Create SSH Key Pair
How to Create SSH Key Pair on Windows in 2021
If you are looking towards downloading SSH Key then PuttyKey Generator is the best choice. It is a key generating tool for private and public ssh keys. Most people use the preinstalled OpenSSH on Linux, though, puTTY on windows is used more for debugging, connecting to serial ports, and to raw sockets.
In this article, you create your keys and then use them to connect to your server. You can use an SSH client to get a bash prompt on the Linux server or use a Secure FTP (SFTP) client to move files to and from the server.
What is SSH Key Pair?
SSH provides public-key authentication and password authentication, and encrypted data communications between the two systems connected over an open network. Secure shell protocol connections are encrypted using symmetric encryption, asymmetric encryption, and hashing.
Create SSH key pair on Windows
PuTTY is a free terminal emulator that can allow you to connect to a server via SSH and Telnet. It is a popular Windows terminal emulator, but not limited to the Windows operating systems.
Putty is the key generator tool that helps to generate public and private SSH keys. Putty is helpful in the file transfer protocol. Being free and open-source, it’s also popular with Linux users.
Steps to create SSH key pair on Windows
- Download and install PuTTY for your machine.
- Open PuTTY Key Generator. Under Parameters, select RSA.
- In the Number of bits in a generated key box, enter 2048.
- Select Generate.
- In the Key area, generate some random characters by moving the cursor over the blank area. Enter a Key passphrase and confirm it in the Confirm passphrase box.
- Note your passphrase for later use. Select Save public key, and save it to a location where you can access it.
- Select Save private key, and save it to a location where you can access it.
- Remember that it belongs with the public key.
Connect with SSH by using PuTTY
If you are on an identical network. Before you connect, you will need -
- PuTTY
- The IP address and username for the Linux System instance that uses an SSH public key as the Authentication type.
- Port 22 is to be open for the system.
- The private SSH key matched with the public key.
- The client computer that appears PuTTY is to be on the same network.
- Open PuTTY.
- In the Host Name (or IP address) box, enter the username and public IP address of the machine.
- Validate that the Port is 22 and the Connection type is SSH. In the Category tree, expand SSH and Auth.
- Next to the Private key file for authentication box, select Browse, and then search for the private key file of your public and private key pair.
- In the Category tree, select Session. Under Saved Sessions, enter a name for the session, and then select Save.
- In the Saved Sessions list, select the name of your session, and then select Load. Select Open. The SSH session opens.