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How to upload and download files to a server with sftp (over the SSH protocol)

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I have blogged about http://c9.io before and how it makes managing a remote Ubuntu server easier. Recently AWS acquired C9 and integrated it into AWS. This has triggered me to find a more open/free way to connect to my servers. I like AWS but I can tell that C9 will someday block you from talking to non-AWS servers.

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C9 Aquisition

C9 on AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/cloud9/?origin=c9io

C9 Aquisition: https://c9.io/announcement

I have blogged about connecting to an AWS EC2 instance with C9 (before AWS acquired C9), The quickest way to set up a scalable development IDE and web server when I was using Digital Ocean Servers, How to buy a new domain (dedicated server from digital ocean) and add an SSL certificate from NameCheap but when I moved to Vultr serves I decided to ditch C9 and save $9 a month.  I got used to setting up an SSH connection, using rmate to edit remote files locally with Sublime and SSH’ing into the box with vSSH on OSX but nothing replaced the C9 file management experience.

C9 was a good IDE (but recent price hikes and AWS purchase have made me cautious).

C9

Uploading files without C9 to Ubuntu

Uploading files from an OSX laptop to a remote Ubuntu server is possible with the SCP command

Server Actions (to upload the old way, with scp)

There has to be a better way

I have used the Forklift 3 program before (my review here) and in recent google searches, it was suggested that Forklift best SFTP program on OSX. Yay. This unix.stackexchange.com thread mentions the difference between SFTP and SSH.

Below are the steps to use SFTP in Foftlift 3 on OSX to connect to a Vultr server (you could use Digital Ocean). Ensure you have a working SSH connection setup from your server to your local OSX.

Setting up an SFTP Connection in Forklift 3

Read my Forklift 3 guide here first.

Update your Forklift to the latest version.

Add a Favorite in Forklift 3

Add Favorite

Name the connection

Name the connection

In Forklift edit the connection

Edit

Specify SFTP and your servers working SSH username and password, and “/” folders

Settings

Save.

Double Click the entry to connect to your server.

Connected

To upload or download files with Forklift over SFTP, simply drag and drop.

Upload

Simple

Upload

You can now use Forklift to navigate folders, delete files, set remote file permissions all from a GUI. You can still use SSH CLI and or Sublime.

Quik Edit works too.

Quick Edit

Nice, this gives me a convenient GUI way to upload, download and edit files instead of via CSP/SSH/CLI.

Now is there an SFTP plugin for Sublime?

More to come soon.

 

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Revision History

v1.0 Initial Draft

 

Connect to a remote server with ssh keys generated on OSX

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Below is the way I connect to a remote server via SSH keys generated on OSX.

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Setting up a server

When you set up an Ubuntu server on Vultr (read my guide on setting up a Vultr server for as low as $2.5 a month) or Digital Ocean (use this link to get two months free when you setup an Ubuntu server on digital ocean) you can specify an SSH key to use for remote connections during the server create stage (old guide here).

How to create an SSH key on OSX to use to connect to a remote server

Run the following command (“sudo ssh-keygen -t rsa“) to generate an ssh key paid in “~/.ssh/” on OSX.

TIP: It is a good idea to also generate a passphrase to use with the key (double protection). You will be prompted to enter this password to use the RSA key.

You can now see the generated keys in ~/.ssh/

You can view the contents of the public file (you can use this when generating Digital Ocean, Vultr, AWS or Azure or other cloud servers).

fyi: Replace 123.123.123.123 with your remote serves ip.

How to connect to a server (the old way).

As long as your host added the desired public ssh key file contents to the server (adding the public ssh key contents to “~/.ssh/authorized_keys” you will be able to connect to the server.

Run the following command on OSX command line to connect to the server via SSH.

You should see..

Congratulations, you should now be able to connect to your server via SSH.

Securing your ubuntu Server

Read my guides here, here and here.

Don’t forget to add a firewall and set up an SSL certificate.

How to connect to a server (faster way).

todo: ~/.ssh/config method

Now we can connect to your remote server with the shorter method.

todo: ~/.ssh/config method

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Revision History

v1.0 Initial Post

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How to use Sublime Text editor locally to edit code files on a remote server via SSH

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This guide will show you how to use Sublime Text editor locally to edit code files on a remote server via SSH.

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This guide assumes oy already have a working SSH connection between your Mac and your remote server (with no firewall issues) and have configured SSH keys via modifying to authorized_keys file to enable SSH access.

Need a server?

I now use UpCLoud for cloud servers as they are super fast (read the blog post here). Get $25 free credit by signing up at UpCloud using this link.

UpCloud is way faster than Vulr.

Upcloud Site Speed in GTMetrix

Setting up slower region specific servers can be found here. Set up a Server on Vultr here for as low as $2.5 a month or set up a Server on Digital Ocean (and get the first 2 months free ($5/m server)). I have a guide on setting up a Vultr server here or Digital Ocean server here.  Don’t forget to add a free LetsEncrypt SSL Certificate and secure the server (read more here and here).

Buy a domain name from Namecheap here.

Domain names for just 88 cents!

Setting up your local machine

Open Sublime Text 3 and press COMMAND+SHIFT+P to bring up the command bar and type Install and click Package Control: Install    Package and click it.

