How to ssh hop through multiple hosts from a Windows batch file

Question

How write a Windows batch file to be run from HostA for those connections below?

SSH (with local port forwarding): HostA => HostB => HostC.

HostA – HostB must use plink.exe (HostA runs Windows)
HostB – HostC must use ssh (HostB runs Linux).

I try this:

@echo off
chdir /d "C:\"
start plink.exe user_at_B@192.168.IP_of_B -pw userBpasswd
ssh -L user_at_C@192.168.IP_of_C

This batch script does not execute a second ssh command (from B to C), it just opens a new CMD window in which nothing happens.

Please disregard password storage in a batch file for plink.

Answer 1

You have to tell plink to execute the ssh, by passing the ssh command to plink commandline:

start plink.exe -t user_at_B@192.168.IP_of_B -pw userBpasswd ssh -L user_at_C@192.168.IP_of_C

When the command is provided on Plink command-line, Plink by default does not use a terminal emulation. To force the terminal emulation, the -t switch needs to be added (as shown above).

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Though:

• Imo, your ssh command is wrong – With -L you need to specify an additional argument.
• For SSH hop, you can also use a port forwarding, instead of executing ssh on the intermediate server.
  See How to create SSH tunnel using PuTTY in Windows?