Sshplex - Open Source Ssh Tui Connection Multiplexer With Source Of Truth

# Sshplex - Open Source SSH TUI Connection Multiplexer with Source of Truth

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of setting up and utilizing Sshplex, an open-source SSH TUI connection multiplexer for your self-hosted infrastructure. With Sshplex, you can manage multiple SSH sessions efficiently, fostering automation and DevOps practices in your homelab environment.

Prerequisites

To follow along with this tutorial, ensure you have the following software installed:

1. Docker (v20.10.15) - Install Docker
2. Docker Compose (v1.29.2) - Install Docker Compose

Installation and Configuration

Follow these steps to install and configure Sshplex:

1. Create a docker-compose.yml file

Create a new directory named sshplex, then inside it, create a docker-compose.yml file with the following content:

version: '3'
services:
  sshplex:
    image: jmesnil/sshplex
    environment:
      - TZ=America/Los_Angeles
      - DISPLAY=unix:///tmp/.X11-unix
    volumes:
      - /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix
      - ~/.ssh:/root/.ssh
    ports:
      - 8022:22

Replace the TZ environment variable value with your timezone.

2. Run Sshplex

Run the following command to start Sshplex:

docker-compose up -d

The up -d flags will start the container in detached mode, allowing you to monitor its status with docker ps.

3. Connect to Sshplex

To connect to Sshplex, use an SSH client like ssh or mosh, but replace the host and port as follows:

ssh -p 8022 user@localhost

or

mosh -p 8022 user@localhost

Troubleshooting

• Connection Refused: Ensure that Docker is running and the container is started (docker ps). If not, run docker start sshplex.
• Unrecognized Host Key: Regenerate the SSH host key by stopping and recreating the container: docker-compose down && docker-compose up -d.

Security Considerations

Since Sshplex exposes port 8022, ensure it is accessible only from trusted networks or use a firewall to limit access. Additionally, configure strong passwords and secure your SSH keys.

Performance Optimization

Configure environment variables such as SSH_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT and MAX_SESSIONS in the docker-compose.yml file for optimized performance. For example:

environment:
  - SSH_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT=60s
  - MAX_SESSIONS=50

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we demonstrated how to set up and utilize the open-source SSH TUI connection multiplexer, Sshplex. Its self-hosted nature makes it an excellent tool for infrastructure management and automation in your homelab environment, fostering DevOps best practices. With proper security measures, performance optimization, and troubleshooting tips, you can efficiently manage multiple SSH sessions with ease. Happy DevOps-ing!