The following guide shows you how to log into a remote server using your private key file. It assumes you already have the associated public key already added into the remote hosts authorized_hosts file.
Download PuTTY
Download PuTTY if you don’t have it installed yet.
You can download PuTTY from the following url:
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html
Open PuTTY
Run Putty.
You should be presented with a screen like this:
Enter in the host name or IP address of the host you want to connect to now, ready to go onto the next step.
Select private key file
Browse the category tree on the left to Connection -> SSH -> Auth
Press browse, and select your private key file.
Connect to remote server
All that’s left to do now, is to press the “Open” button.
You will be asked for the login username as per normal. You will then be asked for the private key passphrase. If you didn’t set a passphrase, you should now be logged into the server.
