SSH Client: Saving Server Configuration (Alias, Port, Username)

There may be occasions where you want to connect to a host with a long host name, for example ssh servername.example.com – now it’s not massive, but it’s not as quick as ssh servername If you’ve been following droptips.com, you’ll have noticed my other post about setting the port number in the SSH config file …

SSH Client: Automatically Connect to a Servers’ Non-Standard Port

If you run an SSH server, or many SSH servers, then you may have set the SSH daemon to run on a non-standard port. SSH normally listens on port 22, but with the large amount of script/bot attacks now on this port, attempting random logins, changing it to something different is a quick way to …

Command Help using Manual Pages (man) (OS X, Linux, BSD)

As you start using the command line, you’ll come across thousands of different commands, all with their own options and ways of taking options.  Every command is different, but help is on hand in the form of man pages. Manual Pages (or man page for short) are the documentation distributed with every command (or, at …

Wuff —- Wuff!! from Mac OS X to a Screen Session on Linux

If you use OS X, and manage multiple machines over SSH, you’ve probably come across and used screen. You may have noticed that if you SSH to a Linux host from Mac OS X, and try to use the backspace or tab key within a screen session, that you get the “Wuff —- Wuff!!” prompt at …

Framebuffer Resolution Codes (Linux Console)

If you’re used to running Framebuffer for higher resolution consoles within Linux console, then you’ll be used to the vga=xxx switch on your bootloader.  As this takes a three letter code for various resolutions, some may use vga=791 for example – but what if you want a different resolution?  You need a different code, which …

Vim Text Editor: Guides on how to use it

New users to Linux or BSD, will have no doubt come across Vim (or at least Vi). Vim is “Vi IMproved” – it’s simply an extended Vi. You’ll have probably had times when you need to do something very simple, such as Cut and Paste, and not been able to, just because you don’t know …

Basic Steps to Securing OpenSSH from Random Attacks

If you run an SSH server, and have left it on the default port, you’ll probably notice in time lots of login attempts. These login attempts will be from random IP addresses, and usually try lots of different username/password combinations, and hopefully failing. This article will focus on OpenSSH – I’m not sure if all …