How to SSH From Within Google Chrome

This guide will take you step by step through the process of using SSH from within the Google Chrome web browser.

Please note: the screenshots used in this guide are from Chrome on a Mac – the steps and actual ‘screen content’ will be identical if you’re using Windows, Linux or Chrome OS.

1. As with many of the amazing things you can do using Google Chrome, this one is accomplished via an extension, specifically the very descriptively named Secure Shell Extension. It installs as any other Chrome extension – just click the Add to Chrome button on the extension home page.



2. Once the installation has completed, click the new Secure Shell Extension icon from the Chrome Menu.



3. A small window will appear – click the Connection Dialog link.



4. A new browser window will appear. Here you go! You can use the up/down and left/right arrows on your keyboard to navigate to each field – or your mouse.


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5. After you’ve filled in each field (or at least these 3: username@hostname or free form text, username and hostname) hit the enter key on your keyboard (or click the [ENTER] Connect button)


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6. The first time you use Secure Shell Extension you’ll be asked if you’d like to open future SSL links using the Secure Shell Extension extension. If you do, click Allow – otherwise Block (which won’t really block anything, it’ll just leave whatever your current default App for opening SSL links as the default).



7. Now you’ll be connected to the SSL server and be prompted with a request for your password. At this point you’ll be using a fully functional Terminal.


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8. After you’re done and disconnect, you can reconnect by selecting that entry in the Secure Shell Extension menu.