Argthtjtr

This question is relating to OpenSSH client and server (which became bundled with the Windows OS rather recently).

I am hoping to get some help from someone who is more knowledgeable about SSH.

I have two laptops which both have the client OpenSSH (which now comes default with Windows 10).

One also has the Windows 10 default OpenSSH Server installed.

However, I'm having trouble ssh'ing from the one with just the client into the one with the server.

While I can ping my "server" laptop from my "client" laptop", as both devices are at home using my home network, when I try to ssh to my "server" laptop IP, I get an error:

connect to host xxxxx port 22: Connection timed out.

Since I'm just starting to use these features on these machines (and haven't made successful ssh connections with either of them before), I'm not sure whether the client or the server is having a problem. But I'm looking at the "server" laptop first.

One thing I'd like to know is how to find out what port my OpenSSH Server service is listening on... just in case it's not listening on port 22 for some reason. There is a firewall rule listed for OpenSSH Server in "Control Panel" → "System and Security" → "Windows Defender Firewall" → "Allowed Apps", but it doesn't mention the port. Also, my OpenSSH service IS running in services.msc.

I've also noted that I have a sshd_config_default file, but there was no actual sshd_config file created. The default file was all commented out.

So I wanted to ask

1. Where to verify if my OpenSSH Server service is listening for connections on port 22.



2. 
   

   If anyone has a recommendation for what setting commands to use in a sshd_config file on the server laptop, which should just be connected to by another laptop in the same network. I assume one of the settings should specify port 2, but I'm not sure whether using these commented-out commands in the default file are the best ones to use for my setup:

   
   
   

   #Port 22
   
   #AddressFamily any
   
   #ListenAddress 0.0.0.0
   
   #ListenAddress ::
   
   

   
   



3. Any other suggestions anyone has for why the connection times out.

Here are my answers:

1. 
   

   Where to verify if my OpenSSH Server service is listening for connections on port 22.

   
   
   

   Run this command in your windows assuming your ssh is running on port 22 (default).

   
   
   

   netstat -an|find "LISTEN"|find ":22"

   
   


2. 
   

   Any suggestion how to configure.

   
   
   

   As you said parameter Port 22 in sshd_config file indicates the port SSH daemon should open when is started. I guess is the default if you specify none. Since this is openSSH verify this site for more info about the parameters you can use.

   
   


3. 
   

   Any other suggestions anyone has for why the connection times out.

   
   
   

   If you can ping the nodes from each other the most common reason for the timeout is a firewall in between.

   
   

Okay, this time this IS a real answer. (And it is going to be a long form of Manuel Florian's answer Part III, since it WAS a firewall issue. - thanks Manuel!)

As I mentioned before, boxes couldn't ping each other's private IPs, and then I found out both machines had the same PUBLIC IP.

Two things I did to help with this which I performed both tasks on both machines):

Step 1) I changed my machines to treat my home network as private.

These PowerShell instructions from NiklasE rtlhm at

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-networking/change-my-network-to-private-in-windows-10/45659a7b-89ee-42c4-910f-6ffbdd31ee0a?page=2

were quick and easy to follow:

• Open Windows PowerShell in admin mode. Start -> PowerShell -> Right-click -> open as administrator


• 
  Get current profiles. Make sure you are logged on to the network you want to change.
  Get-NetConnectionProfile


• 
  Change the network in your list to be private
  Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name "MYWIFINETWORK" -NetworkCategory Private


• 
  Check that everything went fine
  Get-NetConnectionProfile

I also changed the Firewall settings using these steps from https://kb.iu.edu/d/aopy:

1. Search for Windows Firewall, and click to open it.


2. Click Advanced Settings on the left.


3. From the left pane of the resulting window, click Inbound Rules.


4. In the right pane, find the rules titled File and Printer Sharing (Echo Request -
   ICMPv4-In).


5. Right-click each rule and choose Enable Rule.

.... with the added step of changing one of the rules, which had a Profile of both Public and Private, to apply only to Private Profiles, since I don't want anyone on an actual public network to ssh to me.

Right click on the rule, select Properties, Advanced Tab, under Profiles section, uncheck Public.

After making these changes, I verified that I could ping the server from the client, I am able to ssh from my "client" to my "server" ssh device.

[SIDE NOTE on security: Of course, if anyone is reading this and wants to try it, do so at your own risk, since calling a network "Private" means "I trust the other devices on this network - and that no one has hacked into my network". But if you only do step 2 (without limiting the rule to private networks), that means when you're on a public network, other devices can ping you. I'm thinking of undoing these changes when I don't need them, may also disable SSH on both machines while not needed.]

I'll have to wait until my profile is able to be merged with user987957 to mark anything down as an answer. However, thanks you all for your clues to help me research this problem!