Public Linux Environment: Configure SSH and SFTP Clients

Overview

After creating a Linux account, you can log in to the Linux server using the information below with any SSH client (e.g., PuTTY, macOS Terminal) or SFTP client (e.g., WinSCP, Cyberduck, FileZilla, or Dreamweaver). The general instructions for any clients are: 

  • Host: linux.oit.utk.edu
  • Port: 22
  • Username: Your NetID
  • Password: Your NetID Password

PuTTY

To set up or configure your Public LAMP account for PuTTY:

Enter the server information as shown below and click Open.

  • Host Name (or IP Address): linux.oit.utk.edu
  • Port: 22
  • Connection type: SSH

A login prompt will appear. Enter your NetID and press Enter/Return.  Next, enter your NetID password and press Enter/Return.

macOS Terminal

To access your Public LAMP account in the macOS Terminal:

  1. Open the macOS Terminal command shell and enter ssh your-netid@linux.oit.utk.edu .
  2. If you see the text below, type YES and press Enter.
    • The authenticity of host 'linux.oit.utk.edu (160.36.239.242)' can't be established.
      ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256...
      This key is not known by any other names
      Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?
  3. Enter your NetID and password when prompted. 
  4. If prompted for Duo, type 1 , and press Enter to send a push to your device. 

WinSCP

To set up or configure your Public LAMP account for WinSCP:

Enter the Hostname and your NetID/password information as shown below. Click Save As to save this connection for future access.

  • File protocol: SFTP
  • Host Name: linux.oit.utk.edu
  • Port number: 22
  • Username: Your NetID
  • Password: Your NetID Password

Once you’ve entered your NetID/password, you will receive a secondary prompt for 2FA. When prompted, do one of the following: enter a passcode from your Duo app or token, or enter 1 to receive a push notification from your Duo app.

winscp duo prompt

Cyberduck

To set up or configure your Public LAMP account for Cyberduck:

  1. Click Open Connection and select the SFTP dropdown.
  2. Enter the linux.oit.utk.edu server name and your NetID and password information as shown below and click Connect.
  3. You will be prompted for your password. Enter your NetID password and click OK.
  4. You will receive a secondary prompt for 2FA. When prompted, do one of the following: enter a passcode from your Duo app or token, or enter 1 to receive a push notification from your Duo app.
  5. Click Continue. You’ll be connected once the Duo authentication process has been completed.
    cyberduck duo prompt

Adjust your Cyberduck preferences to limit 2FA prompts

You can limit the times you are prompted to 2FA authenticate by adjusting the Transfer settings within Cyberduck.

  1. From the top left menu, select Cyberduck > Preferences...
  2. Select the Transfers tab.
  3. Under the General tab, set the Transfer Files pull-down menu to “Use browser connection”.
  4. Exit Preferences by closing the tab. Changes are automatically saved.

update cyberduck settings

FileZilla

To set up or configure your LAMP account with FileZilla, you’ll need to set up an interactive login. The Quick Connect option will not work with the Public LAMP environment.

  1. Choose the File Menu and Select Site Manager.
  2. Click the New Site button. This will add a site in the My Sites folder. Give the site the title of your choosing.
  3. In the general tab, use the following information to configure your account:
    • Protocol: SFTP – Secure File Transfer Protocol
    • Host: linux.oit.utk.edu
    • Port: 22
    • Logon Type: Interactive
    • Username: Your NetID
      Filezilla config
  4. Click Connect. 
  5. You will be prompted for your password. Enter your NetID password and click OK.
  6. You will receive a secondary prompt for 2FA – You will either need to enter a passcode from your Duo app or token or enter 1 to receive a push notification to the Duo app.
  7. Click OK. You can connect once the passcode is submitted or your Duo push has been approved.
  8. Once configured, your site will be available via the Site Manager drop-down icon in your toolbar.
    FileZilla Site Manager

Adjust your FileZilla preferences to limit 2FA prompts

You can limit the times you are prompted to 2FA authenticate by adjusting the Transfer settings within FileZilla.

  1. Click the Transfer Settings tab.
  2. Check “Limit number of simultaneous connections”.
  3. Leave limit to 1
  4. This is only required once.
    winscp transfer settings

Fetch

To set up or configure your Public LAMP account for Fetch:

Fetch displays the New Connection dialog automatically when you start Fetch. You can show it at other times by choosing File > New Connection. 

  • Hostname: linux.oit.utk.edu
  • Username: Your NetID
  • Connect using: SFTP
  • Password: Your NetID Password
  • Authentic with Duo
    1. When you log in, you will receive a prompt for 2FA.
    2. When prompted, do one of the following: enter a passcode from your Duo app or token, or enter 1 to receive a push notification from your Duo app.
    3. Click OK. You’ll be connected once the Duo authentication process has been completed.
      fetch duo prompt

Dreamweaver

Who needs to do this?

Anyone who edits their website using Dreamweaver and hosts their website on the Public Linux / Volweb server.

Why does this need to be done?

Two-factor authentication is in place across most university technologies and is now required to securely access the UT Public Linux environment. Due to this change, uploads previously performed through Dreamweaver’s native file sync process will no longer work. While you may continue to manage and update your website files using Dreamweaver, any updated files will require connecting through a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) client (preferred) or Secure Shell Host (SSH).

Items to prepare beforehand

  1. Have your login information at hand, your UT NetID & password (or other departmental website login information) to log into your Public Linux account.
  2. Locate your website directory and associated files on your desktop.
  3. Ensure that you have an SFTP client (preferred) or a working knowledge of Secure Shell. SSH (Secure Shell) and SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) clients are applications used to securely transfer files to a server, and usually look very similar to the folder structure on your computer.
    1. Download an SSH/SFTP client:
    2. OIT Knowledge Base directions:
  4. Off-campus? You will need a secure VPN connection to UT’s network.

Begin the upload process using the following steps:

  1. From your desktop, locate your website folder containing your web files.
    • Not sure of the location of your local website files? 
      1. Launch Dreamweaver.
      2. Navigate to Site > Manage Site.
      3. Select the name of the site within the dialog box.
      4. Select the pencil icon to reveal file location settings. The Local Site Folder will display the location of your website files, i.e., User/computer name/Documents/Folder name/
  2. Locate and open your SFTP Client, such as Cyberduck or FileZilla.
  3. In your public_html directory on the server, locate the remote files you wish to update. On your desktop, in your website folder, locate the local files you plan to upload.
    Your local and remote web directories should match except for any local changes you made within Dreamweaver.
  4. Since the process overwrites files on the server, before uploading new files, save a backup copy of your remote files by clicking and dragging the public_html directory from the SSH/SFTP client to your desktop or another local backup location.
  5. Upload the new files by:
    1. Selecting the new/updated web files in your local website folder on your desktop
    2. Copying or dragging the files into the matching folder in your public_html directory
Print Article