SSH for Mac OS X (OpenSSH)

This page provides instructions on how to connect to USC servers using OpenSSH, a password-based authentication method that provides a secure connection with a remote system.

What You Will Need

• G3 Processor and above, running Mac OS X
• An Internet Connection
• A USC faculty or staff computer account. For additional information about USC accounts, please refer to the Computer Accounts page.

Connecting to USC Using OpenSSH

1. Open the Applications folder within the Utilities folder.

2. Double-click the Terminal icon.

3. A window will display the following information:

Last login: (Date of last login) on ttyp1
Welcome to Darwin!
local-host:~ local-user$

4. At the command prompt ($), type the following:

   ssh <usc-username>@<usc-host.usc.edu>

5. A window requesting your password will appear. Enter your password to log in and access your account.

You can connect to USC and gain remote access to applications by using X11 x-windowing software. For information on how to use X11, please refer to the X11 for Mac OS X page.

Getting Help

For more information on the SSH command, refer to the manual (man) pages. To access the man pages, follow steps one to three above and type man ssh at the command prompt.

If you need help connecting to USC, please call the Customer Support Center at 213-740-5555 or email consult@usc.edu.