SSH question

[Derek Broughton]

Tim Littlemore wrote:

> David Mummery wrote:
>> I'm trying to setup password-less SSH login using public/private keypair
>> but am failing. All the documentation tells me to do the same thing but
>> it does not work:
>>
> You haven't mentioned loading up your key agent in this set of
> instructions. You will need to do this on your local machine:
> 
> # ssh-add
> type your pass phrase when prompted
> # ssh-agent

I'd swear this used to get started automagically when I logged into KDE, and
it doesn't seem to happen any more.  I wish I knew why.

> These two commands add your key to the key agent. You will need to do
> this every time you log in to your local machine before you can use keys
> (I do this first thing each morning at work).
> 
> You should then be able to ssh using your key (you will need to add the
> -A switch to the SSH command):
> 
> # ssh -A root at remote_host

If you use a passphrase-less key-pair, you don't need ssh-agent running _or_
the -A option.  But then I would definitely not recommend logging into
"root" with a passphrase-less key.

> Also, as other people have mentioned, you need to spell authorised in
> the American style on your authorized_keys file.

I know I shouldn't do this, but I just can't help myself.  It's correct
English, too - See Fowler's "Modern English Usage", 2nd Ed. :-)
-- 
derek