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ssh_explanation.md

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SSH Explanation

This document gives a basic understanding on how SSH works, and then zooms in the 1 step of the SSH process that is relevant to this repository; copying the public key into the follower device. Below are some frequently asked questions.

Initial Setup (what this repository does for you)

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The relevant part is step 3. because you can copy the public key into the in different ways using this repository:

  • Manually, just type it in with --leader-public-key somelongkeywithalotofdigits when you run this on the Follower.

  • Manually, if you have physical access, you can copy the public key using a USB stick and give the path to that file with --leader-public-key-path /your/drive/public.key when you run this on the Follower.

  • Automatically, if you already have SSH access set up to the follower, e.g. over wifi or lan, type:

    --ssh-follower-username the_ubuntu_username_of_your_follower
--ssh-follower-address the_ip_address_of_your_follower

  • Automatically, if you want this repo to try and set up local SSH access into the follower, type:

    --ssh-follower-username the_ubuntu_username_of_your_follower
--ssh-follower-address the_ip_address_of_your_follower

Usage

For completeness here is a diagram on what happens when you do ssh name@ip_address:

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FAQ

You may wonder why would you want to setup SSH access when you already have local SSH access?

  • Mainly because it is the easiest self-hosted SSH setup that works anywhere (with Tor access) on Earth, with the tor network as sole dependency.
  • Maybe you travel with your Follower (or Leader, or both), and would simply always like to have SSH access without hassle, e.g. from phone into your laptop, or the other way round.
  • You may not feel the need to pay for NGROK.
  • You may not feel the need to buy/register a domain name.
  • You may not feel the need to host/setup a DNS for your domain name.
  • Your house/apartment/flat/planet/internet location/island may pile all your devices onto a single public IP without providing you port-forwarding options.
  • Your house/apartment/flat/planet/internet location/island may not allow picking your own public static void IP address, meaning you cannot consistently SSH access into your Follower device.
  • Your Follower device might change IP-addresses when it resets.