Ssh – How to set TERM environment variable in ssh configuration

ssh

I use this setting in ~/.ssh/config:

Host server
  Hostname 192.168.x.x
  SetEnv TERM=xterm

But when logging in to the server and doing echo $TERM, I get xterm-256color.

How to set TERM from ssh client config file?

What is curious: when connecting as TERM=xterm ssh server, echo $TERM on server gives xterm. Although this shows that the setting can be transmitted, it does not solve the problem, because I need to set it in config file. Also, putting TERM=xterm in .ssh/environment on server sets it, but it does not solve the problem either, because I cannot edit anything on server.

Best Answer

Adjusting the configuration to this can be used as a workaround:

Host server
  Hostname 192.168.x.x
  RemoteCommand TERM=xterm $SHELL
  RequestTTY yes

Probably worthwhile mentioning it comes with a caveat; the section will no longer work when explicitly giving a command as an argument to ssh, or with sftp, sshfs etc.

Related Solutions

Linux – Trying to get X11 over SSH working: Connection refused by server

Don't set the display on the remote side. By using the -Y parameter on SSH, it will set up a listener on the (remote)local side that gets tunneled back to the local side.

You should be able to do this:

local$ ssh -Y user@remote
remote$ xlogo

...and the xlogo will pop up.

Edit: this assumes that the display is set up on the local system first, ie:

local$ xlogo

...should work before you perform the ssh, as ssh just plugs the forward back to whatever the originating session thinks is the correct display. This is useful, since you can carry your display through multiple ssh sessions:

local$ ssh remote
remote$ ssh further
further$ xlogo

...should work.

Ssh – How to automate SSH login with password

Don't use a password. Generate a passphrase-less SSH key and push it to your VM.

If you already have an SSH key, you can skip this step… Just hit Enter for the key and both passphrases:

$ ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048
Generating public/private rsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/home/username/.ssh/id_rsa):
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in /home/username/.ssh/id_rsa.
Your public key has been saved in /home/username/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.

Copy your keys to the target server:

$ ssh-copy-id id@server
id@server's password:

Now try logging into the machine, with ssh 'id@server', and check-in:

.ssh/authorized_keys

Note: If you don't have .ssh dir and authorized_keys file, you need to create it first

to make sure we haven’t added extra keys that you weren’t expecting.

Finally, check to log in…

$ ssh id@server

id@server:~$

You may also want to look into using ssh-agent if you want to try keeping your keys protected with a passphrase.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Linux – Trying to get X11 over SSH working: Connection refused by server

Ssh – How to automate SSH login with password

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