Using Secure Shell (SSH) to connect to the Unix Timeshare

The Unix timeshare is available to all students, staff and faculty that have a CruzID account. You can log in to it from both on and off campus. In order to use the timeshare, you should be familiar with the Unix/Linux command line. If you prefer a graphical environment, using X2Go to access the timeshare is a better option.

SSH Host Keys

When you connect to the timeshare for the first time, you will be prompted to verify the key and trust the connection. Different SSH/SFTP software will prompt you with different fingerprint options. As long as one of the fingerprints match, you can trust the connection so you won't be prompted next time. Below are the fingerprints for the 3 SSH keys currently in use on the timeshare:

Ed25519 Key - Best security

ECDSA Key - Very good security

DSA Key - For legacy connections

Connecting from the Computer Labs

Note: See ITS computer lab locations.

Connecting from a Mac

1. Login to the workstation with your CruzID and Blue password.
2. When the Desktop appears, look for the "ssh unix" icon in the Dock and click on it.
3. A window will popup and ask you for your Blue password. Enter it and press return.
4. You will see a Welcome message when your login is successful.
5. If you want to open a second connection, simply click on the "ssh unix" icon in the Dock a second time.

Connecting from Windows

1. Login to the workstation with your CruzID and Blue password.
2. Open the "Software" folder on the Desktop, then navigate to "Internet Tools" -> "Unix - SSH"
3. Double click on the "unix.ucsc.edu" shortcut.
4. A window will pop up asking for your username. Enter your CruzID and press "Connect".
5. If you get a prompt about connecting to unix.ucsc.edu for the first time, click "Yes".
6. Enter your Blue password when prompted.
7. You'll be logged in after you see the Welcome message.
8. If you want to open a second connection, simple click on the "unix.ucsc.edu" shortcut in step 3.

Connecting from your Personal Computer (either from on or off campus)

Connecting from a Mac

1. You'll need to open the "Terminal" application installed on your Mac. There are a couple of ways to do this:
   • Click on the little magnifying glass in the upper right hand corner of the menu bar and type in Terminal. Open the application that appears.
   • From within your Applications folder locate the Utilities folder. The Terminal application will be inside Utilities. Double-click it to run it.
2. When Terminal is running, you'll see a prompt with your username followed by a $. You can then use the following ssh command to login to the timeshare, just replace "sammyslug" with your CruzID:
   

   ssh sammyslug@unix.ucsc.edu

3. If this is your first time connecting to the timeshare, you'll get a message saying that the authenticity of the host can't be established. See the SSH Host Key section above for more information.
4. If the fingerprint matches, type in "yes" and press return.
5. You'll then be prompted for your Blue password. Enter it and press return.
6. You'll be logged in after you see the Welcome message.
7. You can open a second session by going to the "Shell" menu and selecting "New Window". Then, simply repeat the process from step 2.

Connecting from Windows

1. Windows does not come with a native SSH tool. We recommend you download the Bitvise client and install it. This is the same software we use in our labs.
2. After installing Bitvise, open it.
3. You can create a profile to make logging into the timeshare easier, but for now we'll just use the default settings. In the "Default profile" window, change the following:
   
   • In the host field, type: unix.ucsc.edu
   • In the authentication field, type your CruzId
   • Switch over to the "Options" tab at the top and uncheck the "Open SFTP" option under "On Login" (only "Open Terminal" should be checked).
   • Click "Login" at the bottom
4. If this is your first time logging into the timeshare, you'll get a window asking to verify the host key. See the SSH Host Key section above for more information.
5. Once you've verified the key, click "Accept and Save".
6. A window will pop up asking for your password. Enter your Blue password and click "Ok"
7. You'll be logged in after you see the Welcome message.
8. If you'd like to open a second session, go back to the Bitvise "Default Profile" window and click on the "New Terminal Console" icon along the left side.