Instructions for using PuTTY

After downloading the putty.exe program to your desktop from the following URL:
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html,
you can use PuTTY to logon to remote computers as well as run a single command on a remote server.

Logging on to a Remote Machine

To use PuTTY to logon to a remote machine, bring up the application by double-clicking its icon.
You will see the following main window:

Two fields need to be addressed:

In the Host Name field type in the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of the remote server to which you wish to connect. (You may also type in the IP address of the remote machine.)

The Port field may be filled in by clicking on the SSH radio button located right below the Port text box.

So that you don't have to enter this information every time you wish to connect to your server using PuTTY, you can save this configuration by typing an appropriate name in the Saved Sessions text box and then clicking the Save button.
In the future, you can select the name you chose in the list box and click the Load button to initialize this particular configuration.

Now, to connect to the remote server, simply click the Open button at the bottom of the dialog box. A new terminal window will pop up and ask you to log in.

Running a Command on a Remote Machine

PuTTY may also be used to run some command residing on the remote server. After specifying the command line you want to run, you will be asked for your account name and password, and then the command you specified will execute. When it completes, your session will terminate, and your window will either close or remain open depending on how you configure the session. Here are the steps:

  1. Bring up the PuTTY application and select the server you wish to connect to.
  2. At the bottom of the dialog box in the section titled: Close window on exit, select the Never radio button. This will keep the window open after the command has finished executing so that you can see any results in the terminal window.
  3. In the menu bar along the left side of the dialog box, click the SSH menu near the bottom. The following screen will be presented:
  4. Into the textbox titled, Remote command type the full command line you wish to have executed on the remote machine.
  5. You are now ready to execute this command on the remote machine, simply click the Open button at the bottom of the dialog.
  6. You will have to provide an account name and password in the terminal window to complete the process.