the type of key (RSA).
  • -b 4096: Defines the key size (4096 bits).
  • -C "your_email@example.com": Adds a comment to the key (usually your email).
    1. When prompted, specify the file name for the key. Press Enter to use the default path.
    2. You can add a passphrase to the key for extra security or leave it blank by pressing Enter.

Step 2: View the Public Key

Your public SSH key is stored at:

~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
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To view the public key, use:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
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Copy the public key.

Step 3: Add the Public Key to Your VPS

  1. Connect to your VPS manually using a password: 
   ssh username@server_ip
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  1. On the VPS, open or create the authorized_keys file: 
   mkdir -p ~/.ssh
   nano ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
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  1. Paste the public key you copied into the file.
  2. Save and exit the editor.
  3. Set the appropriate permissions for the file and directory: 
   chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
   chmod 700 ~/.ssh
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Step 4: Test Password-Free Access

On your macOS, test the SSH connection without a password:

ssh username@server_ip
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Step 5: Optional Configuration

To simplify SSH access, you can configure the ~/.ssh/config file:

nano ~/.ssh/config
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Add the following:

Host my-vps
    HostName server_ip
    User username
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
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Now you can connect using:

ssh my-vps
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Conclusion

By following these steps, you can securely and conveniently access your VPS without needing to enter a password every time. This method enhances both security and efficiency in server management.

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