Frequently Asked Questions

The NearlyFreeSpeech.NET FAQ (*)

Uploading (*)

What is the connection information to upload files to my web site?

How do I upload my content to my site?

Can I access my web site via ssh?

What directory do I upload my web site's files to?

What hostname should I use for SSH/SFTP?

How do I connect to the shell with ssh?

Why do I have to enable FTP in two places to get it to work?

What is SFTP?

Can I configure my ssh connection to use a public key?

I tried to SFTP to ftp.xxx.nearlyfreespeech.net and it failed. Why?

What are the fingerprints for the NearlyFreeSpeech.NET ssh keys?

What do I do if I have problems with FTP?

What if I think the name of your ssh server is too long?

I can connect to NearlyFreeSpeech.NET just fine, so why is your SFTP or ssh server unreachable or timing out?

Is automated FTP access to the system allowed?

Is automated SSH/SFTP access to the system allowed?

Any automated SSH/SFTP access must use a public key. No hardcoded passwords!

As long as you are physically initiating uploads or downloads yourself you're fine, even if an automated component is involved. (Just make sure you're either using a key or typing the password by hand.)

Unattended automated SSH/SFTP access is allowed only for these purposes:

If you want automatic unattended uploads beyond these limits, you should use HTTP POST or PUT requests and a small script on your site to receive the files.

Please respect the shared resources used by SSH—which we currently do not charge for—by observing these guidelines. If you have any questions about what is allowable, please ask.

(This answer is for SSH and SFTP. Automated FTP access is never allowed.)