SSH access for a non-root user

[stevland]

I can't seem to find any information regarding my question.

I can connect to my server at root using SSH using key-based authentication.

But I am am also trying to setup SSH access for a non-root user on the server.

Shell access is checked ✓ under Edit User.

Ideally I would like to use a unique SSH key for this user, but I have no idea how to set that up.

In the meanwhile, I am trying to connect as that user. But I receive

Code Select Expand

Permission denied (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic).

If I try and connect using the root's key I receive

Code Select Expand

Server refused our key

What am I missing?

[stevland]

Nevermind. Figured it out. I'll share the solution for some other noob who is sure to ask the same question.

I just needed to create a keypair using ssh-keygen -f <username> which put username and username.pub in my user's /home/.ssh directory.

I then had to create a file called authorized_keys in the same directory and copy the contents of username.pub into it.

I then use the username file as the private key when connecting as username@domain.com from PuTTy/BitVise/MobaXterm/etc.

[albatuni]

Thanks Stevland!

[rkhyd]

Thank you stevland for your reply.
I just want to make your answer more clear.
1. Create the .ssh directory in the /home/username first
2. Then create a key pair while logged in as root user using the command

Code Select Expand

ssh-keygen -t rsa -f /home/username/.ssh/<key_name>
This will result in two files in the /home/username/.ssh directory namely <key_name> and <key_name>.pub
Then add the contents of the key_name.pub file to the authorized_keys file using the command

Code Select Expand

cat  /home/username/.ssh/<key_name>.pub> /home/username/.ssh/authorized_keys
Then you can use the username and the <key_name> file to login via ssh without any issues

This particularly applies to the cloud servers where the ssh access is allowed ony using the key files.