Comments on: Review: Meerkat (SSH Tunnels Made Easy) http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy Tech News, Reviews and Guides Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:43:27 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: How To/Review: Surf Securely with VyprVPN — PaulStamatiou.com http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-188134 How To/Review: Surf Securely with VyprVPN — PaulStamatiou.com Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:21:21 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-188134 [...] discussed a few ways of solving this issue through the use of SSH tunnels (manually-created and application managed). I have also discussed things like “anonymous” web browsing through the Janus Privacy [...] [...] discussed a few ways of solving this issue through the use of SSH tunnels (manually-created and application managed). I have also discussed things like “anonymous” web browsing through the Janus Privacy [...]

]]> By: jonmul http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-166274 jonmul Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:48:37 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-166274 Cheers Paul for this useful intro to using Meerkat. Just had a quick question for you if you have time. How can you set up other applications to use the SSH tunnel created in Meerkat - specifically I'm thinking of Mail, iChat and FTP based apps such as Transmit or Coda? Thanks again! Cheers Paul for this useful intro to using Meerkat.

Just had a quick question for you if you have time. How can you set up other applications to use the SSH tunnel created in Meerkat – specifically I’m thinking of Mail, iChat and FTP based apps such as Transmit or Coda?

Thanks again!

]]> By: kebmo19 http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-165909 kebmo19 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:09:30 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-165909 Awesome, I'm totally doing this thru Sbux hotspot! Awesome, I’m totally doing this thru Sbux hotspot!

]]> By: Toby http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-165217 Toby Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:41:35 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-165217 OpenVPN is *much* easier and somewhat more secure (no shell account needed), X509 certificate management (you can grant access to other users without granting shell, selectively revoke, etc). Once the daemon is started, you never need to do anything more. In fact ssh works well as a layer above OpenVPN since TCP connections over the vpn will stay up for several hours, even if you sleep your laptop or change locations/ISPs. In other words, you can log in ssh over vpn in the morning in the office, and the same connection will be up in the evening when you carry your laptop to home or hotel. Furthermore, you can use multiple services without needing to open any tunnels – not only do I always browse via vpn proxy, I also send and receive all smtp/pop mail over the vpn as well. And did I mention, once the openvpn daemon starts, it's set and forget? And it's cross-platform (OS X, Linux, Windows): http://openvpn.net OpenVPN is *much* easier and somewhat more secure (no shell account needed), X509 certificate management (you can grant access to other users without granting shell, selectively revoke, etc). Once the daemon is started, you never need to do anything more.

In fact ssh works well as a layer above OpenVPN since TCP connections over the vpn will stay up for several hours, even if you sleep your laptop or change locations/ISPs. In other words, you can log in ssh over vpn in the morning in the office, and the same connection will be up in the evening when you carry your laptop to home or hotel.

Furthermore, you can use multiple services without needing to open any tunnels – not only do I always browse via vpn proxy, I also send and receive all smtp/pop mail over the vpn as well. And did I mention, once the openvpn daemon starts, it’s set and forget? And it’s cross-platform (OS X, Linux, Windows): http://openvpn.net

]]> By: Jeff Avery http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-165202 Jeff Avery Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:04:47 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-165202 Jonathan Groll wrote >> I can’t believe you would recommned that other people waste 20 bucks like this. >> Maybe for yourself, if you’re deathly petrified of the command line. >> But really, how difficult is it to type in >> ssh -D 8080 paulstamatiou.com >> *bewildered*??? * "Enable this tunnel when Meerkat starts" * "Automatically enable when application starts up" (and teardown afterwards) * "Autoreconnect" when network changes. Meerkat automates the tedium. Sure you can do all of this through the command line, but Meerkat makes it seamless so that you don't have to continually setup and tear down tunnels (e.g. I work from a notebook and frequently move between networks, which causes this. If you work from a desktop you likely won't feel the pain). Worth $20? Depends on how often you do these things manually. It's worth it for me, and I'll be registering. Jonathan Groll wrote
>> I can’t believe you would recommned that other people waste 20 bucks like this.
>> Maybe for yourself, if you’re deathly petrified of the command line.

>> But really, how difficult is it to type in
>> ssh -D 8080 paulstamatiou.com

>> *bewildered*???

* “Enable this tunnel when Meerkat starts”
* “Automatically enable when application starts up” (and teardown afterwards)
* “Autoreconnect” when network changes.

Meerkat automates the tedium. Sure you can do all of this through the command line, but Meerkat makes it seamless so that you don’t have to continually setup and tear down tunnels (e.g. I work from a notebook and frequently move between networks, which causes this. If you work from a desktop you likely won’t feel the pain).

Worth $20? Depends on how often you do these things manually. It’s worth it for me, and I’ll be registering.

