Remote access

[Tom Horsley]

On Friday 14 October 2011 05:13:53 KC8LDO wrote:
> Is there a way to use ssh to get through a firewall for remote access to a
> system?

I have a little shell script I run on my desktop at work that has
it's own copy of ssh-agent holding my home system public key info.
It runs an ssh command from my desktop at work to my home system,
forwarding my work system's port 22 to home, and my home system's
port 22 to work. The ssh command runs in a loop, so if the
connection drops (because I reboot my home system for instance),
it will come back up as soon as both systems are talking again.

This gives me local ssh access at home to my work system and
at work to my home system, through the company firewall which
blocks all incoming connections to all but company servers.
Since I have ssh access, I can always run new ssh commands to
forward other ports (like mail servers).

The ssh connection is (in some directions) about 6 times
faster than using the company VPN, and normally what I use the
ssh connection for is running an NX session at home to get
my desktop at work to appear on my home system screen so I
can commute to work without leaving home :-).

P.S. I also have my home system as secured as possible with
firewall rules that only allow ssh connections that look as if
they are coming from my work system (i.e. the company firewall)
and ssh config rules requiring public keys as the only way
to connect from the outside world.