Allow RSA key file format for SFTP and SSH asuthentication

[alfattal]

Currently, this extension only allows legacy .pem key file format for the SFTP and SSH authentication which is a huge limitation that prevents utilizing this extension. It would be great to allow the RSA format for authentication.

If user selects "All Files" and then select the id_rsa private key file, error message will show indicating that the file format show be in .pem format.

[katorymnd]

Hi @alfattal,

Thank you for the detailed feedback! I completely agree that this is a limitation, and I'll be pushing an update soon to remove the .pem restriction so you can use standard RSA keys.

As a quick workaround for now, please feel free to use the password option to log in, or use a .pem file if you have one available. That way you can still get to your files while I get this fixed. Appreciate your patience!

[alfattal]

@katorymnd Thank you for the quick response. I managed to use the plugin after going through intensive "Trial & Error" process to convert my RSA key to PEM format (Not fun at all) only to discover another limitation in which there is no way to navigate other directories in the remote server. In other words, only the tree of the default directory.

[katorymnd]

Hi @alfattal,

Glad to hear you were able to connect, though I apologize for the friction with the key conversion. The update to support standard RSA keys is still a top priority.

Regarding the directory navigation: the extension is designed to automatically load all visible folders and sub-folders downward from the default directory your SSH/SFTP user lands in.

If you are unable to see or navigate to other directories on your server, it is typically due to one of two things:

• Server Permissions / Chroot: Your SSH user profile might be restricted to its home directory (chroot jail) or lack read/execute permissions for directories outside of that specific tree. The extension can only display the folders your user has explicit permission to view.

• Starting Path: The tree anchors to the default login path. If the files you want are located elsewhere on the server (like /var/www/ instead of /home/user/), you would need to ensure your user's default SSH directory is pointed to the correct root, or that a symlink is established.

Could you verify if your SSH user has the necessary read permissions to access those other directories when logging in via a standard terminal? Let me know if that helps clear things up!

[alfattal]

@katorymnd My SSH user has all the permissions to access the server directories, I have verified this visa standard terminal and 3rd party app (FreeFileSync). See the attached screenshot.

[katorymnd]

Hi @alfattal,

Thanks for sharing that screenshot! It actually perfectly clears up what is happening here.

If you look at the "Directory on server" field in your FreeFileSync screenshot, you'll see you manually typed in a specific path (/var/www/html/d...). Remote File Sync is explicitly designed to automatically sniff and load the default home directory your server assigns to your SSH user upon login.

Because the extension intentionally relies on your server's default configuration, it cannot access files outside of where the server initially places your user. This isn't a limitation of the extension, but rather how your SSH user's default directory is configured on the server itself.

To resolve this so the extension can read your files, you will need to handle the configuration on your server using one of these methods:

1. Update your server configuration: Change your SSH user's default home directory to point directly to your web root (e.g., /var/www/).
2. Create a Symlink: Log into your server via a standard terminal and create a symlink in your current default directory that points to your target web folder (e.g., ln -s /var/www/html/docroot ~/docroot_link). The extension will then be able to see that link and load the files.

Let me know if adjusting your server configuration gets you sorted!