[[!meta title="Can I ssh to scripts.mit.edu to test my scripts?"]]
Yes, although you must [sign up](/web) for at least one of the
script services before you can connect. You can SSH to
scripts.mit.edu from any computer supporting Kerberized SSH, which
includes all Athena workstation or dialups. From Athena, you can
use the following command:

athena% **ssh -k scripts**

If you want to log in to access a locker other than your own, you
should log in with your locker name specified as the “username” for
the login:

athena% **ssh -k LOCKERNAME@scripts**

(with LOCKERNAME replaced by the name of your locker)

If you’re trying to log into scripts.mit.edu from home and you
don’t have an SSH client on your computer, you can log into
athena.dialup.mit.edu from
[http://athena.dialup.mit.edu/](http://athena.dialup.mit.edu/), and
log into scripts from there.

You can also log in directly from most personal computers, with the
correct software installed. We do not allow direct password logins
to scripts.mit.edu for security reasons, but you can install a
Kerberized SSH client.

## Windows

To connect to scripts.mit.edu from a Windows computer, install MIT
SecureCRT **and Kerberos For Windows** from
[http://web.mit.edu/software/win.html](http://web.mit.edu/software/win.html).

Then, open MIT SecureCRT (from the Start menu). Click the “Quick
Connect” button in the toolbar of the Sessions dialog box that
appears (the second button from the left). Fill out the dialog that
appears, as follows:

Protocol: **SSH2**  
Hostname: **scripts.mit.edu**  
Port: **22**  
Firewall: **None**  
Username: [your Athena user name, or locker name]

In the “Authentication” selectbox, scroll down and click on
**GSSAPI** to highlight it. Make sure that the checkbox beside it
is checked. Then, use the black arrows to the right of the box to
move “GSSAPI” to the top of the list of Authentication methods.

Then, click **Connect** to connect to scripts.mit.edu. If you are
prompted for a username and password, please make sure you
installed Kerberos for Windows and selected GSSAPI; you **cannot**
log in to scripts.mit.edu with a username and password.

## From a Mac

To connect to scripts.mit.edu from a Mac, download and install the
MIT Kerberos Extras from
[http://web.mit.edu/software/mac.html](http://web.mit.edu/software/mac.html).
Then, open “Terminal” (in /Applications/Utilities/), and type:

    kinit AthenaUsername
    ssh -k LockerName@scripts.mit.edu

The “-k” flag to ssh doesn’t exist for older MacOS X versions. For
these versions and with Apple’s default ssh configuration, it is
safe to not use this flag. If you have customized your ssh
configuration, make sure you have “GSSAPIAuthentication yes” and
“GSSAPIDelegateCredentials no” set for scripts.mit.edu.

## From Linux or other UNIX

To connect from a Linux (or other UNIX) computer, install ssh and
Kerberos, and set up Kerberos to use the ATHENA.MIT.EDU realm. Many
Linux distributions provide packages that can do this for you. (If
you are using Debian or Ubuntu, you may want to consider using
[Debathena](http://debathena.mit.edu/), which will allow you to
access many Athena services from your own computer.) Then, run the
two Mac command-line commands listed above.