Remote Connection Tutorial

Connecting from Linux

Connecting using a terminal/command line interface

  1. From a terminal type: 
    ssh -l username hostname
    • If you receive an error message that ends with Host key verification failed, and if you are connecting to a grouped machine such as snake.ece.ucdavis.edu, you will need to remove the offending ssh key. 
      ssh-keygen -R snake.ece.ucdavis.edu
    • If you aren’t connecting to a grouped machine, and you receive this message,
      please e-mail ece-support@ucdavis.edu
  2. Accept the RSA key.
  3. Login as you normally would with your ECE username & password.

Connecting to use Graphical Interfaces

  1. From a terminal in an X-windows environment type: 
    ssh -X -l username hostname
    • If you receive an error message that ends with Host key verification failed, and if you are connecting to a grouped machine such as snake.ece.ucdavis.edu, you will need to remove the offending ssh key. 
      ssh-keygen -R snake.ece.ucdavis.edu
    • If you aren’t connecting to a grouped machine, and you receive this message,
      please e-mail ece-support@ucdavis.edu
  2. Accept the RSA key.
  3. Login as you normally would with your ECE username & password.
  4. Run graphical applications from the terminal followed by an & (ampersand).
  • hostname is the name of an ECE machine listed here: Host Names

Connecting from Mac OS X

Connecting using a terminal/command line interface

  1. Go to Finder -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal and open the terminal.
  2. From the terminal type: 
    ssh -l username hostname
  3. If you receive an error message that ends with Host key verification failed, and if you are connecting to a grouped machine such as snake.ece.ucdavis.edu, you will need to remove the offending ssh key. 
    ssh-keygen -R snake.ece.ucdavis.edu
  4. Accept the RSA key.
  5. Login as you normally would with your ECE username & password.
  • hostname is the name of an ECE machine listed here: Host Names

Connecting from Windows

Installing MobaXterm on Windows 7

MobaXterm is a free SSH client and X server you can use from your personal computer to run software from ECE machines.

To download MobaXterm, go to http://mobaxterm.mobatek.net/download-home-edition.html and click on the first download link for MobaXterm v6.2 (installer):

MobaXtermdownloadAfter the installer finishes downloading, double-click it and follow the prompts to install MobaXterm.

Running MobaXterm

After installation, MobaXterm will place a shortcut on your desktop. Double-click to start MobaXterm. If Windows asks you to allow MobaXterm through your firewall, let it through.

At the command line, use ssh with the -l (lowercase L) option and your Kerberos login name to log into an ECE machine. For example:

ssh -l batman snake.ece.ucdavis.edu

MobaXterm will ask if you want to save your password.

Now you can run quartus, cscope, matlab, or any other ECE software from the command prompt. The new program windows will open on your desktop.


Secure File Transfer

The recommended and supported method to remotely access files is to use SCP or SFTP, which are functions of the SSH service.

SCP and SFTP on Linux
Fugu on Mac OS X
WinSCP on Windows

SCP and SFTP on Linux

SCP is used to securely copy and retrieve files from a host

  1. To upload a file from the local system 
    scp  SourceFile username@hostname:folder/TargetFile
  2. To upload a directory from the local system 
    scp -r SourceDir username@hostname:TargetDir
  3. To retrieve a file from the remote system 
    scp username@hostname:folder/SourceFile TargetFile

SFTP is used to securely connect to a host and interactively transfer files. It can also be used in the same manner and format as scp. NOTE: SFTP cannot copy directories.

  1. To connect to a host using sftp 
    sftp hostname
  2. Once connected, a call to help will show you the commands available 
    help
  3. But the basic command to retrieve a file will be 
    get path/SourceFilename
  4. And the basic command to upload a file will be 
    put path/SourceFilename

Please refer to Host Names for ECE hosts to connect to.

Fugu on Mac OS X

Users of Mac OS X can refer to Fugu for Mac OS X for secure file transfers.
Also refer to Host Names for ECE hosts to connect to.

WinSCP on Windows

Downloading & Installing WinSCP

Windows users can download and install the latest version of WinSCP in order to perform secure file transfers.

  1. Double-click the WinSCP installer
  2. Welcome to WinSCP Setup Wizard Screen
    • Click ‘Next’.
  3. License Agreement Screen
    • Click ‘Next’.
  4. Setup Type Screen
    • Leave the default as ‘Typical’ installation; Click ‘Next’.
  5. Initial User Settings Screen
    • Here you can choose a preferred interface for the program.
    • The default, ‘Norton Commander interface’, works well; Click ‘Next’.
  6. Ready to Install Screen
    • Click ‘Next’.
  7. Completing the WinSCP Setup Wizard Screen
    • Uncheck the box for ‘Launch WinSCP’; Click ‘Finish’.

Using WinSCP

  1. Once connected to a host, the interface lists the local directories on the left and the remote directories on the right.
  2. File transfers to and from the host can be accomplished by simply dragging and dropping files and/or folders between the interface divider.
  3. When you are finished with file transfers, you may exit the program as you would with any other program.

Please refer to Host Names for ECE hosts to connect to.

Related Links/Issues

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