# Open SSH from the browser

### SSH Link handler for Windows

RPort and your browser will open links to `ssh://user@remote.example.com` with the default application for that URL scheme. Windows does not have any default application assigned. To do so, follow the guide below.

#### Step 1: Install OpenSSH

Make sure you have OpenSSH installed on Windows 10. Open a terminal (cmd.exe or PowerShell) and type in `shh -V`. You should get an output similar to

```
OpenSSH_for_Windows_7.7p1, LibreSSL 2.6.5
```

If the ssh command is missing, execute the following command on a PowerShell.

```powershell
# Install the OpenSSH Client
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0
```

More info [here](https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/windows-server/administration/openssh/openssh_install_firstuse#:~:text=OpenSSH%20client%20and%20server%20are,and%20Features%20%3E%20Manage%20Optional%20Features.)

#### Step 2: Download the wrapper script

An ssh link follows this syntax, `ssh://<username>@<host>:<port>` but open ssh expects a different format. Download the PowerShell script `ssh-protocol-handler.ps1` to some directory, for example to `%LOCALAPPDATA%\ssh-protocol-handler.ps1`.

You can do this on the PowerShell with the following commands.

```
$url = "https://gist.githubusercontent.com/thorstenkramm/b25a2c09ca7414595d48d1db581833fc/raw/1fecf170378390eebe778209a8b88972d6893657/ssh-protocol-handler.ps1"
$file = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\ssh-protocol-handler.ps1"
[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $url -OutFile $file
```

Test the script by executing `.\ssh-protocol-handler.ps1 ssh://user@127.0.0.1:22`. It doesn't matter if you have a local SSH server. It's just for testing the URI gets translated into the correct PowerShell command.

{% hint style="info" %}
On desktop operation systems like Windows 10 and 11 the PowerShell execution policy is very likely set to "restricted". This will prevent the script to run.&#x20;

On a new PowerShell console *with administrative* rights change the policy to allow all local scripts and only those remote scripts that are digitally signed, by executing:

`set-executionpolicy remotesigned`
{% endhint %}

#### Step 3: Register the script as URL handler

Download the `ssh-protocol-handler.reg` registry setting file. Adding it to the registry will register the above script as a protocol handler for `ssh://` links.

You can do this in the PowerShell with the following commands.

```
$url = "https://gist.githubusercontent.com/thorstenkramm/b25a2c09ca7414595d48d1db581833fc/raw/1fecf170378390eebe778209a8b88972d6893657/ssh-protocol-handler.reg"
$file = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\ssh-protocol-handler.reg"
[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $url -OutFile $file
(Get-Content -path $file -Raw) -replace '<LOCALAPPDATA>', "$( [regex]::escape($env:LOCALAPPDATA) )"| Set-Content -Path $file
get-Content $file
reg import $file
rm $file
```

If you download the script manually, replace `<LOCALAPPDATA>` by the path where you stored `ssh-protocol-handler.ps1`

{% hint style="info" %}
**Log out now.** Otherwise changes are not applied.
{% endhint %}

#### Step4: Activate the new handler

Open the windows settings. Go to "Apps & feature -> Default Apps", scroll down and click on "Choose default apps by protocol".

![Select the Custom SSH Handler](/files/KvqYEK5J3JAiidowgGsZ)

Now type in an SSH Url into the URL bar of any browser, for example `ssh://user@example.com:2222`. A PowerShell windows should open trying to connect you.


---

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