[Contents] [Index]

About This Document>>     Installing SSH Tectia Client >>     Getting Started >>         Connecting to a Remote Host         Defining Quick Connect Options         Generating Keys >>         Enrolling Certificates >>         Uploading Your Public Key >>             Manually Copying the Key File             Manually Editing the Authorization File         Using Public-Key Authentication with SSH Accession Lite >>         Examples of Use     Configuring SSH Tectia Client >>     Connecting to a Remote Host Computer>>     Transferring Files>>     Tunneling Applications>>     GUI Reference>>     Troubleshooting >>     Command-Line Tools >>

Manually Editing the Authorization File

The authorization file can be edited locally on your own computer and then transferred to the remote host computer, or it can be edited directly on the remote host.

Editing the authorization file locally

1. Create a plain-text file called authorization on your local computer (for example using Notepad). In the text editor, add a new line containing the word key, a space and the file name of the public key. For example, if the public key file name is id_dsa_1024_a.pub, add the following line to the authorization file:

   key id_dsa_1024_a.pub
   

   (Substitute your public key filename for id_dsa_1024_a.pub.) If you have multiple key pairs which you use to authenticate yourself, put each on a separate line:

   key pub_key_one.pub 
   key pub_key_two.pub
   

2. Make sure to save the file as "authorization" (to omit the default file extension .txt, enclose the file name in quotation marks) and close the text editor.
3. Next, upload the authorization file to the ~/.ssh2 directory or, in case of a Windows Server, in the .ssh2 directory located under your user profile directory.

Editing the authorization file on a Unix server

Alternatively you can edit the authorization file remotely on a Unix server.

1. Connect to the host using the terminal window. Your home directory should contain the .ssh2 subdirectory (note that the first character of the folder name is a full stop).
2. First make sure that your current directory is your home directory. Type the following command after the remote host computer command prompt and press the Enter key:

   cd
   

3. Enter the .ssh2 subdirectory by issuing the following command at the command prompt:

   cd .ssh2
   

4. The .ssh2 directory should contain a text file called authorization. You have to edit the file and add your public key file name on a separate line in that file. If the authorization file does not exist yet, you will create it now.
5. Start a text editor by typing authorization as a parameter after the name of the text editor. For example, if your favorite text editor is Pico, type the following at the remote host computer's command prompt:

   pico authorization
   

6. In the text editor, add a new line containing the word key, a space and the file name of the public key. For example, if the public key file name is id_dsa_1024_a.pub, add the following line to the authorization file:

   key id_dsa_1024_a.pub
   

7. Now save the authorization file and exit the text editor.

When you log in the next time, public-key authentication should be working. If it does not work, check that you have typed the public key file name correctly in the authorization file, and that the correct public key file is located in the .ssh2 directory on the remote host computer. Also if you connected using the Quick Connect option, check that you have selected Public Key as the authentication method.