]]> By: ice crums - Review: Meerkat (SSH Tunnels Made Easy) http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-165151 ice crums - Review: Meerkat (SSH Tunnels Made Easy) Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:51:06 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-165151 [...] (Via PaulStamatiou.com.) [...] [...] (Via PaulStamatiou.com.) [...]

]]> By: Jonathan Groll http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-165082 Jonathan Groll Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:45:03 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-165082 I can't believe you would recommned that other people waste 20 bucks like this. Maybe for yourself, if you're deathly petrified of the command line. But really, how difficult is it to type in ssh -D 8080 paulstamatiou.com *bewildered*??? I can’t believe you would recommned that other people waste 20 bucks like this.
Maybe for yourself, if you’re deathly petrified of the command line.

But really, how difficult is it to type in
ssh -D 8080 paulstamatiou.com

*bewildered*???

]]> By: Brett http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164911 Brett Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:03:17 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164911 @Paul Thanks for another great article and I was able to get it running on my (dv) wirh no issues. Now to see how this affects my bandwidth usage with <mt). ;) @Paul

Thanks for another great article and I was able to get it running on my (dv) wirh no issues. Now to see how this affects my bandwidth usage with <mt). ;)

]]> By: Jerry Chacon http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164832 Jerry Chacon Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:43:04 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164832 Paul: Any idea how to get Skype for Mac to use the Meerkat SOCKS Tunnel? That...all by itself might be enough to get me to buy Meerkat. -- Jerry Paul:
Any idea how to get Skype for Mac to use the Meerkat SOCKS Tunnel? That…all by itself might be enough to get me to buy Meerkat.
– Jerry

]]> By: Randy http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164827 Randy Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:54:31 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164827 Can anyone please point me to a resource with instructions how to do this through my webhost running XP? And also running through my home computer using XP? Thanks! Can anyone please point me to a resource with instructions how to do this through my webhost running XP? And also running through my home computer using XP? Thanks!

]]> By: Kevan http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164205 Kevan Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:21:28 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164205 If you run your own server at home (and can route through there instead of your webhost), you can do things a little differently in case you are on a network that blocks ssh - run sshd on port 443. It's pretty easy to do - the sshd_config file usually has a commented out line like #Port 22. Uncomment it (so it continues to listen to the regular port) and add a line like Port 443. Now, when you connect with ssh (command line or however), make sure you go to port 443 instead of the regular 22. The trick here is that places that block ports rarely block 443 - people need to be able to get to secure websites. If you run your own server at home (and can route through there instead of your webhost), you can do things a little differently in case you are on a network that blocks ssh – run sshd on port 443. It’s pretty easy to do – the sshd_config file usually has a commented out line like #Port 22. Uncomment it (so it continues to listen to the regular port) and add a line like Port 443. Now, when you connect with ssh (command line or however), make sure you go to port 443 instead of the regular 22. The trick here is that places that block ports rarely block 443 – people need to be able to get to secure websites.

]]> By: Kevin http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164166 Kevin Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:56:05 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164166 I wish I would have read this about a month ago. At some point during the last few months while I was doing a ton of traveling, someone sniffed my bank user/pass and tried to access my account (from India). My bank somehow realized this and cut online access to my account before anything happened. But basically I had to have those accounts closed and get new accounts. It made me review all my other passwords and usernames related to anything financial and take action accordingly. I'm usually very good about doing stuff on open networks but I guess I slipped up at some point during the time when I was traveling often for work. That's the only way I can think that someone sniffed my traffic. I'll have a look at this app (and others recommended) and the methods used. Thanks! I wish I would have read this about a month ago. At some point during the last few months while I was doing a ton of traveling, someone sniffed my bank user/pass and tried to access my account (from India). My bank somehow realized this and cut online access to my account before anything happened. But basically I had to have those accounts closed and get new accounts. It made me review all my other passwords and usernames related to anything financial and take action accordingly.

I’m usually very good about doing stuff on open networks but I guess I slipped up at some point during the time when I was traveling often for work. That’s the only way I can think that someone sniffed my traffic. I’ll have a look at this app (and others recommended) and the methods used. Thanks!

]]> By: Paul Stamatiou http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164132 Paul Stamatiou Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:54:03 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164132 @Frank - SSH dynamic proxies are just SOCKS proxies whereas VPNs work on the link layer (they get all the traffic). That is to say that VPNs work at a lower level of things. VPN > SSH proxy. However with some effort you can use SSH as a VPN (SSH can do stuff with tun/tap devices, just like VPN). @Frank –

SSH dynamic proxies are just SOCKS proxies whereas VPNs work on the link layer (they get all the traffic). That is to say that VPNs work at a lower level of things. VPN > SSH proxy. However with some effort you can use SSH as a VPN (SSH can do stuff with tun/tap devices, just like VPN).

