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Free Open Source (MIT) Windows

PuTTY - SSH & Serial Terminal Client

The world's most widely used free SSH, Telnet and serial terminal client. Essential for remote device management, serial console access, and network equipment configuration in industrial environments.

Version

0.84

File Size

3.9 MB (ZIP)

Platform

Windows

License

MIT (Open Source)

Overview

PuTTY is the de facto standard terminal emulator for SSH, Telnet and serial connections. In industrial environments, it is commonly used for accessing the command-line interface of network equipment, industrial gateways, and serial console ports on embedded devices.

While PuTTY is primarily known for SSH remote access, its serial terminal capability makes it equally valuable for direct RS-232/RS-485 console connections to industrial devices that provide a command-line configuration interface.

Key Features

🔒 SSH with Key Authentication

Secure SSH connections with public key authentication, SSH keys generation (PuTTYgen), and agent forwarding (Pageant).

⚙ Serial Console

Direct serial port connections for RS-232/RS-485 console access. Configure COM port, baud rate and flow control.

🔄 Port Forwarding

SSH tunneling and port forwarding for secure access to Modbus TCP devices and web interfaces behind firewalls.

💾 Session Management

Save connection profiles with all settings. Quickly reconnect to frequently used devices and gateways.

Quick Start Guide

SSH Connection to Remote Gateway

  1. Launch PuTTY from the extracted folder
  2. Enter the IP address of your remote device in the Host Name field
  3. Set port to 22 (default SSH) or the custom SSH port
  4. Ensure SSH is selected as the connection type
  5. Click Open to establish the connection
  6. Enter credentials when prompted for username and password

Serial Console Connection

  1. Launch PuTTY and select Serial as the connection type
  2. Enter the COM port (e.g., COM3) in the Serial line field
  3. Set the baud rate (e.g., 9600, 115200) in the Speed field
  4. Configure serial settings: Data bits (8), Stop bits (1), Parity (None) under Connection > Serial
  5. Click Open to connect to the serial console

SSH Tunneling for Industrial Networks

Setting Up SSH Port Forwarding for Modbus TCP

Use SSH tunneling to securely access Modbus TCP devices on remote networks:

SettingValuePurpose
Source Port5020Local port to connect to
Destination192.168.1.100:502Remote Modbus device IP:port
TypeLocalLocal port forwarding

After connecting, access the Modbus device at 127.0.0.1:5020 - traffic is encrypted through the SSH tunnel.

Compatible with ModulesLink Products

Use PuTTY to access the web configuration interface and command-line console of ModulesLink Modbus gateways via SSH. Configure SSH tunneling to securely access Modbus TCP devices on remote industrial networks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PuTTY connect to serial ports?
Yes, PuTTY supports serial connections. Select 'Serial' as the connection type, enter the COM port (e.g., COM3) and baud rate (e.g., 9600), then click Open to connect to RS-232 or RS-485 serial devices. Configure additional serial settings under Connection > Serial.
Is PuTTY free for commercial use?
Yes, PuTTY is free and open-source software released under the MIT license. You can use it for personal and commercial purposes without any restrictions or licensing fees.
How to set up SSH tunneling in PuTTY?
Go to Connection > SSH > Tunnels, enter a local source port (e.g., 5020), enter the destination as remote_ip:port (e.g., 192.168.1.100:502), select Local, click Add, then connect. Access the remote service via localhost:5020.