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Comment by ralphm | Hacker News Reader

Don't ever fix your `ssh_config` by appending stuff to the end of the file. The configuration syntax allows for block constructs without an explicit end marker (like `Match` and `Host`). Appending will cause all kinds of sadness.

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It's from the linked page.

Indeed. The page gives bad advise. If your config has `Host` blocks, like often in people's personal configs, or if you have a `Match` block, the new directive only applies to the last of those blocks in the config file.

Sufficient to place it at the top of ~/.ssh/config? Or does it also need a block header of its own, like:

    Host *
    UseRoaming no

I confirmed that it does not need to be placed into a Host block, as long as it is above all of your blocks.

For instance:

   UseRoaming no

   Host *
      Blah yes

Test with: ssh -v remote.ssh.host.com uptime 2>&1 | grep -i roaming

If it returns nothing, the config fix is active. If it isn't active, you'll see 'debug1: Roaming not allowed by server'

Which is why they're appending a newline and Host *?

Note that the example was changed as a result of my initial comment.

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