Visual Basic .NET SSH Sample Source Code

Network Component provides an easy-to-use development interface to a variety of IP protocols. By using Network Component, you can very easily create or enhance applications with network features.

Network Component features the following: DNS, FTP, HTTP, HTTPs, ICMP Ping, IP-to-Country, MSN, NTP, RSH, SCP, SFTP, SNMP v1/v2c (Get, GetNext, Set), SNMP Traps, SNMP MIB, SSH, TCP, Telnet, TFTP, UDP, Telnet, Wake-On-LAN and more.

Network Component can be well integrated into any development platform that supports ActiveX objects.

Network Component is compliant with SNMP v1 and SNMP v2c. Several SNMP data types are supported, including:

String types (also called "octet strings");
Integer types (16bit, 32bit, 64bit and unsigned integers);
IP Address types;
Timetick types;
Counter types (32bit and 64bit counters);
OID types (also called "Object ID's");
Other, less frequently used datatypes.

Network Component SNMP traps features:

SNMP v1 and SNMP v2c support;
Support for aplphanumeric OID's (object identifier) and numeric OID's;
Multi-threading architecture: send SNMP traps simultaneously from one process using multiple threads;
Support for ports other than the default 161 and 162 ports;
Support for enterprise specific traps;
Support for SNMP v1 generic traps;
Send multiple variables in a single SNMP TRAP message.

Step 1: Download and install the Network Component

Download Network Component from the ActiveXperts Download Site and start the installation. The installation guides you through the installation process.

Step 2: Create a new Visual Basic .NET Project

Launch Microsoft Visual Studio (for instance 'Microsoft Visual Studio 2008') from the Start menu. Choose 'New' from the 'File' menu and click on 'Project'. In the 'New Project' dialog, select a Visual Studio template (for instance: 'Console Application'). Select a name for the application (for instance: 'DemoApp') and a name for the solution (for instance: 'DemoSolution'). Also, select the directory where you want to store the project (for instance: 'C:\MyProjects):

(Click on the picture to enlarge)

Step 3: Refer to the Network Component Library and create the objects

Now that a new project has been created, you must add a reference to the Network Component in the project to be able to use the the Network Component object. To do so, choose 'Add Reference...' from the 'Project' menu. In the 'Add Reference' dialog that pops up, select the 'COM' tab and select the 'Network Component 4.4 Type Library' as shown in the following picture:

(Click on the picture to enlarge)

Click 'OK' to close the 'Add Reference' dialog.

On top of your code, type the following line to use the Network Component namespace:

Imports AxNetwork

In your Main function, declare and create the following object:

Public m_objSsh As Ssh
m_objSsh = New Ssh()

Appendix: Full source code

Imports System.IO
Imports AxNetwork

Module SshProgram

    Sub Main()
        Dim objSsh As New AxNetwork.Ssh()
        ' Create instance of COM Object
        ' A license key is required to unlock this component after the trial period has expired.
        ' Call 'Activate' with a valid license key as its first parameter. Second parameter determines whether to save the license key permanently 
        ' to the registry (True, so you need to call Activate only once), or not to store the key permanently (False, so you need to call Activate
        ' every time the component is created). For details, see manual, chapter "Product Activation".
        '
        '            objSsh.Activate( "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX", false );
        '            


        ' Display component information
        Console.WriteLine("ActiveXperts Network Component {0}" & vbLf & "Build: {1}" & vbLf & "Module: {2}" & vbLf & "License Status: {3}" & vbLf & "License Key: {4}" & vbLf, objSsh.Version, objSsh.Build, objSsh.[Module], objSsh.LicenseStatus, objSsh.LicenseKey)

        ' Set Logfile (optional, for debugging purposes)
        objSsh.LogFile = Path.GetTempPath() & "Ssh.log"
        Console.WriteLine("Log file used: {0}" & vbLf, objSsh.LogFile)

        objSsh.Host = ReadInput("Enter host/IP address", "srv202.activexperts-labs.com", True)

        If objSsh.Host = "srv202.activexperts-labs.com" Then
            objSsh.UserName = "activexperts"
            objSsh.Password = "topsecret"
            objSsh.PrivateKeyFile = ""
        Else
            objSsh.UserName = ReadInput("Enter user name:", "", False)
            objSsh.Password = ReadInput("Enter password (Optional):", "", True)
            objSsh.PrivateKeyFile = ReadInput("Enter private key file (Optional):", "", True)
        End If
        ' objSsh.Port = 22;	// Default port: 22
        objSsh.AcceptHostKey = True
        ' Automatically accept and store the host key if it is changed or unknown
        objSsh.Command = ReadInput("Enter command:", "ls -als /cygdrive/c/sshroot/network-component", True)

        Console.WriteLine("Host: " & objSsh.Host)
        Console.WriteLine("UserName: " & objSsh.UserName)
        Console.WriteLine("Password: " & objSsh.Password)
        Console.WriteLine("Command: " & objSsh.Command)

        Console.WriteLine("Run...")
        objSsh.Run()
        Console.WriteLine("Run, result: " & objSsh.LastError & " (" & objSsh.GetErrorDescription(objSsh.LastError) & ")")
        If objSsh.ProtocolError <> "" Then
            Console.WriteLine("ProtocolError: " & objSsh.ProtocolError)
        End If
        If objSsh.LastError = 0 Then
            Console.WriteLine("STDERR: ")
            Console.WriteLine(objSsh.StdErr)
            Console.WriteLine("STDOUT: ")
            Console.WriteLine(objSsh.StdOut)
        End If

        Console.WriteLine("Ready.")
        System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(3000)
        ' Sleep for 3 second before exit
    End Sub

    Private Function ReadInput(ByVal strTitle As String, ByVal strDefaultValue As String, ByVal bAllowEmpty As Boolean) As String
        Dim strInput As [String], strReturn As [String] = ""

        If strDefaultValue = "" Then
            Console.WriteLine(strTitle)
        Else
            Console.WriteLine(String.Format("{0}, leave blank to use: {1}", strTitle, strDefaultValue))
        End If

        Do
            Console.Write("  > ")
            strInput = Console.ReadLine()
            If strInput.Length > 0 Then
                strReturn = strInput
            End If
        Loop While strReturn = "" AndAlso Not bAllowEmpty

        If strReturn = "" AndAlso strDefaultValue <> "" Then
            Return strDefaultValue
        End If
        Return strReturn
    End Function
End Module

You can download the complete samples here. There are many other working Network Component scripts on our site and shipped with the product.

NOTE: Demo Projects are created with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008

The Network Component project ships with a set of Microsoft Visual Studio .NET samples, including samples for Microsoft Visual C# .NET. The projects are created with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008.

Users with a later version of Microsoft Visual Studio can open such a project. The Visual Studio Conversion Wizard will guide you through the process of converting the project to the version used.

Contact Info

ActiveXperts Network Component