Create SSH Key Pair Quick Start
This guide is specifically for creating a SSH Key Pair to connect remotely to a Constellation Network node. It is a general guide.
â—½ Learn SSH Keys (optional)
Detailed step-by-step guides can be found here.
â—½ Prepare to Create Key Pair
We need to open a command prompt or terminal window.
- Choose
- Windows
- Mac/Linux
â—½ Open a Command Prompt
From the Microsoft Windows start menu type in Command Prompt on the main search bar and select the Command Prompt icon.
C:\Users\myuser>
â—½ Open a Terminal Window
Click on the Launchpad icon on the Apple dock panel.
In the search bar at the top, enter in Terminal
myuser@myuser-MacBook ~ %
â—½ Create SSH Key Pair
- Choose
- Windows
- Mac/Linux
Change to the .ssh directory to simplify creation and future locating of your SSH key pairs.
cd .ssh
Error found
If you receive an error.
The system cannot find the path specified.
Please create the directory.
mkdir .ssh
Generatate SSH key.
ssh-keygen -b 4096 -C ConstellationNetwork
Generating public/private rsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (C:\Users\myuser/.ssh/id_rsa):
Choose a name for your key pair (use whatever name you would like.)
ConstellationNodeKeyPair
Enter a complex strong passphrase and confirm the passphrase.
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in ConstellationNodeKeyPair.pub
The key fingerprint is: SHA256: 13vaB0xApJUD13F+Lg9e1uA13rmXaticP0vQd13LBXNk
The key's randomart image is:
+---[RSA 4096]----+
(image code omitted)
+---[SHA256]------+
C:\Users\myuser\.ssh>
We are in the .ssh directory off the root of the user's home directory.
We can do a directory listing to review our newly created key pair.
Dates, times, and file sizes may/will not match, for example only.dir
Volume Serial Number is XXX-XXXX
directory of C:\Users\myuser\.ssh
XX/XX/XXXX 09:00 AM <DIR>
XX/XX/XXXX 09:00 AM <DIR>
XX/XX/XXXX 09:00 AM Â Â Â 3,434 ConstellationNodeKeyPair
XX/XX/XXXX 09:00 AM Â Â Â Â Â 734 ConstellationNodeKeyPair.pub
C:\Users\myuser\.ssh>
Change to the .ssh directory to simplify creation and future locating of your SSH key pairs.
cd .ssh
Error found
If you receive an error.
mkdir .ssh
Generatate SSH key.
ssh-keygen -C ConstellationNetwork
Generating public/private ed25519 key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/Users/myuser/.ssh/id_ed25519):
Choose a name for your key pair (use whatever name you would like.)
ConstellationNodeKeyPair
Enter a complex strong passphrase and confirm the passphrase.
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in ConstellationNodeKeyPair.pub
The key fingerprint is: SHA256: 13vaB0xApJUD13F+Lg9e1uA13rmXaticP0vQd13LBXNk
The key's randomart image is:
+---[ED25519 256]----+
(image code omitted)
+---[SHA256]------+
myuser@myuser-MacBook .ssh %
We are in the .ssh directory off the root of the user's home directory. We can do a directory listing to review our newly created key pair.
ls -l
total XXX
-rw--------- 1 myuser myuser   464 Mon XX 09:00 ConstellationNodeKeyPair
-rw--------- 1 myuser myuser   102 Mon XX 09:00 ConstellationNodeKeyPair.pub
myuser@myuser-MacBook .ssh %
â—½ Update Notes
Create a notes document or update your notes documentation with your new information:
- public key name
- private key name
- local location for your keys
- SSH key passphrase
â—½ Creation Complete!
You should now have your SSH private and public keys properly created and ready for use in your .ssh subdirectory under your local computer's user account.
If you have reached this page from the VPS Build Quick Start guide, you can return to the document here.