Get up and running with PuTTY

If you use Windows, you most likely do not have an installed SSH client. PuTTY is a SSH client with support for Windows. So why do you need a SSH client, anyway? To connect to Columbia’s CUNIX servers, of course. Plus, the terminal makes you feel like your a real BAMF.

Columbia provides a link to PuTTY (you may be asked to enter your uni/password combo to download the file). You can also download PuTTY from the website of its creator. If you are unsure of which version to download, just choose PuTTY for Windows Intel x86.

CUIT download page for PuTTY

Once the download is complete, install the program. The default settings are fine – just keep on clicking next until the setup is complete.

Hopefully this is a familiar sight. If not, just click next.

Eventually, you will arrive at the screen below. Click finish and start  PuTTY.

Click "Finish". Now take a break after all that hard work, you deserve it!

The boxes marked with a red dot are fields that have been changed. Click the save button to save this session permanently. In the future, you can select “cunix” and load to load these settings.

These settings are important. Copy them as shown.

A window will pop up, asking you to authenticate the server’s host key. Click yes.

See, Windows IS secure.

Enter your user name when prompted.

It's like the Matrix, but without the white rabbit and red pills. You'll have to supply those yourself.

If you successfully followed each of these steps, you’re now connected to Columbia’s CUNIX server. What’s CUNIX you ask? Well, that’s a topic for another tutorial. To see how to use CUNIX to set up a personal website, click here.