Add your first host in easySSH

An easySSH host is an entry in your existing ~/.ssh/config file. Once it is saved, you can open it from easySSH or use the same alias with the system ssh command in Terminal.

What you need

Ask the server provider or administrator for:

• the server hostname or IP address
• your username on that server
• the SSH port, if it is not the default port 22
• the private key to use, if the server requires key authentication

The private key remains on your Mac. Never send it or its passphrase to Corebird support. If the required key does not exist yet, follow Create an SSH key before completing the host entry.

Alias and server are different

The alias is the short name you choose for the connection. The server field contains the real network address. For example:

Host project-docs
    HostName server.example.com
    User project-user
    Port 22
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Here, project-docs is the alias and server.example.com is the server. After saving, the command ssh project-docs uses all values from this entry. The alias does not need to match the server name.

Add the host

1. Open the easySSH manager from the menu bar icon.
2. Select the Hosts section.
3. Choose the plus button or New Host.
4. Replace the temporary alias with a short name you will recognise.
5. Enter the real hostname or IP address in Server.
6. Enter the account name in User.
7. Enter the port supplied by the administrator. Leave the default value unchanged when the server uses port 22.
8. Select the private key for this account when key authentication is required.
9. Add a jump host only when the server setup requires ProxyJump.
10. Press Command-S to save the entry.

easySSH saves changes only when you press Command-S. Before that, Connect and Test remain unavailable because OpenSSH still sees the previous version of the file.

Open the connection

Select the saved host and choose Connect. easySSH opens Terminal or iTerm2, according to your settings, and enters the SSH command for the alias.

On the first connection, OpenSSH may display a host-key fingerprint. Compare it with a value from the server provider or administrator before accepting it. If OpenSSH says an existing host key has changed, stop and verify the new fingerprint through a separate trusted channel. Do not bypass that warning.

The entry is ready when the terminal opens a session to the expected server. You can also choose Test. A successful test confirms that the alias signs in without an interactive prompt.

If it does not work

Connect is unavailable: Save the entry with Command-S. easySSH does not connect with values that exist only in the editor.

The hostname cannot be resolved: Check the Server field for spelling errors. Confirm whether the provider expects a hostname or an IP address.

The connection is refused or times out: Check the port, network connection, VPN and server availability. A refusal usually means that no SSH service is listening on that port.

Authentication is refused: Confirm the username, selected private key and whether its public key is installed for that server account. A passphrase-protected key that is not in ssh-agent can fail the non-interactive test even though Connect works and lets you enter the passphrase.

For details on backups, advanced options and edits made in another program, read Edit your SSH config safely.