Windows Computer: Gaining SSH Access Outside Local Network Using PowerShell

Gaining SSH Access to a Windows Computer Outside of a Local Network Using PowerShell

In this article, we will discuss how to gain SSH access to a Windows computer outside of a local network using PowerShell. This is a useful technique for remote administration and management of Windows machines, especially in scenarios where the computer is not connected to a local network or when direct access to the machine is not possible.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, it is assumed that you have the following:

• A Windows computer with PowerShell installed
• SSH server software installed on the Windows computer (e.g. OpenSSH for Windows)
• Access to a router that can be configured to forward incoming SSH connections to the Windows computer

Configuring the SSH Server on the Windows Computer

The first step is to configure the SSH server on the Windows computer. This can be done by installing OpenSSH for Windows, which is a free and open-source implementation of the SSH protocol for Windows. Once installed, you can start the SSH server by running the following command in PowerShell:

You can also configure the SSH server to start automatically when the computer is started by running the following command:

Setting Up Port Forwarding on the Router

The next step is to set up port forwarding on the router. This will allow incoming SSH connections to be forwarded to the Windows computer. The exact steps for setting up port forwarding will vary depending on the router, but generally involve the following:

1. Log in to the router's web-based administration interface
2. Navigate to the port forwarding or virtual server settings
3. Create a new port forwarding rule for the SSH protocol (TCP on port 22) and specify the IP address of the Windows computer
4. Save the changes and apply the new port forwarding rule

Connecting to the Windows Computer Using SSH

Once the SSH server is configured and port forwarding is set up, you can connect to the Windows computer using SSH from any device with SSH client software. The command to connect to the Windows computer using SSH will typically be in the following format:

Where "username" is the username of an account on the Windows computer and "external\_ip\_address" is the public IP address of the router. You will be prompted to enter the password for the specified account.

In this article, we have discussed how to gain SSH access to a Windows computer outside of a local network using PowerShell. This involves configuring the SSH server on the Windows computer, setting up port forwarding on the router, and connecting to the Windows computer using SSH. With this technique, you can remotely administer and manage Windows machines from anywhere with an internet connection.

References

• Installing and configuring OpenSSH for Windows
• Port forwarding guide
• Setting up SSH keys for authentication