Logging In

From a Windows Computer

If you are using Windows 10, you can review this article on enabling and using ssh on Windows. Then, you can follow the "From a Mac or Linux Computer" instructions below using the Windows Terminal program.

If you are running an earlier version of Windows, download a program called PuTTY first. Follow the "download" link, then select the appropriate MSI ("Windows Installer"): 32-bit or 64-bit. Alternatively, you can look under "Alternative binary files" and click on "putty.exe" for your system, to download the executable file directly.

When you start it, it will ask for a host or hostname. You should enter:

hills.ccsf.edu

This video demonstrates how to login to hills from a PC.

From a Mac or Linux Computer

Open the program called Terminal. Once it has opened, type the following and press enter (replace username with your username):

ssh username@hills.ccsf.edu

This video demonstrates how to login to hills from a Mac.

From a Chromebook

1. Open the "Terminal" app, and on the line that says "Linux", click "Set up"
2. In the Settings page that opens, under Developers where it says "Linux development environment", click "Turn on"
3. Click "Next" and "Install" to install Linux with the default settings.
4. A Terminal window will then open with a "penguin" prompt where you can run Linux commands just like on a Mac or Linux machine (see above video).  At the prompt, type:

ssh uname@hills.ccsf.edu

(Put your hills login name in place of "uname" above.)

5. In the future, to open the Terminal window with your prompt, open the "Terminal" app, then click on "penguin". Then you can type "ssh ..." again.

From a Tablet

On a tablet (iPad or Android), install Termius (free app). Please refer to this Quick Start page for instructions on how to get started with Termius!

From a Lab Computer

Refer to this handout for logging into hills from a lab computer.

Your Username and Password

Your username is the first part of your CCSF email address (everything before the @ sign). Your initial password will be the first three letters of your birth month, your two-digit birth date, your two-digit birth year, a dot, and finally the first two letters of your username. So, if your username is abc123 and your birthday is October 2nd, 1980, then your initial password is:

oct0280.ab

You will be asked to change your password immediately. Once you type your old password, and then type your new password twice, you will be automatically logged out, and you will have to log in again.

For more info, you can refer to the handout for logging into hills from the lab computers.

Password Reset

Need to reset your hills password? Refer to the Hills Password Reset page.

Using Hills

For the basic commands you can use on hills, refer to Tutorial One and Tutorial Two on this UNIX tutorial page.

You can use a simple text editor program called nano. For more information on nano, refer to this nano tutorial.

Logging Out

To log out of hills, simply type:

exit