Quick Introduction

WP.pro allows secure server connections via Secure Shell (SSH), providing terminal access and forming the basis for secure data transfer between popular FTP programs and WP.pro servers.

SSH offers secure access to the WP.pro server without needing a password, using an SSH key instead. Within WP.pro, passwords are deemed insecure and are not used for server access. Don’t worry, we’ll simplify the process for you.

Step 1 - Generating SSH Key Pairs

Windows (PowerShell)

Open PowerShell by pressing Win + X and selecting Windows PowerShell from the menu. To create an SSH key pair, type

ssh-keygen -t ecdsa -b 521

and follow the on-screen instructions, pressing Enter for the default paths and options (do not set a passphrase).

To display the public key, type

notepad C:\Users\WINUSER/.ssh/id_ecdsa.pub

Highlight the displayed key and copy it using Ctrl + C.

Mac / Linux

Open the terminal by pressing Cmd + Space, typing Terminal, and pressing Enter (or press Ctrl+Alt+T on Linux). To create an SSH key pair, type

ssh-keygen -t ecdsa -b 521

and follow the on-screen instructions, pressing Enter for the default paths and options (do not set a passphrase).

To display the public key, type

cat ~/.ssh/id_ecdsa.pub

Highlight the displayed key and copy it using Cmd + C.

Step 2 - Adding the Public Key to Your Site

After generating your SSH key pair, add your public key to your site’s secure keys for password-free authentication.

Log in to the WP.pro Console.
In the left navigation, click on Security.
In the WP.pro box, go to Secure Access (SSH) Keys and click the Edit button.
On the SSH keys page, click the Add + button.
Paste the previously created SSH public key into the input field and save it.

Step 3 - Configure your Client App

Of course - first of all you need user username, a hostname to connect to and perhaps a root folder that your app might require. You can get those information on the WP.pro Console via the Dashboard view of your site under File & Terminal Access.

Option A - Using a SFTP compatible File Transfer App

Open the file transfer app of your choice,

Add new server
Fill in your username and hostname
Select protocol SFTP (if applicable)
Select authentication method "Public key" (if applicable)
Select your Private Key (as created above: C:\Users\WINUSER/.ssh/id_ecdsa on windows, or ~/.ssh/id_ecdsa on Linux/Mac)
Click to the connect button

Option B - Using SSH/SCP on a Terminal

Example - List the webroots folder

ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_ecdsa #username#@#unique-host-id#.wp.pro "ls -al webroot/*"

Example - Connect to the server via SSH

ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_ecdsa #username#@#unique-host-id#.wp.pro

Example - Using SCP

You can also use the scp command to transfer files/folders to and from the server with a blink of an eye. LinuxBlog.io created a wonderful example page on how to use scp. Please make sure that you're using scp in conjunction with -i ~/.ssh/id_ecdsa as well.