ssh keys (to avoid typing password)

[johannlo]

Having problem setting up above... here's EXACTLY what I did
- generate key, put it in ~/.ssh
- copy the key.pub file into remote@server:~/.ssh/
- on the remote server, cat ~/.ssh/key.pub authorized_keys
- on the remote server, chmod 700 authorized_keys

But when I test from the client with ssh -i ~/.ssh/key remote@server I'm still getting asked for a password.

I am logged into both machines as the same username.

Any help much appreciated, I have read several articles and followed their (identical) instructions to the letter and thought I understood the logic but obviously theres something dumb I missed???

[ibpalle]

I believe the permissions should be 600 - check your /var/log/secure file after restarting ssh and trying to log in.

[johannlo]

no luck, did chmod 600 and restarted SSHD on the server and still same result.

the log file doesn't seem to even acknowledge any attempt to check the public key file!
maybe my syntax for using ssh is wrong?

[baschti]

hi johannlo,
maybe this is a typo, but you said "here's EXACTLY what I did"
so: cat ~/.ssh/key.pub authorized_keys won't work
either you use

cat ~/.ssh/key.pub > ~/.ssh/authorized_keys                //or
cp ~/.ssh/key.pub ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

[mnisay]

have you rechecked your /etc/sshd/sshd_config file?

what does verbose ssh mode says? (ssh -v)

[johannlo]

thanks for tips, will check when I get home!

cheers

[johannlo]

is it the ssh_config or sshd_config file?
Also, I presume you are talking about editing the CLIENT machine's config?

cheers

[mickeyboy]

But when I test from the client with ssh -i ~/.ssh/key remote@server I'm still getting asked for a password.

Am I loosing something here?, ssh will always ask for password for remote box.

[axelseap]

following this guide worked for me http://www.raoul.shacknet.nu/2005/11/10/ssh-with-keys/

[mnisay]

i did a whole test of these commands and it was working with FC1 to FC4.

[panama]

I have FC5 and followed the instruction and it did not work.

[mnisay]

i tested it with FC5 with both default kernel and kernel upgraded, it works fine.

can you post line by line (again) the commands that you were doing,
perhaps we can get a lead from that.

[johannlo]

found the goddarned problem!!!! after looking at /var/log/secure, turned out it was the PERMISSIONS for my home directory.

I dunno why but I had to enable execute access for my group to allow my media centre access to my home directory via samba. (read access wasn't good enough apparently). As soon as I turned this off, hey presto.