You can generate an SSH key on Windows using the PuTTY SSH client. You can download PuTTY for free from this URL.

To generate a key with PuTTY, you should:

• Download and start the puttygen.exe generator.
• In the "Parameters" section choose SSH2 DSA and press Generate.
• Move your mouse randomly in the small screen in order to generate the key pairs.
• Enter a key comment, which will identify the key (useful when you use several SSH keys).
• Type in the passphrase and confirm it. The passphrase is used to protect your key. You will be asked for it when youconnect via SSH.
• Click "Save private key" to save your private key.
• Click "Save public key" to save your public key.

In order to have SSH enabled for your VDS you need to go to your Customer Area -> Order Section -> Order Additional features -> Free SSH. You will be asked to describe the reason why you would like to have SSH access enabled.

Once the SSH is enabled for your Cloud hosting/VDS account by the SiteGround support team you will be able to establish the connection.

At this point you will have to load the private key you already generated. You can do so via pageant.exe program which can be downloaded from this URL.

Once downloaded, start the program and load your private key in it. If you have generated your key with a passphrase, you will be asked for it.

Then you start putty.exe and enter the connection details in the Session category:

- Host Name (or IP address) - here you should enter the host/IP of your VDS.

- Port - the port for the connection

- Protocol - you should select SSH

Enter the details and click on Open to establish the connection. You will be asked for a username. This is the same as your cPanel username. Enter it and you will be logged in using the SSH key pair.