Generate multiple keys and password less logins

Generate multiple keys and password less logins

Step # 1: Generate first ssh key

Type the following command to generate your first public and private key on a local localmachine. Next provide the required input or accept the defaults. Please do not change the filename and directory location.


localmachine#1 $ ssh-keygen -t rsa

Finally, copy your public key to your remote server using scp
localmachine#1 $ scp ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub user@server:.ssh/authorized_keys
Step # 2: Generate next/multiple ssh key

a) Login to 2nd localmachine

b) Download original the authorized_keys file from remote server using scp:
localmachine#2 $ scp user@server:.ssh/authorized_keys ~/.ssh

c) Now create the new pub/private key:
localmachine#2 $ ssh-keygen -t rsa

d) Now you have new public key. APPEND this key to the downloaded authorized_keys file using cat command:
localmachine#2 $ cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

e) Finally upload authorized_keys to remote server again:
localmachine#2 $ scp ~/.ssh/authorized_keys user@server:.ssh/

You can repeat step #2 for each user or localmachines for remote server.
Step #3: Test your setup

Now try to login from localmachine #1, #2 and so on to remote server. You should not be asked for a password:
localmachine#1 $ ssh user@server
localmachine#2 $ ssh user@server