How to Use SSH on Windows PuTTY: Generate Public/Private Key Pair & File

PuTTY is the go-to SSH client for Windows users who want to connect securely to remote servers. This step-by-step guide will show you how to download, install, and configure PuTTY for SSH connections, ensuring a smooth and secure experience.

Create a public/private key pair.

Creating a public/private key pair from cPanel for use with PuTTY requires a few steps. Here is a detailed guide to assist you through the process:

Step 1: Accessing the cPanel

Login to cPanel:

Open your web browser and navigate to the cPanel login page. Typically, this is accessed through a URL provided by your hosting provider (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/cpanel).

Enter your username and password to log in to cPanel.

Step 2: Generating the Key Pair

1. Locate and Open SSH Access:

   • In the cPanel dashboard, search for or navigate to "SSH Access" or "SSH Keys". This may be under the "Security" or "Advanced" section, depending on your cPanel theme.

1. Generate a new key pair:

   • Find the option to "Generate a New Key" or "Generate a New Key Pair.".
   • Choose the key type (RSA is typical and widely supported).
   • Enter a "Key Name" (a label to identify this key in cPanel).

2. Configure Key Strength and Passphrase:

   • Select the desired "Key Size" (2048-bit is commonly used for strong security).
   • Optionally, enter a "Key Password" (passphrase) for added security. Make sure to remember this passphrase, as you'll need it to use the private key later.

3. Generate the key:

   • Click "Generate Key" or "Generate" to create your public/private key pair.

The location of the newly generated public and private keys will be displayed, along with the key fingerprint.

• Click Go Back.

• Next to the public key you generated, click Manage.

• Click Authorize to activate this public key.

Step 3: Downloading the Private Key

1. Download the Private Key:

   • Locate the newly generated key pair in the cPanel interface.

   • Find the private key associated with the public key you generated.

   • Click "View/Download" or "Download" to save the private key (id_rsa file) to your computer.

   Note: The private key should be kept secure and never shared publicly.

   

    

   

Step 4: Using PuTTY with Your Key Pair

1. Visit the official website:

   • Head over to the PuTTY download page.
   • Download the appropriate installer for your version of Windows.

2. Installation Process:

   • Run the installer and follow the prompts to install PuTTY on your system.
   • Once installed, you can find PuTTY in your Start menu or on your desktop.

Step 5: Configuring PuTTY to Use Your Private Key

1.Configure PuTTY:

1. • Open PuTTY.
   • In the "Session" category, enter your server's hostname or IP address.

2. Load your private key:

• • In the "Connection" > "SSH" > "Auth" category:
    • Click "Browse" and select your converted private key file (id_rsa.ppk).
    • Save your session settings by returning to the "Session" category and entering a name under "Saved Sessions,"  then clicking "Save.".

    • Connect using PuTTY:

      • Click "Open" to start the SSH connection.
      • If prompted, enter the username associated with your server.

1. Click the Save private key button to create the PPK file.

   • Under SSH, choose the second option from the Preferred SSH Protocol Version.
   • Under SSH -> Auth, specify where your private key can be found. Remember, this is where you saved the private key on your local computer.
   • Click Browse to locate the file on your computer.

After successfully completing all processes, we must apply logic with Cpanel credentials.

Conclusion

These steps will assist you in generating a public/private key pair from cPanel, converting PuTTY's private key, and configuring PuTTY to connect to your server securely via SSH. This procedure ensures a safer and more dependable remote server access experience by strengthening security by using cryptographic keys for authentication instead of passwords.