YA SSH newbie

[GrepZen]

I've been searching and reading through lots of helpful threads on how
to get SSHd running on my ubuntu 5.10 desktop.

i've installed open-ssh and the port is open according to nmap:

Code:
--------------------
    PORT      STATE SERVICE
  22/tcp    open  ssh
  25/tcp    open  smtp
  631/tcp   open  ipp
  5900/tcp  open  vnc
  5901/tcp  open  vnc-1
  5902/tcp  open  vnc-2
  5903/tcp  open  vnc-3
--------------------

Further, i've established that SSHd is running according to ps -e|grep
ssh

Code:
--------------------
    micke at ubuntu:/$ ps -e|grep ssh
  25062 ?        00:00:00 sshd
  25851 ?        00:00:00 ssh-agent
--------------------


yet... each attempt to connect with plink or putty from a winxp box on
the local network yields "connection refused"

ubuntu is on a local 192.168.7.0/24 along with the winxp box.

i can ping from the winxp to ubunto.. and back.. tracerouts re-affirm
that i'm not taking odd routes through my gateway.

if i open a terminal window in ubunto and ssh to 'ubunto' the
connection works as planned.. but that's just a window SSHing into its
self.. not all that useful.

any thoughts or guides you could point me to would be great.

i've looked: at the wiki.. and several posts here but the answer is
still eluding me.

&& BTW: the ultimate goal is to get some kind of remote access to
ubuntu --preferably something like vnc..    --you can see a few failed
vnc attempts in the nmap but i can't clear them.


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