Sublime instal package

Wait a  few seconds for the packages list to show and type “rsub”

Sublime Install RSUB

Ok let’s make an SSH alias to your server on your Mac by typing “sudo nano ~/.ssh/config”

SSH Alias

Make these changes

ssh alias

File contents:

Now we can connect to the server via SSH by typing “ssh mysrv”

ssh connect

After typing the server’s password you will be connected to the ssh server

Now on your local Mac load the following page in a web browser (and review the code): https://raw.github.com/aurora/rmate/master/rmate  and copy the contents to the clipboard.

On the remote server (the SSH one) type:

Now paste the contents or this page into nano editor and save it and exit nano.

Now run this chmod command to make the rmate file executable.

Now on the server, we can open any text file with rmate and have it open locally in Sublime via SSH.  Yes, Open a  file on a server and have it automatically open in locally 🙂

SSH

If you have many files to open then create a bash file to open files with rmate

Contents:

File permissions:

Now we can open may remote files locally by running the bash script.

All saves in Sublime locally are sent to the server 🙂

e.g

 

 

Still here, read more articles here or use the form below to ask a question or recommend an article.

Port Forwarding with vSSH on OSX

If you use a third party ssh program like vSSH you will also need to setup port forwarding to avoid this error

How.

port forward

Now you can open remote files locally with SSH or vSSH too.

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v1.4 Added UpCloud Info.

v1.3 vSSH Port forwarding.

Connecting to an AWS EC2 Ubuntu instance with Cloud 9 IDE as user ubuntu and root

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Recently I setup and Amazon EC2 Ubuntu Server instance and wanted to connect it to the awesome Cloud 9 IDE. I was sick of interacting with a server through terminal windows.

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Use this link and get $19 free credit with Cloud 9: https://c9.io/c/DLtakOtNcba

c9io15-004

Cloud 9 IDE (sample screenshot)

C9 IDE

Previously I was using Digital Ocean (my Digital Ocean setup guide here) and this was simple, you get a VM and you have a root account and you do what you want.  Amazon AWS however, have extra layers of security that prevent logging in as root via SSH and that can be a pain with Cloud 9 as your workspace tree is restricted to the ~/ (home) folder.

Below are the steps you need to connect to an AWS instance with user “ubuntu” and “root” with Cloud 9.

Connecting to an AWS instance with Cloud 9 as user “ubuntu”

1. Purchase and set-up your AWS instance (my guide here).

2. You need to be able to login to your AWS server from a terminal prompt (from OSX).  This may include opening port 22 the AWS Security Group panel. Info on SSH logins here.

3. On your AWS server (from step 2) Install NodeJS.

You will know node is installed if you get a version returned when typing the following bash command.

tip: If node is not installed you can run the Cloud 9 pre-requisites script (that includes node).

4. Ensure you have created SSH key on Cloud 9 (guide here).

5. Copy your Cloud 9 SSH key to the clipboard.

6. On your AWS server (in step 2) edit the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file and paste in the Cloud 9 SSH key (after you AWS key pair that was added from the setup of AWS) to a new line and save the file.

7. Log in to Cloud 9 and click create Workspace then Remote SSH Workspace.

  • Name your workspace (all lowercase and no spaces).
  • Username: ubuntu
  • Hostname: Add your AWS ec2 server hostname.
  • Initial Path: This has to be ~/

c9io15-000

8. Click Create Workspace

c9io15-002

9. If all goes well you will have a prompt to install the prerequisites.

c9io15-001

If this fails check out the Cloud 9 guide here.

Troubleshooting: I had errors like “Project directory does not exist or is not writable and “Unable to change File System Path in SSH Workspace” because I was trying to set the workspace path as “/” (this is not possible on AWS with the “ubuntu” account.

10. Now you should have a web-based IDE that allows you to browse your server, create and edit files, run termials instances that will reconnect if your net connection or browser tab drops out (you can even go to a different machine and continue with your session).

c9io15-003

Connecting to an AWS instance with Cloud 9 as user “root

Connecting to your server as the “ubuntu” server is fine if you just need to work in your “ubuntu” home folder.  As soon as you want to start changing other settings outside of your home folder you are stuck.  Granting “ubuntu” higher privileges server wide is a bad idea so here is how you can enable “root” login via SSH access.

WARNING: Logging in as ROOT IS BAD, you should only allow Root Login for short periods and it is advisable to remove root login abilities as soon as you do not need them or in production.

Having root access while developing or building a new server saves me bucket loads of time so lets allow it.

1. Follow step 1 to 5 in the steps above (setup AWS, ssh access via terminal, install node, create cloud 9 ssh key, copy the cloud 9 ssh key to the clipboard).

2. SSH to your AWS server and edit the following file:

Save.

3. Backup your root authorised keys file

4. Edit the root authorized_keys file and paste in your Cloud 9 SSH Key.

c9io15-005

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5. Now you can create a Cloud 9 Connection to your server with root

  • Name your workspace (all lowercase and no spaces).
  • Username: root
  • Hostname: Add your AWS ec2 server hostname.
  • Initial Path: This has to be /

c9io15-007

tip:  If you have not added you SSH key correctly you will receive this error when connecting.

c9io15-006

6. You should now be able to connect to AWS ec2 instances with Cloud 9 as root and configure/do anything you want without switching to shell windows.

c9io15-009

Security

As a precaution, do check your website often in https://www.shodan.io and see if it has open software or is known to hackers. 
Enjoy

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 V1.6 security