This webpage is part of the Macintosh OS X SSH documentation. It details how to install and configure Fetch which can be used for secure file transport with SSH. Fetch must "tunnel" through your SSH client connection to a server protected by SSH.

You might consider Fugu as an alternative to Fetch!

Fetch Software Configuration for OS X

You need to configure a "shortcut" for the host with which Fetch will communicate--where the remote files reside--and define the "tunnel" through SSH which Fetch uses to communicate securely with the host. You will have only one tunnel at any time but you may have several hosts defined with shortcuts.

• Download Fetch install it.
• Start Fetch. If you're asked about establishing any connections, click Cancel. The Fetch application on your Mac will stay active.
• Under File, select New Connection
• For the Host name use 127.0.0.1 or localhost which is how you "talk" to your SSH client.
• Enter your UserID (NetID) or leave the field empty and you'll be prompted for it later when you try to connect.
• Leave Password empty and you'll be prompted for it.
• Click the grey right-arrow (triangle); so that it turns into a down-arrow and more options are presented at the bottom of the window.
• You can set the remote Initial directory to public_html where you would store your webpages.
• Set port number to 1024
• Use the Shortcuts toggle at the bottom of the window to select that this configuration should become your default (Create Default) or simple add this (Create New) if it will not be the one you use most frequently).
• Click Cancel so that the shortcut gets added, but the connection is not attempted.
  
  

• This shortcut needs to be cleaned up a bit. From the menu bar at the top under the Window pulldown, select Fetch Shortcuts.
• You should see the shortcut you just made (along with some that Fetch provided). It has the name 127.0.0.1 (or localhost), but that IP address/name will get used for any remote host you define to Fetch, so you should give this a meaningful name to indicate what the real remote host is.
• Highlight 127.0.0.1 in the Fetch Shortcuts list and under Customize select Edit Shortcut.
• In the Shortcut Editor window that opens highlight 127.0.0.1 in the Name field only and replace it with U-Sys.
• Click OK.

  

• Under the Fetch pulldown, select Preferences.
• Under the General tab of the Preferences window that opens you will see the name of your default shortcut (or you can set a default if you didn't earlier).

  

• Under the Firewall tab check the PASV box.
• Set the Proxy host name to your internal IP address: 127.0.0.1
  (you will be talking to the SSH client running on your machine and it will be acting on your behalf--as your proxy)
• Set your file transfer port to 1024.
• Click OK.

  

• Minimize Fetch.

Keep that SSH tunnel open while you connect Fetch, through the tunnel, to the remote host.

• Make Fetch active (from the dock).
• Under the File pulldown, choose Open Shortcut or New Connection to the remote host
• The New Connection window displays the shortcut configuration you just created. Click OK.
• You'll be prompted for your password.
• When you get a warning message about your password being unprotected, reply with Ignore. Your password is NOT unprotected--it's protected by the SSH tunnel!
• When communication is established between Fetch and the U-System, through the SSH tunnel, you will see a Fetch directory listing of the remote files:

  

• If it's not obvious on exactly which system Get or Put places a file, don't worry because subsequent windows make it obvious in which direction the file transfer will go.
  • Get brings remote files to your Mac. If you highlight a file in the 127.0.0.1 1024 directory window, the Get... button changes to Get File. Click the button and the file will be copied to your Mac.
  • If you click the Put Files... button, a new window opens to display a local directory listing. Highlight a file in the local directory listing then click the Choose button to copy a file to the U-System.
  • you can also drag-and-drop files between your Desktop and the remote directory window!!
• You will also see a window that shows you messages about the success or failure of file transfers.

  

• When you have finished, "exit" your SSH session to the U-System in your Terminal window and Quit Fetch. (Caution: with OS X closing a window does not automatically end the application.)