Download and Installation Guide for PuTTY on Mac

PuTTY

PuTTY is an open-source, free, and highly configurable SSH client that enables the connection to a remote and distant server and therefore uses the network to transfer files. This connection created with PuTTY is very secure with end-to-end encryption, host key, and other security and privacy measures.

Since it establishes a secure network to transfer files and data, PuTTY is generally used by programmers and network administrators. PuTTY supports many other protocols too. And it also connects to a serial port. PuTTY facilitates user control over protocol versions and SSH encryption keys along with supporting many variations on the secure remote terminal

Prerequisites 

As prerequisites, you will need these applications on your mac.

1. Command-line tools

  • The command-line tool is a package which gives Mac systems many utilities, compilers and tools such as GCC, Perl, svn, and many more.
  • Mac users are able to access the Unix toolkit through the terminal.
  • Many commands that we will use are already in Linux installations.  
  • Using the command line tools package on your Mac, install PuTTY.

Download Command line tools:

  • Head over to the Apple Developer website.
  • Login with your credentials.
  • Go to download section search ‘Command Line Tools’.
  • Click Install on the .dmg file.

2. X-CODE

  • It is an exclusively MacOS IDE (Integrated Development Environment).
  • It has a plethora of tools for software development on apple OS including MacOS, iOS, WatchOS, and tvOS
  • Source code from C, C++, Java, python, etc is supported and can be executed on X-CODE.
  • Download X-CODE from the AppStore.

3. MacPorts

  • MacPorts is a open-source software which makes the installation of other softwares less tedious on Mac.
  • MacPorts helps to download, compile, and install any software or packages with simple commands
  • MacPorts also automatically downloads other files and dependencies associated with the software
  • Download the MacPorts  .pkg file from here and install it with double-click.  

Download and Install PuTTY on Mac

  • Once you’ve installed the prerequisites, we can proceed to download and install PuTTY
  • Open the X-CODE terminal from ‘Utility’ section. Its appearance and function resemble Linux’s command line.
  • Accept the X-CODE License agreement with the command:

sudo xcodebuild –license

  • This command will accept the license agreement for ALL the accounts on your Mac.
  • Hit enter to see the agreement and type ‘Agree’.
  • Update MacPorts by: sudo port –v self-update
  • Download dependencies for PuTTY by : sudo port install putty
  • To launch PuTTY application in X11 window: putty
  • Create a desktop shortcut for PuTTY:

      cp /opt/local/bin/putty ~/Desktop/putty

  • This desktop icon will open PuTTY configuration box.

How to use PuTTY

  • Once installed , users can open PuTTY to connect to servers by entering their IP address.
  • Select a port/protocol according to the required connection type.
  • If you are granted authorizations and permissions from the server and the connection is established, you can create, update and manipulate its data as you wish.
  • You can save sessions whenever you think you might need the same settings again with the same server repeatedly.
  • PuTTY is the best SSH client due to ease-to-use and its many features.Some of these features are: 
  1. Logging
  2. Alert sound
  3. Cursor formatting
  4. Auto-login options
  5. Keyboard formatting
  6. Proxies configuration
  7. Save settings/sessions
  8. Terminal window resize
  9. Change mouse button action
  10. Session related option and configuration