SSH command for MAC OS X terminal app
Are you used to just pulling up Putty every time you need to SSH into a switch, router or server, but now you are using a MAC? Me too! Since I have switched to a Macbook Pro as my primary device from time to time I have needed to quickly access network gear via SSH instead of clear text Telnet and needed a quick solution. Sure I have SecureCRT and it is definitely my favorite terminal emulator hands down especially since they added tabs just like you are used to seeing in Chrome or FireFox! Here is a link to it if you have never used or heard of it http://www.vandyke.com/products/securecrt/. It isn’t free but most things worth using aren’t in my opinion 🙂
Why not use some other program or free app you ask to replace Putty? Because I love the look and feel of the built-in terminal app that comes with MAC OS X. Also my favorite window setting is “Pro” It is a transparent command prompt type window that you can see the text in the window behind it. It is really great for needing to reference previous code or Cisco how to articles and not have to open and close windows continuously. Also of course I have Parallels loaded for mainly ADUC tasks only and yes Putty is installed on there in case all else fails. But I doubt that is going to happen. Last but not least if you have SecureCRT why do you need to use another app? Sometimes I need multiple windows instead of tabs and terminal is quick and easy. I also wanted to help point other Network Engineers/Admins/Analysts/Techs in the right direction to use a free built-in app that comes with MAC OS X!
Anyway here is a short and quick command to type into the terminal program on your MAC OS X:
user$ ssh -l “username” “IPAddress”
Example:
ssh -l admin 192.168.1.1
Immediately you should be prompted to enter in a password on the next line if SSH is enabled on the device you are trying to access and you have the correct IP Address. And that -l up above is a lower case “L”
Stay tuned for more and more how to articles to come including a lot on Cisco CCNP Routing & Switching material!
Craig Ellegood, CCNP 