How to copy files from one machine to another using ssh

If speed (and not security) is your priority, then check out netcat. Before I start, let me warn you that this should be used only in a trusted network because netcat transfers are not encrypted.

First, on the receiving side, run this:

nc -lp 22222 >FileName

Then on the sending side:

nc -w3 <receiver IP or hostname> 22222 <FileName

Notes:

• -l: Listen mode
• -p: Port number to listen on (I picked an arbitrary port)
• -w: Connect timeout

ssh user@domain "printf 'dir' | pax -w " | pax -r

Use it instead of scp. Pax standardized [1] by IEEE, and scp deprecated by lwn[2] usersg.

[1] https://man.bsd.lv/pax.1#STANDARDS [2] https://lwn.net/Articles/835962/

From someone else on "the CLI-way" ;-)

If they are running SCP / SSH on a different port, make sure you specify the uppercase -P port option.

Example:

scp -P 7121 /users/admin/downloads/* [email protected]:/home/

Unix/Linux recursive copy of files and folders over a secure shell using the code following:

scp -r <host@machine_name:from_remote_directory_path> <to_local_directory_path>

A full example might look like:

scp -r sizwe@hprobook:./home/sizwe/PycharmProjects ./home/immaculate/OtherPycharmProjects

Note if you do not have a DNS server to resolve hostnames, use your IP address instead. The example above might look like this

scp -r 192.168.43.167:./home/sizwe/PycharmProjects ./home/immaculate/OtherPycharmProjects

A simpler method that works with via SSH controlled NVIDIA Jetson computers is to connect with SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol).

Suppose I wish to move the document UFO_blueprint.odt from NASA's remote servers and move it into my Documents.

1. cd to where you want the file saved

   $ cd Documents
   

2. Connect

   $ sftp sammy@your_server_ip_or_remote_hostname
   

3. Go the directory that contains the file to be transferred.

   $ cd NASA/secret_files/
   

4. Transfer

   $ get UFO_blueprint.odt
   

To get the complete directory, instead use

$ get -r secret_files/

If you have one of the common OSes, you can install pigz that is the same as gzip except that it will use multiple cores and be quicker over a fast network. My command is a bit different.

tar cf - -C /opt -S <dir> | pigz | ssh <target> "pigz -d | tar xf - -C /opt -S"

or the other way to get files

ssh <target> "tar cf - -C /opt -S <dir> | pigz" | pigz -d | tar xf - -C /opt -S

or backup the root fs with

ssh <target> "tar cf - -C / --one-file-system -S --numeric-owner . | pigz" > root.tgz

If you want to keep the files on both systems in sync then have a look at the rsync program:

(see tutorial here)

Sometimes you need to get fancy with tar:

tar -C / -cf - 
  opt/widget etc/widget etc/cron.d/widget etc/init.d/widget 
  --exclude=opt/widget/local.conf | 
  ssh otherhost tar -C / -xvf -

In case if you need an alternate approach.

Install sshfs. if you use ubuntu/debian:

sudo apt-get install sshfs

or, if you use centos/rhel:

sudo yum install fuse-sshfs

or, in macOS

brew install sshfs

Create an empty dir

mkdir /home/user/testdir

"link" or "mount" the two directories

sshfs [email protected]:/remote/dir /home/user/testdir

"unlink" the dirs

fusermount -u /home/user/testdir

On BSD and macOS, to unmount the filesystem:

umount mountpoint

or

diskutil unmount mountpoint

For more see here, linuxjournal.com libfuse/sshfs

Syntax:

scp <source> <destination>

To copy a file from B to A while logged into B:

scp /path/to/file username@a:/path/to/destination

To copy a file from B to A while logged into A:

scp username@b:/path/to/file /path/to/destination