Remote access - Manual - Using SSHFS to mount external file systems via SSH

Page / - last modified by Jan Rhebergen on 2022/01/24 15:57

Manual - Using SSHFS to mount external file systems via SSH

last modified by Jan Rhebergen

on 2022/01/24 15:57

Table of Contents

Install WinFsp and SSHFS-Win

File Explorer

SSHFS (SSH Filesystem) is a file system client to mount folders and files on a remote server or workstation and communicate with them over a normal ssh connection. Linux and macOS have already implemented it in their file explorers (Nautilus and Finder, respectively). For the Windows platform, there are a number of implementations, both in the commercial sector and in the open source community. This guide describes an open source version known as SSHFS-Win. You need to download and install two programs: WinFsp and SSHFS-Win. After installation, you can mount / map directories from any server that provides an SSH connection service to Windows as a network drive.

Install WinFsp and SSHFS-Win

Go to the following link: https://github.com/billziss-gh/winfsp/releases/tag/v1.8

Install the latest version of WinFsp.

Install the latest version of SSHFS-Win, with this link: https://github.com/billziss-gh/sshfs-win/releases

Install the version that matches the operating system; 32-bit or 64-bit.

If WinFsp and SSHFS-Win are installed, you can map a network drive to a folder on an SSHFS host using Windows Explorer.

File Explorer

This works as follows: Open File Explorer, right click on This PC and choose Map network drive. Choose a station to mount and in the Folder field enter the following:

\\sshfs\yourRemoteLogin@remoteComputer

(replace the text after \\ sshfs \ with your own data)

The first time a particular SSHFS path is assigned, you will be prompted for the SSHFS username and password. Add this information. This is username@dashtools.nl and the obtained password.

You can then choose to save these login details with Windows Credential Manager, so that this will not be requested again in the future.

To uninstall the disk, right-click on the disk icon in Windows Explorer and select Disconnect.

Now the server's file system is available through My Computer via the drive letter that has been chosen.