Learn how to access your remote hosting server via SSH by learning how to SSH on Windows. By using SSH, we can gain access to our hosting server and run commands remotely.
For Windows, we will be using an SSH client called PuTTY.
How To SSH On Windows – Requirements
You will need two things to be able to SSH on Windows. An SSH client (PuTTY) and your SSH credentials. You can find (or create) your SSH credentials in your hosting control panel. In Hostinger (hosting that allows SSH for shared hosting!) your SSH credentials can be managed at Websites > Your Website > Advanced > SSH.
How To SSH On Windows Using PuTTY
Once downloaded and installed, open the PuTTY program. It can be a little confusing at first, but is really quite simple to use. Just enter your SSH information, including:
- Hostname (or IP)
- Port
- Connection type
- Username
After entering your information, enter a name in “Saved Sessions” box. This name should be something identifiable like the name of your website. If I were saving a session for this website’s hosting, I would name it “Scott’s Web Dev”.
Once you’ve entered a name, hit “Save”.
By saving this session, you don’t have to enter your SSH information every time you want to connect to this server. In the future you would just select your saved session, hit load, and then hit connect.
But since this is your first time, after saving, just hit “Connect”.
Once you hit connect, a terminal will appear and prompt you for your username and password. Again, these credentials can be found and managed in your hosting control panel.
Upon successful login you will be in your hosting server via SSH
SSH Is A Powerful Tool
While just connecting to your server via SSH is not dangerous at all, connecting via SSH allows you to run commands and manage the remote server. There are lots of good and bad things you can do here.
Never run a command that you aren’t completely sure of what it does.
Always backup your website and database (or backup with a plugin) before running any unknown or potentially dangerous commands.
More System Administration
See more system adminstration articles like How To Use FTP. Subscribe to ScottsWeb.Dev on YouTube.