This guide documents the complete process of setting up SSH key authentication for Namecheap shared hosting on macOS, including solutions for timeout issues and directory-specific configurations.

Prerequisites

  • macOS system
  • Namecheap shared hosting account
  • Terminal access
  • Server details (hostname, username, SSH port)

Step 1: Check Existing SSH Keys

First, check if you already have SSH keys:

bashCopyls -la ~/.ssh/

Expected output might show:

Copydrwx------   8 username  staff   256 Jan 18 18:20 .
drwxr-x---+ 95 username  staff  3040 Feb  5 20:08 ..
-rw-------   1 username  staff  2610 Apr  5  2024 id_rsa
-rw-r--r--   1 username  staff   578 Apr  5  2024 id_rsa.pub
-rw-------   1 username  staff  4952 Jan 18 18:05 known_hosts

Step 2: View Your Public Key

If you have existing keys, view your public key:

bashCopycat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

The output should look like:

Copyssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABgQCpcyPIlMsM1... username@host.local

Step 3: Configure SSH Config File

Create or edit your SSH config file with optimized settings for both general access and specific directories:

bashCopynano ~/.ssh/config

Add these configurations:

Copy# General server access
Host namecheap
    HostName 198.54.125.196
    User mnrdjmke
    Port 21098
    ServerAliveInterval 15
    ServerAliveCountMax 240
    TCPKeepAlive yes
    IPQoS throughput

# Directory-specific access
Host clayspace
    HostName 198.54.125.196
    User mnrdjmke
    Port 21098
    ServerAliveInterval 15
    ServerAliveCountMax 240
    RemoteCommand cd clayspace.mnrdsgn.com; bash --login
    RequestTTY yes
    TCPKeepAlive yes
    IPQoS throughput

This configuration provides:

  • Anti-timeout measures (ServerAliveInterval, ServerAliveCountMax)
  • TCP keep-alive for better connection stability
  • Automatic directory changing for specific projects
  • Optimized throughput settings

Step 4: Add Key to SSH Agent

Load your key into the SSH agent:

bashCopyssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

You should see:

CopyIdentity added: /Users/username/.ssh/id_rsa (username@host.local)

Step 5: Copy Key to Server

Use ssh-copy-id to upload your key:

bashCopyssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub -p 21098 mnrdjmke@198.54.125.196

Step 6: Verify Setup

Test both configurations:

bashCopy# Test general server access
ssh namecheap

# Test directory-specific access
ssh clayspace

Dealing with Timeouts

If you experience timeouts, you can create a reconnection script:

  1. Create the script:
bashCopynano ~/reconnect-clayspace.sh
  1. Add this content:
bashCopy#!/bin/bash
while true; do
    ssh clayspace
    echo "Connection lost. Reconnecting in 5 seconds..."
    sleep 5
done
  1. Make it executable:
bashCopychmod +x ~/reconnect-clayspace.sh
  1. Run when needed:
bashCopy~/reconnect-clayspace.sh

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Connection Timeout

Solutions tried:

  • Reduced ServerAliveInterval to 15 seconds
  • Increased ServerAliveCountMax to 240
  • Added TCPKeepAlive yes
  • Added IPQoS throughput
  • Created reconnection script

Issue 2: Permission Denied

Check:

  • Verify key is added to ssh-agent (ssh-add -l)
  • Check key permissions (chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa)
  • Verify key is properly added to server’s authorized_keys

Issue 3: Wrong IP Address

Common mistakes:

  • Double-check full IP address (e.g., 198.54.125.196 not 198.54.125.19)
  • Verify port number is correct
  • Confirm username is exact

Issue 4: Remote Command Conflicts

If you see “Cannot execute command-line and remote command”:

  • Remove RemoteCommand from config when running direct commands
  • Use appropriate host configuration for specific needs

Best Practices

  1. Keep separate host configurations for different needs
  2. Use strong keep-alive settings for stability
  3. Implement reconnection scripts for critical connections
  4. Keep your private key secure (600 permissions)
  5. Use descriptive SSH config host names

cPanel Configuration

  1. Log into cPanel
  2. Navigate to SSH Access > Manage SSH Keys
  3. Verify your public key is listed and authorized
  4. Check that SSH access is enabled for your account

Quick Reference Commands

bashCopy# Check SSH keys
ls -la ~/.ssh/

# View public key
cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

# Add key to agent
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

# Check loaded keys
ssh-add -l

# Connect to server root
ssh namecheap

# Connect to specific directory
ssh clayspace

# If for some reason Ctrl + C doesn't work, you can open a new terminal window and find the process:

ps aux | grep reconnect-clayspace

# Start auto-reconnect script
~/reconnect-clayspace.sh