386+ Tools Comprehensive Tools for Webmasters, Developers & Site Optimization

SSH Config Generator - Generate ~/.ssh/config Entries

SSH Config Generator

Generate SSH configuration entries for easier server connections.

Short name to use when connecting
Server IP address or domain name

About SSH Config Files

The SSH config file (~/.ssh/config) allows you to create shortcuts for SSH connections, eliminating the need to remember complex connection parameters. It's especially useful when managing multiple servers.

Benefits

  • Simplicity: Connect with ssh myserver instead of ssh user@192.168.1.100 -p 2222 -i ~/.ssh/custom_key
  • Consistency: Always use the same settings for each server
  • Productivity: Save time when connecting frequently
  • Organization: Keep all connection details in one place
  • Security: Specify different keys for different servers

Common Configuration Options

Option Description Example
Host Alias name for the connection Host myserver
HostName Real hostname or IP address HostName 192.168.1.100
User Username to login as User ubuntu
Port SSH port (default: 22) Port 2222
IdentityFile Path to private key IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
ServerAliveInterval Keep connection alive (seconds) ServerAliveInterval 60
ForwardAgent Enable SSH agent forwarding ForwardAgent yes
LocalForward Port forwarding LocalForward 8080 localhost:80

Real-World Examples

Basic Server Connection
Host webserver
    HostName 192.168.1.100
    User deploy
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/webserver_key
    Port 22

Connect with: ssh webserver

Jump Host (Bastion)
Host bastion
    HostName bastion.example.com
    User admin
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/bastion_key

Host internal-server
    HostName 10.0.1.50
    User ubuntu
    ProxyJump bastion
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/internal_key

Connect through bastion: ssh internal-server

GitHub with Multiple Accounts
Host github-personal
    HostName github.com
    User git
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/github_personal

Host github-work
    HostName github.com
    User git
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/github_work

Clone with: git clone git@github-work:company/repo.git

Wildcards and Patterns

You can use wildcards to apply settings to multiple hosts:

Host *.example.com
    User admin
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/example_key

Host 192.168.1.*
    User root
    Port 2222

Host *
    ServerAliveInterval 60
    ServerAliveCountMax 3

Security Best Practices

  • File permissions: Set chmod 600 ~/.ssh/config
  • Key permissions: Private keys should be chmod 600
  • Use SSH keys: Disable password authentication when possible
  • Keep alive settings: Prevent connection timeouts
  • Organize by purpose: Group related hosts together with comments
  • Version control: Keep a backup of your config (remove sensitive data)
Quick Commands

Edit SSH config:

nano ~/.ssh/config

Set correct permissions:

chmod 600 ~/.ssh/config

Generate SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096

Copy key to server:

ssh-copy-id user@host

Test connection:

ssh -v hostname

List SSH keys:

ls -la ~/.ssh/
Troubleshooting

Connection refused:

  • Check if SSH service is running
  • Verify port number (default: 22)
  • Check firewall rules

Permission denied:

  • Check username
  • Verify SSH key permissions (600)
  • Ensure public key is in authorized_keys
Related Tools