Connect with a desktop client

Protocol:  SFTP
Host:      sftp.repoforge.io
Port:      22
Username:  Xy12AbCd.deploy

Someone has given you access to an SFTP server hosted by RepoForge.io. This page explains how to connect to it with a desktop client. You don't need a RepoForge.io account.

The username above is an example. Use the one you were sent: it's the organisation's account ID, a dot, and your name, such as Xy12AbCd.deploy.

What you need

• Host sftp.repoforge.io and port 22. The protocol is SFTP, not FTP or FTPS.
• Your username, from the person who set up your access.
• A password they sent you, or an SSH private key whose public half you sent them. Some logins need both: in that case your client asks for the password after your key has been accepted.

If you need to create a key to send them, see Creating a key below.

Checking the host key

The first time you connect, your client shows the server's host key fingerprint and asks whether to trust it. This is how you know you've reached RepoForge.io and not someone pretending to be it. Compare the fingerprint with the ones on the host key fingerprints page. Most clients show the SHA256 form, which looks like SHA256: followed by 43 letters, numbers and symbols; some older clients show the MD5 form, which is pairs of hexadecimal digits separated by colons. Both are listed.

If it matches, accept it and tell the client to remember it. You won't be asked again. If it doesn't match, don't connect, and let the person who gave you access know.

FileZilla

1. Open File > Site Manager and click New site.
2. Set Protocol to SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol.
3. Enter sftp.repoforge.io as the Host and 22 as the Port.
4. Set Logon Type:
   • Normal, for a password: enter your User and Password.
   • Key file, for an SSH key: enter your User and choose your private key file under Key file. FileZilla may offer to convert an OpenSSH key to its own format; accept.
5. Click Connect.
6. The Unknown host key dialog shows the server's fingerprint. Check it against the published fingerprints, tick Always trust this host, add this key to the cache and click OK.

WinSCP

1. In the Login dialog, choose New Site.
2. Set File protocol to SFTP.
3. Enter sftp.repoforge.io as the Host name, 22 as the Port number, and your User name.
4. For a password, enter it in Password. For an SSH key, click Advanced…, go to SSH > Authentication and choose your key under Private key file. WinSCP offers to convert an OpenSSH key to its PuTTY format; accept, then click OK.
5. Click Save if you want to keep the site, then Login.
6. WinSCP asks whether to continue connecting to an unknown server and add its host key to the cache. Check the fingerprint it shows against the published fingerprints and click Accept.

Cyberduck

1. Click Open Connection.
2. Choose SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) from the list at the top.
3. Enter sftp.repoforge.io as the Server, 22 as the Port, and your Username.
4. Enter your Password, or choose your private key under SSH Private Key.
5. Click Connect.
6. Cyberduck shows an Unknown fingerprint prompt. Check the fingerprint against the published fingerprints, tick Always and click Allow.

What you'll see

You start in your home folder, and you can't go above it. What you can do there depends on the access you've been given:

Access	List folders	Download	Upload	Delete and rename
Upload and download	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Download only	Yes	Yes	No	No
Upload only	No	No	Yes	No

With upload-only access, your client can't show what's in the folder, and may report a permission denied error when it tries to list it after connecting or after an upload. Your uploads still work.

A few things work differently from a disk on your own computer:

• Interrupted uploads can't be resumed. Upload the file again from the start.
• Folders can't be renamed. Files can.
• Symbolic links aren't supported.

Creating a key

If you've been asked for an SSH public key, create one with ssh-keygen. It's included with macOS, Linux and Windows 10 and later (run it in PowerShell or Terminal):

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/repoforge_sftp

This creates two files. Send the person who gave you access the public key, repoforge_sftp.pub. Keep the private key, repoforge_sftp, to yourself, and choose it in your client as described above.

Troubleshooting

• Authentication failed, or access denied: check the username, including the part before the dot, and the password or key. Logins also stop working when your access has expired or been removed.
• Connection refused or timed out: check you're using port 22 and SFTP, and that your network allows outgoing connections to sftp.repoforge.io on port 22.
• Too many failed attempts: after 10 failed logins from one IP address, or for one username, further logins are refused for 15 minutes. Wait, then try again with the right details.

For scripts and the command line, see Connect from the command line and scripts.