ajaxterm - ssh via https
Blog Entry on the Sunday 04th, March, 2007
I spent quite a few hours trying to get shellinabox, sshwebproxy and others installed on a machine on my home network. I did have shellinabox working, last year but when I tried to install it despite _paul_c's help I did not have much luck.
After playing around with sshwebproxy and (what joy) installing a servelet container. Jetty - too had, Tomcat good. Finally got sshwebproxy working by disabling the security in Tomcat. It works, but it is more like posting forms than a real terminal.
So I mention, that I've finally got this working at last in #morphix. When nextime points me to ajaxterm.
apt-get install ajaxterm
And in less than 2 minutes I have ajaxterm working. It is designed to work with apache to secure access. It just rocks. It is so good. This is not a understatement. You can use it to use nano, elinks, bitchx or what ever. It is real terminal things such as tab auto-complete work. (See the screenshot - it is in real colour as well). Very well designed, it gzips the interaction to fit inside a normal ethernet frame, making is fast.
I can now ssh from my work or anyway with an https-internet connection. Useful if I do no trust the local machine, but want to look at email.
I had minor problems getting the apache2-ssl forwarding working. Mainly because I am proxying twice, with two webservers. Anyway for a normal set-up I suggested some extra documentation for README.Debian. Below is the diff I sent to the maintainer
--- /usr/share/doc/ajaxterm/README.Debian.old 2007-03-03 22:17:41.000000000 +0000
+++ /usr/share/doc/ajaxterm/README.Debian 2007-03-03 23:02:47.000000000 +0000
@@ -35,4 +35,13 @@
+ * If apache2 is not already set up for for https SSL/TLS ensure openssl is installed
+ The example configuration file can be added as /etc/apache2/site-available/ajaxterm
+ This can be enabled by a2ensite ajaxterm
+ Then create a self signed certificate (apache.pem)
+ export RANDFILE=/dev/random;
+ openssl req $@ -new -x509 -days 365 -nodes -out /etc/apache2/apache.pem \
+ -keyout /etc/apache2/apache.pem
+ Then to enable ssl mod in apache run 'a2enmod ssl' and reload apache.
+
March 10, 2007
Blog Entry on the Saturday 10th, March, 2007
Happy Birthday Connor, 2 today - your Dad is feeling old.
March 21, 2007
Blog Entry on the Wednesday 21st, March, 2007
Annoyed that I just stepped on a spray can. The can was almost full of paint, but now does not spray. Bummer. Another day delay in the Rocket-Desk.
Anyway - ajaxterm is still useful. Edit a webpage and bid on ebay. All from the comfort of your corporate desk (in non-work time).
Rocket Desk
Blog Entry on the Friday 23rd, March, 2007
Finished the Rocket Desk.
More photos to follow.
March 30, 2007
Blog Entry on the Friday 30th, March, 2007
Not a nice day at work. I had a cold call from a gentleman whose wife had been killed at a pedestrian crossing. I am impressed with my Boss that he has agreed to meet him.
Puts things in to perspective, Carpe diem.