Changing the Astronaut SSH port
(Under construction)
This is an optional step for more security and for networks where there are multiple servers on the network using SSH connections. (In some networking configurations it is difficult for a router to know to which SSH server it should forward port 22 traffic). This method involves changing the port for the SSH (tunnel) traffic.
Changing Windows environment variables and shortcuts
- Create a new environment variable ASTRO_SSH_PORT:
- Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Settings -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced -> Environment variables
There is also an Astronaut utility that brings up the environment variables:
- Start Menu -> Programs -> Astronaut -> Sessions -> Client Variables -> Environment Variables
A list of the environment variables is displayed.
- -> System variables: New... ->
- -> Variable Name: ASTRO_SSH_PORT
- -> Variable Value: 22
- Although I used the default value 22 for the SSH port, obviously this is the value that is going to be changed.
Change Astronaut SSH shortcut
The "Astronaut SSH" shortcut that is used to invoke the PuTTY SSH client uses a command line:
"C:\Program Files\VistA\Putty\putty.exe" -ssh -l %ASTRO_SSH_clientID% -pw %ASTRO_SSH_CLIENT_PASS% -L %ASTRO_PORT%:127.0.0.1:%ASTRO_PORT% %ASTRO_SSH_HOST%
The individual environment variables must be specified if you do not have privileges to specify environment variables. For example:
- %ASTRO_SSH_clientID% -> client9260 (this is the default value)
- %ASTRO_SSH_CLIENT_PASS% -> not#1sostrong (this is the default value)
- %ASTRO_PORT% -> 9260
- %ASTRO_SSH_HOST% -> 192.168.56.101 (use the IP address or URL of the installed VistA server)
If using a manual configuration (for protected environments or on a USB drive, for example) the revised Astronaut SSH shortcut would be similar to:
"C:\Program Files\VistA\Putty\putty.exe" -ssh -l client9260 -pw not#1sostrong -L 9260:127.0.0.1:9260 192.168.56.101
