Re: Tramp with public key ssh

[Michael Powe]

>>>>> "JE" == J E Lewis <louie@louie.cc> writes:

    JE> On Wed, Feb 23, 2005 at 08:38:34AM -0500, Michael Powe wrote:
    >> >> I am set up for an ssh public-key login to an account.  When
    >> I >> try to edit a file there via emacs + tramp, tramp asks for
    >> the

    >> >> Enter passphrase for key '/home/powem/.ssh/id_dsa':
    >> ..........  >> tramp: Sending password Enter passphrase for key
    >> >> '/home/powem/.ssh/id_dsa': Enter passphrase for key >>
    >> '/home/powem/.ssh/id_dsa': .  Enter passphrase for key >>
    >> '/home/powem/.ssh/id_dsa': ..  Enter passphrase for key >>
    >> '/home/powem/.ssh/id_dsa': ........
    >> 
    >> >> Any ideas on what might be happening here?  I After the
    >> initial >> password request, none of the other material shown
    >> appears in >> the minibuffer.  That is all just in the
    >> *Messages* buffer.

    JE> Well it looks to me like an ssh public key issue.  When you
    JE> ssh to a box with your ssh pub-key on it it asks for your
    JE> passphrase and not your passwd.  If you type anything that is
    JE> not your passphrase (other than a blank return) then it will
    JE> prompt again for the passphrase and continue doing so until
    JE> the blank return or 3 times or more pass.  Then it will prompt
    JE> for your passwd.

    JE> If you start ssh-agent first and properly login to the agent
    JE> then you will by pass the passphrase question and it should
    JE> just login to the machine for you.

Hmm, I admit I don't know how exactly the pub key authentication
works.  It sounds like when I am being prompted for the passphrase,
I'm being prompted by the local ssh, which then "forwards" the
passphrase?  In which case, tramp could be talking to the wrong
party.  I'm trying to get away from password authentication altogether
and currently have pub-key on all my connections.

I've used ssh-agent in the past but it's been a long time.  I will do
some more research.

Thanks.

mp

-- 
Michael Powe            michael@trollope.org            Naugatuck CT USA
It goes against the grain of modern education to teach children to
program. What fun is there in making plans, acquiring discipline in
organizing thoughts, devoting attention to detail and learning to be
self-critical?  --Alan Perlis, Epigrams in Programming