We take care of all the Linux and UniFi updates for you, so most people never need access to SSH or SFTP. Sometimes however you may want to have SSH or SFTP access in order to upload custom portal pages or USG configuration files.
You can send your files to us via live chat or email to support@hostifi.com and we can take care of it for you, or we can also give you access to the unifi user so that you can do it on your own.
How to get access to SSH or SFTP
Generate a public/private SSH key pair
For increased security, we don't use password based authentication, so we require you to send us a public key so that you can log in using your private key.
Download PuTTY from https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html
Open PuTTYgen to generate a private key and public key pair.
Click on generate and move the mouse randomly for some time so it will generate a key for you. Click on save private key and save public key to download the key files.
Protect the private key with a passphrase. Keep the passphrase and private key file secret, only share the public key with us.
Send the public key to our support live chat on our website or email to support@hostifi.com, and request access to the unifi user on your server for SSH/SFTP.
We will install it and write you back when done. Then you will be able to connect using one of the guides below.
Connecting via SSH or SFTP
SSH
Open PuTTY and click on SSH in the left tree menu, go to Auth and then browse for the private key which you saved on your PC.
Then go to Session section and enter the server name under hostname, for example, m01685.hostifi.net. Don't include https:// or http://. Leave the port as 22.
Click on open then it will ask for login. Enter the username as unifi and it will prompt for the private key's passphrase, and then authenticate with the private key.
SFTP
Download and open WinSCP: https://winscp.net/eng/download.php
Click on Advanced... > SSH > Authentication
Browse to select the private key
Click on OK
and then enter the hostname as your server name and port 22
Username is unifi and leave password blank
Then you can click Login to access the server, or Save to keep the settings for next time
You will be prompted to enter the passphrase for the private key
Then you will be authenticated and can drag and drop files to the server which is the window on the right
