OK to enable Telnet? What about ssh?

[ags]

I've been working on understanding the interface to my new RT-N66U router. I've enabled the Telnet interface and successfully logged in.

Two questions:

1) Is the Telnet interface available outside my LAN?
2) Is there an ssh interface that I can use instead? Am I correct that this would only be of value for access from the WAN?

 

[r00t4rd3d]

Are you on the stock firmware? I dont think telnet is available outside your lan unless you open the port in the firewall. Most people use SSH as its more secure. I suggest to enable SSH but dont allow WAN access to it and disable telnet. You can use Putty in SSH mode and WinSCP in SCP mode to connect to your router, Putty is command line terminal and WinSCP is GUI file browser.

Putty:
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html

WinSCP:
http://winscp.net/eng/index.php

 

[Adamm]

I've been working on understanding the interface to my new RT-N66U router. I've enabled the Telnet interface and successfully logged in.

Two questions:

1) Is the Telnet interface available outside my LAN?
2) Is there an ssh interface that I can use instead? Am I correct that this would only be of value for access from the WAN?

I recommend flashing RMerlin's firmware and you will be able to enable SSH (along with other features). Telnet was designed for private networks but is very insecure because everything is sent in plain text. Preferably you should be enabling SSH and using public keys/disabling password login's for the best security.

SSH can be used for a variety of things as the router is basically a minimal linux install, but its best to disable access from WAN again for security reasons.

 

[ags]

Yes, I'm using stock firmware. I haven't found any ssh interface, and using PuTTY I was able to connect using Telnet from my LAN, but could not connect using ssh.

 

[RMerlin]

SSH is not available in the stock firmware. Only telnet, and only from the LAN side.

 

[ags]

Old thread, same OP, same topic - it's circled back again.

SSH is not available in the stock firmware. Only telnet, and only from the LAN side.

1) Is there any expectation that SSH will become part of the OEM AsusWRT firmware?

SSH can be used for a variety of things as the router is basically a minimal linux install, but its best to disable access from WAN again for security reasons.

2) I guess no access at all is better than the best secure access, but is SSH any less secure than OpenVPN?

 

[sfx2000]

2) I guess no access at all is better than the best secure access, but is SSH any less secure than OpenVPN?

OpenSSH/Dropbear is just as secure as OpenVPN... much depends on how it's configured, and never expose services to the WAN without understanding the risks involved.

 

[RMerlin]

Is there any expectation that SSH will become part of the OEM AsusWRT firmware?

You are replying to a two years old thread...

Asus has since added SSH to the stock firmware.

 

[ags]

My bad. I wasn't able to search for "ssh" as it is too short, so all I could do was look manually. Indeed, ssh is now supported by Asus.

 

[wouterv]

Sorry guys, no SSH for the RT-N66U with stock firmware.

RT-N66U 3.0.0.4.380.3264:

RT-AC5300: