How to SSH or SFTP Into Your Raspberry Pi

Remotely access files or execute commands

You’ve taken the plunge and bought a Raspberry Pi. Congratulations! If you don’t have a keyboard and monitor connected to your Pi, you’ll need to remotely connect to it from another computer on your network. Moreover, depending on how you plan to use your Pi, it might be placed in a difficult-to-reach place, so even if you have a keyboard and monitor attached now, that might not always be the case. You need some way to remotely connect to your Pi.

In this article, we’ll show you how to use SSH andSFTPinto your Pi, execute commands, and transfer files. We’ll assume that your Raspberry Pi is on the same network as the computer you’re using to connect to it.

What Is SSH?

SSH stands for Secure Shell. It’s a standard network protocol that gives you a secure way to send text back and forth between your Pi and the computer you’re using to remotely connect to your Pi. You’ll use the SSH protocol for all kinds of things like entering your password to log into your Pi and executing commands.

SSH was designed as a replacement forTelnet, which sends commands in plain text over the network. In contrast, SSH encrypts those commands. Any network service can use SSH, which operates over TCP port 22.

What Is SFTP?

SFTP is short for Secure File Transfer Protocol. SFTP is a fast and convenient way to transfer files between your Pi and another computer on your network. SFTP is more secure than FTP because, just like with SSH, all your data is encrypted while it’s traveling from one computer to another.

You don’t want all your data to be transferred in plain text, do you? Certainly not! Stay safe, kids.

How to SSH Into a Raspberry Pi

We’ll start with how to use SSH to connect to your Raspberry Pi from a Windows PC on your network usingPuTTY. PuTTY is one of several SSH clients that are freely available. We like PuTTY because it’s open source software that’s completely developed and supported by a team of volunteers. You can use whatever SSH client you want. Just be sure to download and install it before you begin.

You are now connected to your Pi via SSH and can use the terminal toexecute commands. If you haven’t changed your Pi’s default password yet, this is a great time to do that. Since SSH is enabled, if your Raspberry Pi is using the default password, it would beveryeasy for someone to break in!

How to SFTP Into a Raspberry Pi

Above, we walked you through how to use an SSH client to securely connect to a Pi on your network and execute commands. For transferring files, we’ll use an SFTP client. Technically, it is possible to transfer files with PuTTY, but it’s cumbersome. It’s much nicer to have a file browser you can use to move files in bulk when you need to.

FileZillais a popular FTP client that supports SFTP. If you can connect with SSH, then you can connect with SFTP as well. Convenient, isn’t it?

Prepare by downloading and installing FileZilla or your SFTP client of choice on the computer you’re using to remotely connect to your Pi.WinSCPis another popular SFTP client. Remember, you don’t need an SFTP server, just an SFTP client.

Pro Tip: If you install FileZilla, watch out for when it asks you to install McAfee and WinZip. SelectDeclineif you don’t want to install those programs on your computer.

If, for example, you wanted to copy a file from your local computer to your Pi, you’d navigate to the source folder on the left and the destination folder on the right. FileZilla’s file manager allows you to drag and drop files between local and remote sites.

Finding Pi Projects

Once you get comfortable with executing commands and transferring files to and from your Pi, you’ll start to realize just how many different ways you canput your Pi to work. Don’t give in to analysis paralysis, though—just pick a project and dive in! It really is the best way to learn.

Maggie Marystone is a freelance technology writer, human rights worker, and storyteller based in Chicago.Read Maggie’s Full Bio

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How to SSH or SFTP Into Your Raspberry Pi#

What Is SSH?#

What Is SFTP?#

How to SSH Into a Raspberry Pi#

How to SFTP Into a Raspberry Pi#

Finding Pi Projects#

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