Introduction
This guide explains how to create SSH keys pair (on the client side) on a Microsoft Windows Desktop with the popular PuTTY terminal emulator suite of applications. Once create and setup, the client SSH Keys can be use for authentication on the server side and passwordless login when you open a SSH link with a SSH server.
1. Create an SSH key pair
On Windows, open file location where PuTTY is installed. You will see many small applications. Look for puttygen.exe
Run the application to get the main application Window.
Make sure SSH-2 RSA key is selected in the Key menu.
Keep the default Parameters:
Type of Key to generate: RSA
Number of bits in a generate key: 2048.
Click on button Generate.
The Key generator PuTTY is using your mouse move as a random number generator. Randomly hover your mouse over the empty space under the progress bar until there is enough random move to create the keys.
Once you did enough random move to generate the Keys you will get this Window
You can keep the default comment or add one that as more meaning to you.
We suggest you protect the SSH keys with a strong password.
Click Save Private Key and save the private in the folder where your normally saving your private Key (can be any). it can be any place. Pick a name that is meaning full.
Once your private key is save you will come back to the main Windows
Click Save Public Key and save the public key in the folder your normally saving your public Key (can be any). it can be any place. Pick a name that is meaning full.
That’s it. You do now have a SSH Keys pair that you can be use for authentication on the server side and passwordless login when you open a SSH link with a SSH server.
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