working remotely on Windows via Remote Desktop if you’re hanging off GRPS or 3G connectivity somewhere in the mountains (for example) isn’t optimal. as I had to access some such servers remotely.
you can find cygwin useful (there’s also VanDyke V-Shell, a bit pricey and for non-commercial use). cygwin package installs UNIX environment, and that - yes - may include OpenSSH plus some tools (like scp
for example)
you just need to download, and then run installation, selecting cygrunsrv
and openssh
. if you’re done - you just need to bootstrap SSH server and then start service responsible for SSH.
in Windows 7 you need to click on desktop with right button, select “Run as Administrator” and go through:
Copying skeleton files.
These files are for the user to personalise their cygwin experience.
They will never be overwritten nor automatically updated.
sshuser@w7host ~
$ <ssh-host-config>
*** Info: Generating /etc/ssh_host_key
[...]
*** Query: Should privilege separation be used? (yes/no) <yes>
*** Info: Note that creating a new user requires that the current account have
*** Info: Administrator privileges. Should this script attempt to create a
*** Query: new local account 'sshd'? (yes/no) <yes>
*** Info: Updating /etc/sshd_config file
*** Warning: The following functions require administrator privileges!
*** Query: Do you want to install sshd as a service?
*** Query: (Say "no" if it is already installed as a service) (yes/no) <yes>
*** Query: Enter the value of CYGWIN for the daemon: [] <ntsec tty>
[...]
*** Query: Do you want to use a different name? (yes/no) <no>
*** Query: Create new privileged user account 'cyg_server'? (yes/no) <yes>
*** Info: Please enter a password for new user cyg_server. Please be sure
*** Info: that this password matches the password rules given on your system.
*** Info: Entering no password will exit the configuration.
*** Query: Please enter the password: <strong-password-of-your-choice>
*** Query: Reenter: <strong-password-of-your-choice>
[...]
*** Info: The sshd service has been installed under the 'cyg_server'
*** Info: account. To start the service now, call `net start sshd' or
*** Info: `cygrunsrv -S sshd'. Otherwise, it will start automatically
*** Info: after the next reboot.
*** Info: Host configuration finished. Have fun!
sshuser@w7host ~
$
now just execute net start sshd
or start Cygwin SSHD from Control Panel - and you can log in remotely using SSH or transfer files directly using SCP for example.