SSH key asking for passphrase on Unix but not Window

Question

I have this weird problem. I am using SSH key to connect to my-server. I have generated both public and private key without password and my public key is installed on my-server. I can connect to my-server from my local (Window 7) using private key but when I am trying to connect from a remote-server (Linux to Unix ) to my-server using the same key it is asking for password. I am using following command.

sftp -o "IdentityFile=<location-of-key>" user_id@server.name.com



 my-local: Window 7
 remote-server: Suse Linux 11 (x86_64)
 my-server: SunOS

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:41

4

When you connect from Linux, you need to convert the private key from ppk format (understood by windows programs) to openssh format.

There is answer for this question on Stack Overflow.

You need to:

Go to Conversions->Export OpenSSH and export your private key from PuttyGEN after loading your PRIVATE key.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:41

Community

1

answered Oct 13 '15 at 17:53

Jakuje

10,303

PalSivertsen · Answer 2 · 2015-10-13T17:27:27.227

0

Try using:

sftp -i "<location-of-key>" user_id@server.name.com

From the man page:

-i identity_file
Selects the file from which the identity (private key) for public key authentication is read. This option is directly passed to ssh(1).

edited Oct 13 '15 at 17:27

answered Oct 13 '15 at 17:23

PalSivertsen

11

same error "Enter passphrase for key" – Ashish Oct 13 '15 at 17:26
Can you use regular ssh? – PalSivertsen Oct 13 '15 at 17:26
yes, I can use regular ssh from my local but not from remote – Ashish Oct 13 '15 at 17:27
Quick edit: Removed the "IdentityFile=" part of the command – PalSivertsen Oct 13 '15 at 17:28
Can you post actual command? – PalSivertsen Oct 13 '15 at 17:30
sftp -i file.ppk user_id@server.name.com – Ashish Oct 13 '15 at 17:30
Try giving it the full path to the key: sftp -i /home/bob/.ssh/mykey bob@example.com – PalSivertsen Oct 13 '15 at 17:36
Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Ashish Oct 13 '15 at 17:37

SSH key asking for passphrase on Unix but not Window

2 Answers2

Linked