Step 1: Generate a key pair on the local server
Use ssh-keygen to generate authentication keys for SSH.
$ ssh-keygen
Output:
Generating public/private rsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/home/user/.ssh/id_rsa):
Created directory '/home/user/.ssh'.
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa.
Your public key has been saved in /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.
The key fingerprint is:
8c:2a:ed:82:98:6d:12:0a:3a:ba:b2:1c:c0:25:be:5b
Step 2: Install your public key on the remote server
Use ssh-copy-id to connect to the remote machine and install your public key by adding it the authorized_keys file.
$ ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub UserName@RemoteServer
Output:
UserName@RemoteServer's password: ********
Now try logging into the machine, with "ssh 'username@remoteserver'", and check in:
~/.ssh/authorized_keys
to make sure we haven't added extra keys that you weren't expecting.
Step 3: Add a private key to the authentication agent on the local server
Use ssh-add to add identities to the ssh-agent – the authentication agent.
$ ssh-add
Output:
Identity added: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa (/home/user/.ssh/id_rsa)
Now you can log into the remote server via the SSH protocol without prompting a password.