]]> By: Frank 'viperteq' Young http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164099 Frank 'viperteq' Young Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:21:16 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164099 Paul, what's the difference between SSH and VPN? I know that I should know this, but sadly I don't. I ask because I've started to notice that when I'm at school, U.C.'s N.O.C. is starting to block certain protocols (mainly Bittorrent, but a few others). I was told that by an acquaintence that setting up a VPN could solve that issue. Would an SSH tunnel to a server that I "own" do the same thing or are SSH and VPN to completely different things? Paul, what’s the difference between SSH and VPN? I know that I should know this, but sadly I don’t. I ask because I’ve started to notice that when I’m at school, U.C.’s N.O.C. is starting to block certain protocols (mainly Bittorrent, but a few others). I was told that by an acquaintence that setting up a VPN could solve that issue. Would an SSH tunnel to a server that I “own” do the same thing or are SSH and VPN to completely different things?

]]> By: James Cassell http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164072 James Cassell Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:39:43 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164072 I might use it if I were on a mac. -- I set up such tunnels using the command line quite frequently (on my linux machines). I might use it if I were on a mac. — I set up such tunnels using the command line quite frequently (on my linux machines).

]]> By: Seb Payne http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-164060 Seb Payne Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:18:20 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-164060 I know it's as advanced but I've used SSH Tunnel Manager which is free to manage my tunnels. When I'm at university, all SMTP connections are blocked so I do a tunnel to my MediaTemple server and send to Google Mail\s SMTP there. It works fine, if you know what you are doing. Much easier than running commands though. No problems with Tiger or Leopard. I know it’s as advanced but I’ve used SSH Tunnel Manager which is free to manage my tunnels. When I’m at university, all SMTP connections are blocked so I do a tunnel to my MediaTemple server and send to Google Mail\s SMTP there.

It works fine, if you know what you are doing. Much easier than running commands though. No problems with Tiger or Leopard.

]]> By: Bayliss http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163949 Bayliss Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:52:15 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163949 I never knew there was an app for this, i normally just wip open terminal and wizz in "ssh -ND 9999 user@server.com" and set up it for local in firefox. I wish there was a way round my college's internet blocks though. Blocks SSH, VPN's, Proxies. I never knew there was an app for this, i normally just wip open terminal and wizz in “ssh -ND 9999 user@server.com” and set up it for local in firefox. I wish there was a way round my college’s internet blocks though. Blocks SSH, VPN’s, Proxies.

]]> By: Ren http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163933 Ren Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:53:47 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163933 That's a really awful icon/logo. That’s a really awful icon/logo.

]]> By: Matt B http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163923 Matt B Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:18:53 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163923 There's an app very similar in functionality to this by the looks of it called SSHKeychain. While the actual configuration isn't quite as dumbed down, for the uninitiated it's a very nice FREE option. Nice find, though! There’s an app very similar in functionality to this by the looks of it called SSHKeychain. While the actual configuration isn’t quite as dumbed down, for the uninitiated it’s a very nice FREE option. Nice find, though!

]]> By: Michael http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163911 Michael Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:04:45 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163911 iSSH is free. http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/unix_open_source/issh.html iSSH is free.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/unix_open_source/issh.html

]]> By: Theo R http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163909 Theo R Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:33:12 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163909 Is anyone aware of something similar that I could use on a Windows VISTA machine that doesn't involve two or three clients/managers stuck together? Oh, and it must work unlike the other ones that i've seen! Theo Is anyone aware of something similar that I could use on a Windows VISTA machine that doesn’t involve two or three clients/managers stuck together?

Oh, and it must work unlike the other ones that i’ve seen!

Theo

]]> By: Richard http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163906 Richard Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:20:16 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163906 I've been using an SSH tunnel to my web host to watch Hulu videos for a while (command line, rather than an app), but I always wondered: Are web hosts likely to be ok with utilizing their SSH for this kind of thing? I guess it depends a lot on how much bandwidth you're using. I’ve been using an SSH tunnel to my web host to watch Hulu videos for a while (command line, rather than an app), but I always wondered: Are web hosts likely to be ok with utilizing their SSH for this kind of thing? I guess it depends a lot on how much bandwidth you’re using.

]]> By: rmaspero http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163905 rmaspero Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:10:08 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163905 I sort of understand that and it looks a lot simpler than I thought it would be I sort of understand that and it looks a lot simpler than I thought it would be

]]> By: Jeremy Ricketts http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163895 Jeremy Ricketts Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:02:44 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163895 Gawd I love this blog. Gawd I love this blog.

]]> By: Jonathan Solichin http://paulstamatiou.com/review-meerkat-ssh-tunnels-made-easy#comment-163891 Jonathan Solichin Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:21:07 +0000 http://paulstamatiou.com/?p=2419#comment-163891 Seems like a cool app. Too bad I have a pc though. Seems like a cool app. Too bad I have a pc though.

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