Using Putty

PuTTY is a free terminal program for Windows that allow you to log into your unix account securely from the internet, with all data between you and electron encrypted. It can be downloaded from our local Handy Software Page or directly from the PuTTY homepage.

Note: To access our handy software page from outside the local network, you will need a password: email us and we'll let you know what it is. This is to prevent us from being prosecuted and put in jail over US encryption export laws.

Installing is easy: simply download the executable and put it on your desktop: PuTTY is now installed!

When you click on the PuTTY icon, it will pop up this window:

To connect to a machine using ssh, enter the machine name in the box, click on the "SSH" protocol button, and hit "Open" at the bottom.

If you want, before clicking on open, you can give the session a name by typing into the "Stored Sessions" box, and then hitting "Save". This will save the information you just entered for future sessions. This means that next time, you just have to double click on the session name, and it will open up a connection. If you want to modify a session you previously saved, click on the session name and click on load. Then change the details you want and click on save.

After you open a session, you will be given this window:

Here you type your username. It will then ask you for a password. Once you will have logged into the new electron, you will see something like the following in you PuTTY window:

To change your password, type "passwd" at the prompt, enter you old password, and enter your new password twice:

Now, you are done! You can exit by typing "exit".