Remote Access

If you want to connect to the CS machines from your dorm room or home, you will need either a web browser or the SSH program on your system. It is considered secure because all communications done through SSH are encrypted.

• Web Based GUI -- Remote Desktop Access from a Browser
• Command Line -- Remote Shell Access using SSH

• Setting up SSH Keys on Linux or Mac
• Setting up SSH Keys with PuTTY on MS Windows

If you want to SSH into a CS Department lab or classroom you need to “jump” through the remote bastion server, hostname=mote. Logically, what you are trying to achieve is

                                     ssh:443                    ssh:22
   your device (outside CS network) ----------> mote (mote01) ----------> CS workstation

First set up keys on your personal device and install the public key in your CS account in your ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. Then, when you are logged into a CS Dept system create another set of keys on the CS Dept computer and add that public key to your ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file.

Once you have your keys in place you should be able to SSH to mote and then to any CS lab or classroom workstation using just your SSH keys. But this requires you to manually SSH 2x.

     (your device)$ ssh -p 443 username@mote.cs.vassar.edu 
     (mote)$ ssh workstation
     (workstation)$ 

Can we make this easier? Yes we can! You can create a file named “config” under ~/.ssh as ~/.ssh/config with the following information

     (your device))$ cat  ~/.ssh/config
     ### The Bastion Hosts
     Host mote
       HostName mote.cs.vassar.edu
       Port 443
       
     ### The Remote Host
     Host workstation
       HostName workstation.cs.vassar.edu
       ProxyJump mote

So now when you

       (your device) $ ssh workstation
       (workstation) $
       

from your device, the config file will be consulted and it will SSH into hostname=mote as a proxy and then SSH into the target device hostname=workstation using your SSH keys.