Question

How to set the remote ssh time out

Asked by: pradeep_bansal

Is there any way by which ssh server disconnect after 10 min if the user is not using the remote terminal.

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Asked On
2009-11-04 at 23:21:08ID24873632
Tags

Linux

Topic

Red Hat Linux

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: stephenhoekstraPosted on 2009-11-05 at 02:14:50ID: 25748040

Hello,

Easy step by step at http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-unix-login-bash-shell-force-time-outs/ covers what you would like to acheive.

 

by: stephenhoekstraPosted on 2009-11-05 at 02:17:24ID: 25748043

If it's just SSH, you need ClientAliveInterval 600 for 10 minute time out.

 

by: pradeep_bansalPosted on 2009-11-06 at 03:59:20ID: 25758346

Thanks for the replies......       But is there any way in SSH configuration files by which i can achieve this..

 

by: stephenhoekstraPosted on 2009-11-06 at 04:08:36ID: 25758383

At the bottom of the page above it says:


Dealing with ssh clients

SSH allows administrators to set an idle timeout interval. After this interval has passed, the idle user will be automatically logged out. Open /etc/ssh/sshd config file, enter:
# vi /etc/ssh/sshd config
Find ClientAliveInterval and set to 300 (5 minutes) as follows:

ClientAliveInterval 300
ClientAliveCountMax 0

Save and close the file. Restart sshd:
# service sshd restart

 

by: pradeep_bansalPosted on 2009-11-06 at 06:22:59ID: 25759301

Fantastic! thats resolved my problem........................BUT one more question

What is the value for ClientAliveCountMax which is 0 stands..........means 3 stands for (ClientAliveInterval) X (3).............?
And Can I customise the error message came after timeout.

 

by: stephenhoekstraPosted on 2009-11-06 at 09:24:21ID: 25761073

Pretty much, yeah.  ClientAliveCountMax is the maximum amount of times sshd will try contact the client (after the ClientAliveInterval time) to determine if it's up.

So pretty much, if you have ClientAliveInterval set to 10 (for ease of example here), every 10 seconds the server is going to check if the client is connected (responding to a sort of ping if you will).  So if ClientAliveCountMax is 0, it'll try once after 10 seconds of idle time to check if client is still alive, if it's not, it'll disconnect the client.  If ClientAliveMaxCount is 3, it'll try 3 times before disconnecting the client, so in this case 3x10 = 30 second of inactivity.  There's more info in 'man sshd'.  

I don't think I've ever changed the default of ClientAliveCountMax, I've always changed it at 0 (default is 3) and altered the ClientAliveInterval as to me it's pretty much the same thing.. maybe someone else would have an explanation as to why ClientAliveCountMax exists when you can just alter ClientAliveInterval.

As for custom error message, I think the error is just a connection timed out and cannot be altered.

 

by: pradeep_bansalPosted on 2009-11-08 at 02:47:57ID: 25770084

Then why cant we give 1 instead of 0. It seems to be of same output .,...... mean it'll try once after 10 seconds

 

by: stephenhoekstraPosted on 2009-11-08 at 04:03:57ID: 25770223

0 and 1 have the same value I think.  I'm not sure.  I've only used 0 to do what you want to do as I can't see the use of changing it when you can change ClientAliveInterval..

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