Login Into Unix Shell

How to login to a unix shell ?

Before you can begin to use the system you will need to have a valid username and a password on the shell (Shell Account). You can try to find a free one from the article titled Free shells if you haven't had it yet.
Now, assuming you have had an account already, know that there are two programs you need in order to use your shell account : a telnet client and a FTP client. Telnet is used for performing commands on the shell, while FTP is used for transferring files between the shell and your computer. Windows has a built-in telnet program, but we recommend you to use one good popular available telnet program called putty. Many shells support a secure telnet protocol called SSH (Secure SHell protocol). This works in basically the same way as telnet, but everything is encrypted for better security. If your shell supports SSH, it's a good idea to use putty instead of regular telnet. And in this simple tutorial we will use this program as Telnet client and FileZilla as FTP client.

Login to shell using Putty

What you need to do is to run the putty.exe and fill the shell hostname or its Ip Address and the port then click the "Open" button when it's ready. Below is the first dialog looks like when you run putty.exe:
Putty Configuration

1. Hostname : put the supported host or Ip Address given by its shell provider.
2. The port is set to 22 by default for SSH connection type but you have to follow another option if the shell has its own port.
3. Click the "Open" button when it's ready.

By clicking the "Open" button you will be prompted to enter your valid username and the password.

Putty : Try to login.


Just make sure you put the right informations about your account in order to be able to get started using the shell.

Putty : Logged in.


That's enough to login to the shell. You might want to learn how to use your shell with its commands just read the Basic Unix Commands, it's easy and simple to capture!.

Login to shell using FileZilla

Once you have FileZilla as FTP client installed on your computer, run it and fill all requested informations about the shell such hostname, username, password and the port just like what we do via putty then click "QuickConnect" button. See this simple screenshot that I've taken from my own shell :

FileZilla


As we know that FileZilla as FTP client program is used for transferring files between the shell and our computer. With this program we will be able to :

1. Upload files from our computer to the shell directory.
2. Download files from our shell directiory to our computer.
3. View/ edit files.
4. Create directories.
5. and much more menus are available provided by this program.